Tarabilla Farms’ Melatonin clinched his second grade I of the year June 25 in the $500,000 Gold Cup at Santa Anita. Watch Video

The 5-year-old Kodiak Kowboy gelding found himself in a stretch battle with Win the Space late in the 1 1/4-mile dirt test at Santa Anita Park, but gamely put the 24-1 longshot away to win by 1 1/2 lengths.

Melatonin’s first grade I of the season, and first graded score of his career, was a 4 1/4-length triumph in the Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) March 12, which was followed by another game effort—a second toEffinex—in the Oaklawn Handicap (gr. II) April 16 in his first start outside of California.

Under the guidance of Joe Talamo, Melatonin finished the 1 1/4 miles in a swift 1:59.79 after tracking early leader Lieutenant Colonelthrough most of the trip. The fractions through six furlongs went in :23.83, :47.70, and 1:11.48, while Melatonin loomed about a length off the lead. The eventual winner put a head in front through a mile in 1:35.52 as the frontrunner began to tire and then held off the challenge from Win the Space.

“What impressed me the most about him today was when Win the Space came to him at the eighth pole, he just battled back,” Talamo said. “He gives you everything he’s got.”

Off as the 9-5 favorite, the David Hofmans-trained runner paid $5.60, $4, and $3 across the board and pushed his lifetime earnings past the $1 million mark with the victory.

“The emotions were pretty high. I’m normally low-key, but today I was really nervous,” Hofmans said. “It was his big test today. I thought there were some quality horses in here that he had to beat in order to think about going on (to bigger things). The difference is that today, he validated himself. Any horse can beat any horse, on any given day. But to do it again, and maybe even again, then you start thinking.”

Last year’s Gold Cup winner, Hard Aces ($5 to show), raced closer than normal in fourth early and nosed out Hoppertunity for third, three-quarters of a length behind Win the Space ($24.80 and $9.40). The 3-1 morning line favorite, Hoppertunity closed from last in the eight-horse field, but never threatened the top two runners.

Imperative closed from seventh to finish fifth, followed by Lieutenant Colonel, Second Summer, and Bal a Bali, to complete the order of finish.

Melatonin was bred in Kentucky by S. D. Brilie, L.P., out of the Yankee Victor mare Yanquee Reign, and now has a 5-3-3 record from 13 starts with just more than $1.2 million in earnings. With the Gold Cup win, Melatonin also earned a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I) through the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” series.

Tags: Bal A Bali (BRZ),   Hard Aces,   Imperative,   Kodiak Kowboy,   Lieutenant Colonel,   Melatonin,   Second Summer,   Win The Space,   Breeders’ Cup,   Santa Anita Park,               Joe Talamo,   Tarabilla Farms,   Gold Cup At Santa Anita,   BC16

 

Minding: winner of the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh

Minding much too good in the Pretty Polly 

Report: Curragh, Sunday,   Pretty Polly Stakes (Group 1) 1m2f, 3yo+, filles and mares

MINDING made light work of her rivals to win the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh, bolstering the impression that she is one of the best fillies we have seen in recent years.

RELATED LINKS,   Pretty Polly result 

Punters who took the 1-5 on offer about the dual Classic winner may have been slightly anxious when Bocca Baciata turned into the straight with a significant advantage, but Minding quickened sharply when asked to make her challenge by Ryan Moore and surged clear to win by four and a half lengths.

Bocca Baciata held on to finish second as the other three runners failed to make an impression from off the pace.

Impressed rider

An impressed Ryan Moore said: “She was set a task but had the class to get out of it. She picked up to get there and then we shut down the last furlong. There’s more there if we need it.

“She’s a high class filly. She’s adaptable, and goes on a variety of ground. I’m very lucky to ride her, she’s a pleasure.”

Nassau probably next

Minding has had a busy season so far but the results have been outstanding and O’Brien feels she is thriving on racing.

He said: “She’s loving racing, getting very relaxed – she’s very happy doing it. Ryan was delighted and, without putting it in stone, we’d look at the Nassau.

“You couldn’t rule out the Irish Oaks but we also have Even Song for that.

Minding is a top price of 5-2 for the Nassau Stakes but is likely to be considerably shorter for that Goodwood Group 1 once it is confirmed as the target.

Fantastic campaign

The Aidan O’Brien-trained Minding suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Jet Setting in the Irish 1,000 Guineas but has won her other three starts of the campaign – all at the highest level – with supreme authority.

This was the first time that Minding competed against older fillies and she dispatched them with ease, looking a class above her rivals as she motored clear inside the final furlong under a hands-and-heels drive.

The versatile Minding has now won Group 1 races over a mile, ten furlongs and 1m4f this season.

Arc 0ption?

Minding has already proved herself as the outstanding filly in training and bookmakers feel that she is capable of making an impression against the colts as she is just 8-1 – the same price as dual Derby winner Harzand – for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

O’Brien has other potential options – such as Found, US Army Ranger and Order of St George – for that prestigious contest, but he did reveal that he wants Minding to stay in training at four.

“I’ll plead that she stays in training – she’s exceptional,” O’Brien said. “The beauty about her is how laid-back she is.”

Marialite (pink cap) fends off the running-on Duramente

Arc blow for Japan as Duramente ruled out

Report: Japan, Sunday,   Hanshin: Takarazuka Kinen (Grade 1) 1m3f, turf, 3yo+

HOPES of Japan realising its dream of winning the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe were dealt a blow on Sunday when Duramente – the nation’s leading challenger according to bookmakers at least – was found to be lame after finishing second to five-year-old mareMarialite (Takashi Kubota/Masayoshi Ebina) in the 325 million yen (£2.3m/€2.8m) Takarazuka Kinen.

The four-year-old  - a general 12-1 for the world’s richest turf race – missed the Arc through injury last year and his bad luck continued after he slipped crossing the line, putting a trip to France in the autumn on hold again.

Japanese-based Italian jockey Mirco Demuro, who was on board last year’s Japanese 2,000 Guineas and Derby winner, said: “After the finishing line he slipped on the wet ground and seemed to injure his left fore.”

RELATED LINKS,   Result 

That diagnosis was seemingly confirmed by Shunsuke Yoshida, the representative of Duramente’s owners Sunday Racing Co Ltd.

Ruling out the Arc, which will be run at Chantilly this year with Longchamp closed for redevelopment, he said: “I heard that he injured his left-fore leg when he lost his balance after the race. He is being x-rayed now. No Arc.”

After returning to the track this term, Duramente - second to Arc favourite and middle-distance powerhouse Postponed in the Dubai Sheema Classic in March – lined up as 9-10 favourite in a classy Takarazuka Kinen, one of two contests on the JRA calendar that fans vote for which horses they would like to see run.

The field included last year’s winner Lovely Day, One And Only, who won the Japanese Derby in 2014, strong stayer Kitasan Black, who has a Tenno Sho (Spring) and Japanese St Leger on his CV, and Fame Game, who started favourite for the Emirates Melbourne Cup in November.

Settled towards the rear by Demuro, Duramente picked up well in the closing stages, but could not reel in Marialite, last year’s Queen Elizabeth II Cup heroine who had quickened away earlier to give trainer Kubota the biggest success of his career.

It was also a first win in the race for Ebina, who came agonisingly close to providing Japan with a much-sought-after strike in the Arc on El Condor Pasa in 1999 only for the mighty Montjeu to swoop late under Mick Kinane.

Since then Hall of Fame inductee Deep Impact – Marialite’s all-conquering sire – Nakayama Festa and Orfevre are among the raiders to have missed out in the contest Japan craves more than any other.

Makahiki, this year’s Japanese Derby winner who will prep for the Arc in the Prix Niel, now looks the country’s leading hope of breaking its duck in one of the world’s most historic and prestigious races.