Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Fault taking cross-country trip
ARCADIA, Calif. – Fault, winner of three graded stakes at Santa Anita this year, will be sent to Belmont Park for the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Stakes, to be run June 9, trainer Phil D’Amato said Sunday.
Fault won the Grade 3 Adoration Stakes at 1 1/16 miles for fillies and mares May 6 at Santa Anita. Following that race, D’Amato said he was leaning toward the $700,000 Ogden Phipps for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles instead of the Grade 1 Beholder Mile on June 2 at Santa Anita, and on Sunday he confirmed that was the plan.
Owned by Agave Racing Stable and Little Red Feather Racing, Fault joined D’Amato’s stable this year. She won the Grade 2 Buena Vista Stakes at a mile on turf in her California debut in February and the Grade 1 Santa Margarita Invitational at 1 1/8 miles by 6 1/2 lengths on March 17.
In the Adoration Stakes, Fault closed from last in a field of six to win by a half-length. By Blame, Fault has won 6 of 16 starts and earned $618,795.
The Beholder Mile will still have a strong field, including Unique Bella, the champion female sprinter of 2017; Paradise Woods, a winner of two Grade 1 races in 2017; and Selcourt, who won the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes for female sprinters in March.
On Sunday, Unique Bella worked six furlongs from the gate in 1:11, the fastest of 12 works at the distance.
What a View going big
What a View is unlikely to try for a repeat victory in the $100,000 Crystal Water Stakes for California-bred turf milers Sunday at Santa Anita.
Trainer Kenny Black said Sunday that he is leaning toward starting the 7-year-old What a View in the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes, a $200,000 race at 1 1/4 miles on turf May 26, with the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile on turf May 28 a less likely option.
What a View won the Grade 3 American Stakes at a mile on turf April 21, his fifth stakes win. Owned by a partnership that includes the family of the late Bud Johnston, What a View has never raced at 1 1/4 miles but did win the California Cup Turf Classic at 1 1/8 miles in January 2016.
The candidates for the Crystal Water are led by the six-time stakes winner Ashleyluvssugar, who has not raced since August, and Rye, who won the California Cup Turf Classic in January and was third in the Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano Stakes at about 1 3/4 miles on turf April 22.
Saturday’s leading race is the $100,000 Fran’s Valentine Stakes for California-bred fillies and mares at a mile on turf, which may include Enola Gray, a five-time stakes winner who was fourth as the favorite in the Grade 2 Royal Heroine Stakes at a mile on turf April 7.
Tijori targets Astoria
Tijori is being pointed to a stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Belmont Park following a striking win in her debut last Friday at Santa Anita, although a trip to Royal Ascot is still a possibility.
Trainer Simon Callaghan said he is leaning toward starting Tijori in the $150,000 Astoria Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs on June 7 at Belmont Park instead of the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes at five furlongs on turf June 20 at Royal Ascot. The Queen Mary Stakes has a purse of approximately $148,500.
“Our plan at the moment is to work toward the Astoria,” Callaghan said. “We’ll leave Royal Ascot open, but more than likely it will be the Astoria.”
Tijori will be shipped to Keeneland, where she will have a workout on turf, Callaghan said. That workout will be a factor in the decision Callaghan makes with owner Kaleem Shah regarding which race to target.
Tijori, by Will Take Charge, won a maiden race at 4 1/2 furlongs against males by 3 1/4 lengths, leading throughout. Tijori was purchased for $525,000 at the March Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. auction of 2-year-olds in training. Tijori was the first winner for Will Take Charge, the champion 3-year-old male of 2013 who stands at stud in Kentucky.
Shah and Callaghan have another Royal Ascot contender in Run Away, a winner of three sprint stakes for 2-year-olds last year. Run Away is scheduled to start at Pimlico in Saturday’s $200,000 Chick Lang Stakes for 3-year-olds at six furlongs. At Royal Ascot, Run Away could run in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup, a $675,000 race for 3-year-olds at six furlongs on turf June 22.
Run Away has not raced since finishing fifth in the Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes at Del Mar last November.