Fair Grounds undercard: Tarifa wins Kentucky Oaks points prep

Sitting third just off the early leaders, Brad Cox-trained Tarifa switched outside off the far turn, took command at the top of the stretch and held safe of 8-5 favorite Intricate to take Saturday’s Grade 2, $300,000 Rachel Alexandra Stakes by 2 3/4 lengths at Fair Grounds.

It was the first stakes score for the 3-year-old daughter of Bernardini, who earned 50 points on the road to the Kentucky Oaks (G1).

Click here for Fair Grounds entries and results.

When expected pacesetter Pennick hopped at the start, Perfect Shot inherited the early lead. Untapable winner Alpine Princess, Cox’s other runner, sat a length behind tracking in second through opening fractions of 24.37 and 48.55 seconds over the sloppy main track.

Tarifa positioned herself in the pocket, and V V’s Dream and Intricate bided their time 2 1/2 lengths off the lead while in front of the compromised trailer Pennick. Tarifa took over in the stretch and held off the late charge of the Golden Rod (G2) winner Intricate, who finished second.

“She jumped very well and showed some early speed,” winning jockey Flavien Prat said. “From there we got to the first turn, and I was able to get myself to the pocket. She traveled well all the way around and kicked home.”

Perfect Shot finished third, Alpine Princess fourth, Alcibiades (G1) runner-up V V’s Dream fifth and Pennick last in the field of six. The race was worth 50-25-15-10-5 Oaks qualifying points for the top five finishers.

A dominant winner on debut at Keeneland in late October, Tarifa followed with a disappointing fifth as the favorite four weeks later at Churchill Downs. Tasked with her route debut in a Jan. 20 allowance at Fair Grounds, Tarifa had the blinkers taken off for the first time and responded with a hard-fought win.

“She acted like she could run before we debuted her at Keeneland,” Cox said. “I thought running her (seven furlongs) made sense for her. The second race at Churchill going a mile was a head scratcher. She responded well here in January. Today she jumped out well, got a good early position, tracked the leaders and really stretched out well. The Rachel Alexandra has been a great path to the Kentucky Oaks, and we’ve had some success with that route. This is a good filly, and we will keep marching forward.”

Tarifa rewarded with Cox his third win in the race. In 2018 Monomoy Girl parlayed a win in the Rachel Alexandra with a score in the Kentucky Oaks, and in 2022 Turnerloose posted the upset.

The winner of 3 of 4 starts with earnings of $278,925, Tarifa returned $7.00, $3.80 and $2.80. Intricate paid $3.20 and $2.40, and Perfect Shot returned $3.40 to show.

Beatbox rallies to win Fair Grounds Stakes

Exiting three second-place finishes in a row, Beatbox rallied along the rail to beat Strong Quality by a neck in the $175,000 Fair Grounds Stakes presented by Horse Racing Nation (G3).

Owned by Robert Comestro and Jeff Ganje, the dark bay horse covered the 1 1/18 miles in 1:49.96 over a turf course rated soft. In a thrilling finish, a neck also separated second from third as Johny’s Fireball rounded out the trifecta.

Facing 10 older male rivals, trained by Cherie DeVaux and ridden by Joel Rosario, 6-year-old Beatbox secured his first graded-stakes victory.

“He’s a really fun horse,” DeVaux said. “It’s always nice when he comes out and runs his race. I think it was a different trip today than his last start with him coming up the rail.”

As he did when winning the Colonel E.R. Bradley last out, Strong Quality went to the lead, moving through the opening calls in 23.76 and 48.66 seconds.

Breaking cleanly and swiftly from the rail, Johny’s Fireball let the pocket form around him, traveling in third. Overcoming an outside post to find a spot saving ground, Beatbox tracked in mid-pack through the far turn. As Strong Quality held the lead into the stretch, his inner rivals attacked from both sides with Beatbox threatening from the rail and Johny’s Fireball engaging the leader to his outside. The three dueled to the wire with the inner foe reaching the finish line first. Strong Quality maintained the advantage over Johny’s Fireball. Gigante rounded out the superfecta.

“Turning for home I had to make a quick decision to go outside or take the chance and go up the rail,” Rosario said. “The decision to stay inside really worked out for us in the end.”

As the 9-2 third choice, Beatbox paid $11.60, $5.20, and $3.40.

With a lifetime record of 17: 6-3-2, Beatbox’s career earnings total $410,248.

Money Supply wins stretch duel in Mineshaft 

Money Supply outgamed Best Actor down the homestretch in the $250,000 Mineshaft (G3) to win his first graded stakes by a head.

Owned by Jordan Wycoff, Money Supply beat eight older males going 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.04 over a main track rated sloppy.

Money Supply never has finished out of the exacta for trainer Joe Sharp and has won five races in a row, including the Claiming Crown Jewel on Dec. 2 at Fair Grounds. Sharp claimed the 5-year-old horse in August at Saratoga.

“He’s got to be up there as one of the top claims in my career,” Sharp said. “Now we’ve won five in a row at all these different tracks. He’s a horse who keeps raising the bar every time we run him. He’s developed into a different type of horse since we first claimed him. Now he could put the rider up into the race more. That’s what he did today and was a big key. We’re really looking forward to seeing how he can keep developing and raising the bar.”

Best Actor secured the early lead while taking pressure from two foes to his outside, rattling off the opening fractions in 23.92 and 46.97 seconds. Creeping closer to the leading trio in the far turn, Money Supply measured up Best Actor, sparred and prevailed, holding off that foe’s gutsy last gasp.

Having pressured the front-runner early, Gasoline held on for third late, 3 3/4 lengths back.

Red Route One offered a late rally to finish a neck shy in fourth.

“All the credit goes to Joe and his team,” Gaffalione said. “The early speed duel set up well for us. Going into the stretch I had a lot of horse beneath me, and he came home really well. He’s the type of horse who will run well over anything.”

Money Supply cashed in at $20.20, $4.80, and $3.30. Best Actor paid $2.80, $2.40. Gasoline returned $4.40.

Hanging the Mineshaft Banner and procuring $150,000, the son of Practical Joke stacks $600,772 in lifetime earnings and sports 16: 7-2-2 career stats.