Preakness undercard: Technical Analysis breezes in Gallorette
Klaravich Stable, Inc.’s Technical Analysis looked right at home in her first visit to historic Pimlico Race Course, notching her third graded-stakes score with a popular front-running triumph in Saturday’s $150,000 Gallorette (G3).
The 71st running of the 1 1/16-mile Gallorette for fillies and mares 3 and up on the grass was the second of 10 stakes, six graded, worth $2.75 million on a blockbuster 14-race program headlined by the 147th Preakness Stakes (G1), Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown.
Under jockey Jose Ortiz, Technical Analysis ($3.20) completed the distance in 1:41.40 over a firm course to give trainer Chad Brown his fourth Gallorette victory, previously winning with Zagora in 2012, Pianist in 2013 and Watsdachances in 2015. Brown and Ortiz will team up again later Saturday with Early Voting in the Preakness.
Favored at 3-5 over five rivals, Technical Analysis was quickest from the gate and in front through fractions of 24.37 and 48.54 seconds, tracked to her outside by 50-1 long shot Foggy Dreams.
Crystal Cliffs, winner of the April 2 Sand Springs at Gulfstream Park in her comeback after nearly nine months away, saved ground on the rail in third until tipped out by jockey Tyler Gaffalione leaving the far turn.
Crystal Cliffs engaged with the leader briefly before Technical Analysis sprinted clear down the lane to win by 3 ¼ lengths.
Crystal Cliffs was a clear second, three lengths ahead of In a Hurry. Out of Sorts, Karakatsie and Foggy Dreams completed the order of finish.
Bred in Ireland, Technical Analysis won the Lake George (G3) and Lake Placid (G2) in successive starts last summer at Saratoga. The Gallorette was just her second start since running second in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) at Keeneland last October. She was beaten a half-length in the one-mile Plenty of Grace April 16 at Aqueduct, her first try against older horses.
Gallorette retired in 1948 as the world’s leading money-winning mare, with earnings of $445,535. She won 21 of 72 starts and placed in 39 stakes, capturing the 1945 Pimlico Oaks and being named champion handicap mare of 1946. She was elected to the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame in 1962.
$150,000 Gallorette (G3) Quotes
Winning trainer Chad Brown, Technical Analysis: “She was able to take control of the race, which it looked like on paper, which made her the heavy favorite here. So relieved to see her respond.
"Once she took control of the race going down the backside, I felt pretty good. She got tested, by, what I think, is really good filly [Crystal Cliffs] turning for home that made her move early and tried her.
"I was very interested to see how she responded after her first race of the year [second in the Plenty of Grace Stakes at Aqueduct April 16] where she got a wide trip and got beat, It was a good, solid race, but the second race off the layoff would really tell the story to me where we are headed, and it looks like we are headed someplace good.”
Winning jockey Jose Ortiz, Technical Analysis: “I was just a passenger. She was much the best today. She looked like it on paper, and she just went out there and did what she had to do. Chad had her ready.”
“She’s a little quirky. You don’t fight with her. You just have to let her be happy and find a good rhythm. She was relaxed, is the main thing. She wasn’t paying attention to the infield, and I was very happy down the backside.”
“She keeps improving. Her speed and her turn of foot is dangerous in any race. I think she’ll be a contender in the division. Chad has a lot of them. He’ll decide where to place her next time.”
Jaxon Traveler gets first graded-stakes win in Maryland Sprint
West Point Thoroughbreds and Marvin Delfiner’s Jaxon Traveler, second to his stablemate over the same course last year, turned away all comers Saturday to register his first graded-stakes victory in the $150,000 Maryland Sprint (G3) at historic Pimlico Race Course.
The 35th running of the six-furlong Sprint for 3-year-olds and up, led off a blockbuster 14-race program featuring 10 stakes, six graded, worth $2.75 million in purses, headlined by the 147th Preakness Stakes (G1), Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown.
Bred in Maryland by Dr. and Mrs. A. Leonard Pineau, Jaxon Traveler ($4.40) ran second to Mighty Mischief in the Chick Lang (G3) on Pimlico’s main track and third in the Quick Call (G3) over the Saratoga turf in 2021. Two of his previous three stakes wins also came in his home state – the 2020 Maryland Juvenile Futurity at Laurel Park and 2021 Star de Naskra at Pimlico.
Jaxon Traveler broke sharply from the outside post under Joel Rosario and quickly established command, pressed to his inside by 17-1 long shot and Feb. 19 General George (G3) runner-up War Tocsin. War Tocsin began to drop back after they went a quarter-mile in 22.95 seconds, when multiple stakes winner Threes Over Deuces picked up the chase.
The half went in 45.55 as Threes Over Deuces ranged up on Jaxon Traveler’s outside for the run down the stretch, but Jaxon Traveler found another gear under jockey Joel Rosario and crossed the wire 1 3/4 lengths in front. The winning time was 1:09.70 over a fast main track.
It was three lengths back to War Tocsin in third, followed by Sir Alfred James, Full Authority and April 16 Frank Y. Whiteley winner Disco Pharoah.
Rosario previously won the Maryland Sprint with Sandbar in 2015. It was the third Maryland Sprint win in four years for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, following Switzerland in 2018 and New York Central in 2019. The race was not run in 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic.
$150,000 Maryland Sprint (G3) Quotes
Winning trainer Steve Asmussen, Jaxon Traveler: “I think Jaxon Traveler has run extremely well here at Pimlico. That's his third stakes win here [in Maryland]. So, we've been looking forward to this race for quite some time.
"When he breaks well, he runs well. He hit the ground running and proved best. That's who he's always been. This was a major target for him, a very good victory for him, his first graded-stakes win, so we'll sit down and discuss it with West Point to see where we'll run him next."
Winning jockey Joel Rosario, Jaxon Traveler: “He was going along pretty easy, and I was just going along for the ride. He showed speed from the start, so I let him go. He broke good, so I put him on the lead. I was in front off the inside on the turn. When he came to me off the turn, my horse really responded. He did great today.”
Joy's Rocket fires big in Skipat win
Team Hanley and Parkland Thoroughbreds’ Joy’s Rocket, winless in her previous eight starts that included four second-place finishes, looked like a winner all the way around historic Pimlico Race Course Saturday during a dominant 4 1/4-length triumph in Saturday’s $100,000 Skipat.
The 29th running of the Skipat for fillies and mares 3 and up sprinting six furlongs was the third of 10 stakes, six graded, worth $2.75 million in purses on a blockbuster 14-race program headlined by the 147th Preakness Stakes (G1), Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown.
It was the second stakes victory of the day for jockey Joel Rosario and Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, who combined to take the $150,000 Maryland Sprint (G3) with Jaxon Traveler. They will team up again later Saturday aboard program favorite Epicenter in the Preakness.
Joy’s Rocket broke running and was quickly joined up front by 2-1 favorite Cilla as they went a quarter-mile in 22.57 seconds with Time Limit, a stakes winner in Maryland to open her 2022 season, positioned to the outside in third. Time Limit moved up to second after a half in 45.06 and loomed a threat approaching the stretch, when Joy’s Rocket began to steadily edge clear under a hand ride to win in 1:09.76 over a fast main track.
Fillie d’Esprit made a belated move on the outside to get up for second, 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Time Limit. Cinnabunny, Cilla, Oxana, Glory Dia and Street Lute, an eight-time stakes winner making her second start of the year, completed the order of finish.
Joy’s Rocket had not won since taking the Letellier Memorial in December 2020 at Fair Grounds for her third stakes victory in five starts. The 4-year-old filly was 0-for-5 in 2021 with three seconds, including a head loss in the Raven Run (G2) at Keeneland. She was runner-up to Southern Grayce in an April 30 optional claimer at Oaklawn Park.
With the outcome, Asmussen now has five wins, five seconds, one third and one fourth in his last 12 starters at Pimlico, according to Equibase statistics.
Bred in Connecticut, Skipat won 26 of 45 career races over six years, earning $614,215 between 1977 and 1981. Two of her wins came in the Barbara Fritchie (G3), in 1979 and 1981, the latter coming the year after she had been retired and bred and brought back to the races.
$100,000 Skipat Quotes
Winning trainer Steve Asmussen, Joy’s Rocket: “I was glad to see her get away from the gate so clean today. She's run gamely all year. We went back to the pace she showed when she was two and was winning races. She's competing well. But this put her back in the winner's circle.
"I thought the break and the first quarter of a mile was the key. When she was away well, I thought it gave her a very good chance to win and she proved best.”
Winning jockey Joel Rosario, Joy’s Rocket: “She came out of there really well and she showed me some speed. That’s what I thought before the race. She showed tremendous speed and was able to keep going with it. She ran a big race today.”
Carotari outclasses the field in the Jim McKay Turf Sprint
William A. Branch’s Carotari, unraced since late December, made a triumphant return to competition with a front-running 1 ½-length score in Saturday’s $100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint at historic Pimlico Race Course.
Carotari ($4.80) gave jockey Luis Saez – who rides Kentucky Oaks (G1)-winning filly Secret Oath in the Preakness – his second consecutive stakes victory following Ethereal Road in the $100,000 Sir Barton. It was the first McKay win for both he and trainer Brian Lynch.
A gelded 6-year-old son of Grade 1 turf winner Artie Schiller, Carotari broke alertly from Post 2 and flashed his speed, blazing through a quarter-mile in 21.90 seconds and a half in 44.69. Carotari began to edge away from the field once straightened for home and had plenty left to hold off late runs from Smokin’ Jay on the far outside and Seven Scents, who were separated by a nose on the line.
Grateful Bred, the 2021 Maryland Million Turf Sprint winner, was fourth, followed by Mr. Hustle, Bank, Arthur’s Hope, The Wolfman and Hollis. Concrete Glory was scratched.
Carotari earned his ninth career win in his first start since capturing the Janus Dec. 31 at Gulfstream Park. Prior stakes wins came in the 2020 and 2021 Silks Run, also at Gulfstream and the 2020 Preview Turf Sprint at Turfway Park. He has also placed in four other stakes including a second in the 2021 Troy (G3) at Saratoga.
The Jim McKay Turf Sprint pays homage to the late Hall of Fame broadcaster and Philadelphia native who considered Baltimore his home. McKay first gained notoriety as host of ABC’s ‘Wide World of Sports’ in 1961 and then wide acclaim as voice of the Olympics, winning 13 Emmy Awards and the Eclipse Award of Merit. He was instrumental in conceiving and launching the groundbreaking Maryland Million in 1986, and passed away in 2008 at 86.
$100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint Quote
Winning jockey Luis Saez, Carotari: “He is pretty fast. He is pretty quick. That is the way he likes to be. Today, he ran pretty nice. I rode him pretty confident. When I came to the top of the stretch, I had a lot of horse. We just waited for somebody to come and close and just let him run. He did the rest. He was very comfortable. I could feel someone coming, but I had so much horse. He was still pretty strong. He is a pretty nice horse. He likes a track like this [firm]. It was perfect.”