‘TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard’ Explora (Blame) made 9-5 look like a bargain with a daylight victory as the favorite in Saturday’s GI Test Stakes at Saratoga.
Well drawn on the outside in post seven, she sat in a perfect spot beneath Flavien Prat in third, revved up three deep approaching the quarter pole and showed no mercy from there to win going away by five lengths in a dominating performance.
‘Rising Star’ Percy’s Bar (Upstart), winner of this spring’s GI Central Bank Ashland S., was second on the turnback. Goodall (Yaupon) was third.
Second as the favorite in last fall’s GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar, Explora successfully cut back to seven furlongs with a game win, good for a career-best 91 Beyer, in the Leslie’s Lady S. at Churchill Downs June 7 following a respectable fourth-place finish in the GI Kentucky Oaks.
She was previously a two-time graded winner–the GII Oak Leaf S. at two and the GIII Honeybee S., with the brilliant Counting Stars (Honor A. P.) back in second, earlier this spring Mar. 1.
“She’s been phenomenal–good mare, the best clients, great jockey, perfect trip, perfect post, finally didn’t have the one hole,” winning Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert said. “It’s nice, I’m just so grateful that she won that race because Mike (Pegram) flew all the way up here. I think last time he came here was for McKinzie (win in the 2019 Whitney). It’s tough to get Mike here, so I’m glad he made it and it’s nice to be here when somebody’s here.”
As for a potential start in the GI Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint in October at Keeneland, Baffert added, “Right now, I would say that (is the target).”
Pedigree Notes:
Already one of 25 graded winners for Blame, Explora becomes her sire’s eighth winner at the top level. Baffert also trained Blame‘s fellow GISWs Marley’s Freedom and Nadal. The $22,000 KEESEP yearling turned $350,000 EASMAY juvenile was produced by the winning Bernardini mare Collections Choice. Purchased by K.O.I.D. for $24,000 at the 2024 Keeneland November Sale, Collections Choice, a daughter of SW & MGISP Model (Giant’s Causeway), is also responsible for a yearling colt by Beau Liam. The much-missed Bernardini is now responsible 25 Grade I/Group 1 winners worldwide as a broodmare sire.
Saturday, Saratoga
TEST S. PRESENTED BY TICKETMASTER-GI, $500,000, Saratoga, 8-8, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:22.42, ft.
1–EXPLORA, 122, f, 3, by Blame
1st Dam: Collections Choice, by Bernardini
2nd Dam: Model, by Giant’s Causeway
3rd Dam: Snowfire (GB), by Machiavellian
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($22,000 Ylg ’24 KEESEP; $350,000 2yo ’25
EASMAY). ‘TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard’
O-Pegram, Michael E., Watson, Karl & Weitman, Paul;
B-Mesingw Farm, LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Flavien Prat.
$275,000. Lifetime Record: 10-6-3-0, $1,534,415. Werk Nick
Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Percy’s Bar, 122, f, 3, by Upstart
1st Dam: Honestly Deb, by Super Saver
2nd Dam: Deb’s Charm, by Silver Charm
3rd Dam: Ms. Cuvee Napa, by Relaunch
($52,000 Ylg ’24 KEESEP). ‘TDN Rising Star, presented by
Hagyard’ O-Hat Creek Racing; B-Brereton C. Jones (KY); T-Ben
Colebrook. $100,000.
3–Goodall, 122, f, 3, by Yaupon
1st Dam: Moon Over Mag Bay, by Malibu Moon
2nd Dam: Believe in Charlie, by Indian Charlie
3rd Dam: Zehoorr, by Storm Cat
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($62,000 Ylg ’24 FTKJUL; $525,000 2yo
’25 OBSAPR). O-Spendthrift Farm LLC; B-Mark Allen Toothaker,
William & Corrine Heiligbrodt (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen.
$60,000.
Margins: 5, 1 3/4, 2 3/4. Odds: 1.87, 6.81, 14.04.
Also Ran: Sippin Pretty, On Time Girl, Movie Night, Carmel Coast, Where Luck Lives. Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
Courtesy of the Thoroughbred Daily News
