NEWS
Super Saturday for Noseda, Barba three-year-olds
Posted: Sunday, March 07, 2010 6:27 PM
ALPHIE'S BET
Benoit & Associates photo
by Mike Curry
Trainers Jeremy Noseda and Alexis Barba could not have scripted a better Saturday for their three-year-old classic hopefuls.
Noseda’s Awesome Act rolled to a clear win in the Gotham Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct and was never fully extended while defeating nine opponents easily (video). Barba’s three-year-olds shined at Santa Anita Park as Make Music for Me uncoiled a late burst of speed to win the Pasadena Stakes on grass (video) and Alphie’s Bet crushed nine challengers in a 2 1/4-length Sham Stakes (G3) score (video).
The beginning of March is often a time when improving three-year-olds begin to come into their own, and Noseda feels that he has a potential Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) contender in Awesome Act.
“It was a bold effort, and hopefully he'll keep moving forward. I think he will get better and better,” Noseda said on Sunday. “He will stay at Steve Asmussen's barn at Belmont as the horse seems happy in that environment.
“Touch wood, he seems well after his race. I have two very experienced staff in Wayne Tanner and George Winsor out there and they are happy with him. The horse remains on course for the Wood Memorial [Stakes (G1)] on April 3.”
The Kentucky-bred Awesome Again colt faced several challenges in the Gotham and passed the tests with ease. The race was his first start on dirt following a four-month layoff, and he shipped in from England to the U.S. just five days before the race. But Awesome Act never turned a hair.
"He basically walked up to the race," said Tanner, an assistant to Noseda. "The two days in quarantine really didn't bother him at all.”
Tanner was equally impressed with how the colt traveled in the race, relaxing early under Julien Leparoux before rallying from between horses on the far turn. He opened up a three-length advantage at the eighth pole under hand urging and coasted to victory.
"He's a real professional. He travels for pleasure,” said Tanner, who will oversee Awesome Act, allowing Noseda to return to England. “If he's traveling behind, whoever is in front of him, he'll pass. It takes a good one to get him off the bridle.
"He'll be back cantering at least by Wednesday, possibly Tuesday. We won't do much between now and then ... just keep him sound and head to the Wood."
Awesome Act had not raced since a fourth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G2) on November 7 at the Oak Tree at Santa Anita Park. Five of his starts at two were on turf and one was on a synthetic surface. His three-year-old debut proved Awesome Act’s talent carried over to dirt and stamped him as one of the favorites for the Wood.
The Gotham was just the type of performance Noseda hoped for from the chestnut colt, who is out of a full sister to multiple Group 1 winners Coup de Genie and Machiavellian, by Mr. Prospector.
"He handled the dirt, handled the kickback, and is getting better in the way that he races,” Noseda said.
Alphie’s Bet also was making a surface switch for Barba after winning a one-mile turf race in his season debut on January 15 at Santa Anita Park. But the Tribal Rule colt had already shown main-track ability with a runner-up finish to unbeaten Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G2) winner Caracortado in the California Breeders’ Champion Stakes on Santa Anita’s synthetic Pro-Ride surface on December 26 (video).
“I felt good about him after he ran against Caracortado, not even knowing what [Caracortado] was going to be. We sort of had picked out the Sham already,” said Barba, who has not made plans for Alphie’s Bet’s next start.
Regular jockey Alex Solis was very impressed and hinted after the Sham that he thinks Alphie’s Bet could be one to watch in the three-year-old division.
“The way he ran [in the Sham] didn't surprise me at all. The first time I rode him [in the California Breeders’ Champion Stakes], I came back and told Alexis I think he can run all day,” Solis said.
“Alexis used to work for [the late] Eddie Gregson and they had a horse back then named Candi's Gold. I told her this horse reminds me a lot of him—he's big, strong, and he'll run any distance."
Alphie’s Bet reminds Solis of Grade 2 winner Candi’s Gold for good reason. The colt’s dam, Miss Alphie, is by Candi’s Gold, who was multiple Grade 1-placed in the late 1980s. Miss Alphie is a half sister to Group 1 winner Absolute Glam.
“Alphie is very easy to train, but he is a looky-lou; every day he walks out there he acts like it’s the first day he’s ever been there,” Barba said. “Candi’s Gold, his broodmare sire, was like that. He looks like him, he does everything just like him. It’s almost he’s reincarnated. But he’s easy to be around, almost anybody can ride him.”
The Pasadena Stakes was Make Music for Me’s first career win, but the Bernstein colt raced competitively against elite competition last year. He finished second to champion two-year-old male Lookin At Lucky in the Best Pal Stakes (G2) and Del Mar Futurity (G1) (video) and third to him in the CashCall Futurity (G1).
Barba said she probably will point Make Music for Me to the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby (G1) on April 3. First, though, she wants to savor what was a flawless Saturday at Santa Anita and catch her breath.
“We haven’t landed yet,” Barba said on Sunday. “It looks like the Santa Anita Derby [for Make Music for Me], that’s still probably the plan, but I really need to sit down and talk with the owners of both horses.”
Both Alphie’s Bet and Make Music for Me came out of their races in great shape, and they have given Barba reason to be doubly excited about the 2010 Triple Crown trail.
“They’re great, both of them are in very good condition,” Barba said. “They work together, they’ve been together; they’re two totally different types of horses, but equally nice. [Make Music for Me] is a little more on the hot side and a little bit of a nervous horse, but very focused as well. All in all they’re both still kind of green, it just takes time for these horses to get focused.
“I’m just tickled pink with the way they both ran.”
Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor
