'TDN Rising Star' and Amerman Racing homebred Oscar Performance parlayed a perfect stalk-and-pounce trip to a victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, running his win streak to three for trainer Brian Lynch. The well-bred 2-year-old crossed the wire a convincing 1 1/4-length winner, while favored Good Samaritan was a troubled third.
A bit overlooked at odds of 6-1 from his 4-1 morning line quote and racing without Lasix, the bay got over nicely from the 13 post and secured position locked on the flank of fellow 'Rising Star' Wellabled (Shackleford) as that one clicked off fractions of :22.30 and :45.88. Rider Jose Ortiz deemed he could wait no longer entering the far turn, turned up the pressure midway on the bend and moved to establish control in upper stretch. Well clear with a furlong to run, the son of Kitten's Joy held firmly over Lancaster Bomber to give Lynch his first Breeders' Cup success.
“Absolutely fantastic,” Lynch commented. “You always hope that it's in the stars and it's lovely when they all line up. He's always been a little bit above the other 2-year-olds and we've worked him with the older horses and he sat and waited lovely and kicked it in in his works, so it was nice to see it all come to play today. Jose [Ortiz] got him to cruise down the backside and kicked it in.”
Ortiz–who also notched his first Breeders' Cup win–added, “I had a perfect trip. He broke very alertly. I put myself where I wanted to be, right behind the speed. Approaching the half-mile pole I felt I had a lot horse underneath me, so I just kind of waited until I crossed the quarter pole to unleash him.”
Good Samaritan, who gave a favorable impression all week and was correspondingly bet down to 2-1 favoritism, checked off heels and drifted extremely wide around the first turn. The Bill Mott trainee continued in traffic for the duration of the race and closed belatedly down the center of the strip, a neck behind rail-skimming Lancaster Bomber.
“[Jockey Joel Rosario] said whoever was on the seven nearly clipped heels and he had to take back,” Mott offered. “He was shuffled back to next to last after sitting mid-pack heading into the turn. It might have been a good effort to finish third.”
Oscar Performance never got involved and was sixth on debut in a July 23 Saratoga maiden race, but rebounded with a jaw-dropping 10 1/4-length graduation there Aug. 20, earning him 'Rising Star' status. The colt justified his 8-5 favoritism with a similarly dominant victory in the GIII Pilgrim S. over yielding ground at Belmont Oct. 1.
Oscar Performance represents the second winner at the World Championships for John and Jerry Amerman, who captured the 2003 GI Breeders' Cup Distaff with Adoration (Honor Grades).
“It's the ultimate thrill winning a Breeders' Cup, there's no question about it,” John Amerman said in the post-race press conference.
Pedigree Notes:
The winner is a full-brother to 3-year-old Oscar Nominated (GSW, $628,095), who was claimed for $75,000 from the Amermans last October and has since gone on to win the GIII Spiral S. and Dueling Grounds Derby for Ken and Sarah Ramsey. Devine Actress, won the 2010 Santa Lucia H. at Santa Anita in her final career start for Amerman Racing. She foaled a filly by Point of Entry in 2015, a colt by Ghostzapper in 2016 and was most recently bred back to Flatter.
Friday, Santa Anita Park
BREEDERS' CUP JUVENILE TURF-GI, $922,070, SA, 11-4, 2yo, c/g, 1mT, 1:33.28, fm.
1–&OSCAR PERFORMANCE, 122, r, 2, by Kitten's Joy
1st Dam: Devine Actress (SW, $107,300), by Theatrical (Ire)
2nd Dam: Devine Beauty, by Mr. Prospector
3rd Dam: Magical Holiday, by Slew o' Gold
O-Amerman Racing LLC; B-Mrs. Jerry Amerman (KY); T-Brian
A. Lynch; J-Jose L. Ortiz. $550,000. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0,
$720,132. *Full to Oscar Nominated, GSW, $628,095.[bullet ad=”berkelhammer-earlyprep”][bullet ad=”shawhan-place-hip-1912″] Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A++.
2–Lancaster Bomber, 122, c, 2, War Front–Sun Shower (Ire), by
Indian Ridge (Ire). O-Michael B. Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier &
Derrick Smith; B-Sun Shower Syndicate (KY); T-Aidan P.
O'Brien. $170,000.[bullet ad=”irt-shell”]3–Good Samaritan, 122, c, 2, Harlan's Holiday–Pull Dancer, by
Pulpit. O-Winstar Farm, LLC, S F Bloodstock LLC & China Horse
Club; B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY); T-William I. Mott. $90,000.[bullet ad=”winstar-bred”]Margins: 1 1/4, NK, 3 1/4. Odds: 6.60, 8.40, 2.70.
Also Ran: Ticonderoga, Big Score, Made You Look, Channel Maker, Keep Quiet (Fr), Intelligence Cross, Wellabled, Bowies Hero, Favorable Outcome, J. S. Choice, Rodaini. Scratched: Kitten's Cat, Harbour Master (GB). Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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