By Jill Williams
This week featured three busy days of profiled runners, with Into Mischief's Gina Romantica the undisputed headliner of the “Insighted” horses. Two others to keep an eye on are a pair of Upstart fillies: Micro Share, who won at Santa Anita, and Green Up, who was victorious at Gulfstream. Micro Share had been a subject of Insights earlier in her career and Green Up was named a 'TDN Rising Star' based on a facile romp.
Friday's Insights: Into Mischief Filly Stretches Out for Baffert
4th-Santa Anita, $67,000, Msw, 3-11, 3yo, f, 1m, 1:38.42, ft, 4 1/2 lengths.
It was MICRO SHARE (f, 3, Upstart–Who'sbeeninmybed, by The Daddy)'s turn to shine after a second last out in eventual GIII Las Virgenes S. winner Adare Manor (Uncle Mo)'s maiden. Shine she did, splitting horses at the five-sixteenths pole, sweeping to the lead under a Mike Smith hand ride, and coasting home 4 1/2 lengths to the best of $750,000 Keeneland September buy Brocade (Into Mischief). Micro Share, herself an OBS April $450,000 purchase after breezing :20 4/5, is conditioned by Richard Mandella and was part of a November Insights. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
9th-Gulfstream, $53,000, Msw, 3-11, 4yo/up, f/m, 1m 70y (AWT) (off turf), 1:41.99, ft, 2 lengths.
It wasn't Watch It (Tapit)'s day in this off-turf maiden, her second of two career starts taken off the turf. With some top Group 1 winners in Europe close up in her family, Watch It would likely appreciate her next start staying on the grass. Barclay Tagg's SANURA (f, 4, Kitten's Joy–Nehantic Kat {MSW & MGSP, $394,481}, by Tomorrows Cat) took home the win. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
Saturday's Insights: American Pharoah Filly Arrives at Aqueduct
1st-AQU, $80K, Msw, 3yo, f, 6 1/2f, 1:20 p.m.
Racing was cancelled at Aqueduct Saturday due to a winter storm. With Bells on (American Pharoah) will have to find another spot for her debut.
6th-Tampa Bay Downs, $32,000, Msw, 3-12, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:11.35, gd, 1 1/4 lengths.
The multiple stakes-producing dam of GINA ROMANTICA (f, 3, Into Mischief–Special Me, by Unbridled's Song) was profiled by TDN in 2019, complete with a photo of Gina Romantica as a foal. Sold for $1.025 million at Keeneland September, Gina Romantica looks to be another special one out of her Machmer Hall dam with her 1 1/4-length debut win margin belying the ease of her flying-on-the-outside victory. With her eye-catching debut, big pedigree, and prominent connections–Chad Brown trains her for Peter Brant–it's a good bet this won't be the only time we hear her name. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
6th-Gulfstream, $53,000, Msw, 3-12, 3yo, 7 1/2fT, 1:29.10, fm, neck.
While Gina Romantica was impressing at Tampa, the same connections brought back Watasha (Into Mischief) from a nearly eight-month layoff at Gulfstream only to have the party spoiled by Arnmore Thoroughbreds homebred RIOT HOUSE (g, 3, Violence–Tuttipaesi {Ire} {GSW & GISP-USA, MSW-Ity, $586,313}, by Clodovil {Ire}). A $450,000 Keeneland September purchase, Watasha ran evenly. Riot House was coming off an almost nine-month layoff of his own and a trainer switch from Wesley Ward to Danny Gargan. His sire is currently ranked in the top 15 of active sires standing in the U.S. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
9th-Gulfstream, $53,000, Msw, 3-12, 3yo, 6f, 1:10.53, sy, 2 1/4 lengths.
Second-time starter UNIKEE (c, 3, Unified–Yankee Union {MSP, $164,064}, by Yankee Gentleman) prevailed over debuting Cape Trafalgar (Lord Nelson) in the slop. Hector Berrios aboard Cape Trafalgar alleged interference against Miguel Vasquez and Unikee in the stretch, but stewards disallowed the claim. Both the winner and the runner-up were previous sales horses, with Unikee hammering for $50,000 at OBS last June after working a furlong in :10 1/5 and Cape Trafalgar bringing $325,000 as a yearling at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky. He was the second-highest sales yearling for the late Lord Nelson that year. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
Sunday's Insights: Half to Maxfield Debuts in Hallandale
4th-Gulfstream, $53,000, Msw, 3-13, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:10.04, ft, 6 3/4 lengths.
Pedigree handicappers had to love Godolphin homebred Loved (Medaglia d'Oro), a half-sister to MGISW Maxfield (Street Sense), but it was Team Valor's GREEN UP (f, 3, Upstart-Green Punch, by Two Punch) who went to post at 2-5. Green Up sold for a mere $10,000 as a Fasig-Tipton Midlantic yearling, but has had her connections high on her future–including a GI Kentucky Oaks nomination–after consistently working lights out for Todd Pletcher. She more than delivered Sunday, stalking from second before outclassing her opponents for a 6 3/4-length win and 'TDN Rising Star' honors. No one was going to beat Green Up this day, but Loved got some dirt in her face and an education. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
11th-Gulfstream, $60,000, Msw, 3-13, 3yo, f, 7 1/2f T, 1:28.93, gd, 4 1/2 lengths.
Claimed for $50,000 from Steve Asmussen by Jeff Hiles at Churchill last November, HOWBOUTDEMAPPLES (f, 3, Tiznow–Apple Down Under, by Lonhro {Aus}) made her first visit to the winner's circle at the expense of Personal Best (Tapit) and Get By (Get Stormy), who were both making their racing debuts. Both Personal Best–her Grade I-winning dam's first foal–and Get By–a full-sister to 2020 GIII Honey Fox S. winner Getmotherarose–moved up from the rear of the 12-horse field to finish midpack. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
9th-Oaklawn, $90,000, Msw, 3-13, 3yo, 6f, 1:10.70, ft, 3/4 length.
It was firster SISAWAY NOW (c, 3, Tiznow–Run Away's Sis, by City Zip) who graduated over fellow first-timer Be There (Medaglia d'Oro). The latter was knocked sideways by a rival at the start with a fierce slam and never fully recovered. Sisaway Now paid $92.40 for the win. Be There is the first foal out of GIII Miss Grillo S. and GIII Boiling Springs S. winner Tin Type Gal (Tapit). Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
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