One Stripe Shows The Americans Who He Is
One Stripe romps home at Gulfstream Park in the familiar yellow with purple stars colours of South Africa’s Champion Owners, Hollywood Racing (Photo by Ryan Thompson/Coglianese Photos)
If the Drakenstein Stud-bred One World colt One Stripe could talk he would likely have spoken of the insult of starting second favourite in an Allowance Optional Claiming race over a mile on the Gulfstream Park turf on Friday to a horse whose career record was four wins of ordinary races in 26 starts … and One Stripe was receiving two pounds from that horse too.
After all he is the winner of South Africa’s two most prestigious mile races, the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas and the Gr 1 L’Ormarins King’s Plate.
However, One Stripe, who is owned by Hollywood Racing and Rikesh Sewgoolam, got the last laugh by not only obliterating the field under a hands and heels ride by John Velazquez but he did it in a time that came close to matching Gulfstream Park’s twenty-year-old mile course record.
The Americans could probably be forgiven for writing off the champion colt, because on paper his first two starts in North America did not make great reading.
He was given a very tough North American debut in the Gr 1 Woodbine Mile, especially considering he had travelled over from South Africa and had to spend some time in quarantine before beginning his preparation.
The Woodbine race panned out awfully and the ride by John Velazquez was criticised in some quarters, so he did well to run on strongly when finally seeing daylight for a five length fifth to British-bred Notable Speech, whose two previous Gr 1 wins included the English 2000 Guineas.
One Stripe was then given a roundly criticised ride in the Gr 1 Breeders Cup Mile, where he was asked to lead, which was against his normal hold up style, and he was ridden too hard in front too before fading to a 7,75 length last. Notable Speech was once again the winner.
South African pundits and fans knew he was better than those two runs.
Nevertheless, the locals were clearly not convinced of his quality and he started 5/2 on Friday with Judge Davis favourite at 8/5.
The weights looked to be set such that the four-year-olds received two pounds from the older horses.
Jumping from draw seven of seven Hall Of Fame jockey Velazquez found a beautiful position in midfield in a one out position with cover.
One Stripe swept around them on the final turn, keeping Judge Davis in a pocket momentarily, and he then romped to a 5,25 length victory.
The track record set by Mr Light on January 3, 2005, more than 20 years ago, is 1 minute 31,41 seconds and One Stripe stopped the clock in 1 minute 31,81 seconds, just 0,4 seconds shy of the record under a hands and heels ride.
He will be treated with a lot more respect next time out!
Taxi To The Moon Wins The Lebelo
Taxi To The Moon secured a feature double for Vercingetorix over the weekend when winning the Gr 3 Betway Lebelo Sprint under Gavin Lerena and it was a third successive win in the race for the Tony Peter yard (JC Photos)
The main feature on the day at Turffontein on Saturday was the Gr 3 Lebelo Handicap over 1000m, a race the Tony Peter yard were out to land for the third time in succession.
They had the two favourites, Taxi To The Moon and Pistol Pete, and it was the former, an Oldlands Stud-bred four-year-old gelding, who gave the phenomenal Champion Sire Vercingetorix his second stakes winner of the weekend (his daughter Ladyofdistinction had won the Listed Flamboyant Stakes over 1600m at Hollywoodbets on Friday).
Taxi To The Moon, ridden by Gavin Lerena, was carrying 57kg off a 110 merit rating and saw off Truth (61.5kg) in a stirring battle for the line to win by 0,50 lengths with Pistol Pete (61,5kg) a further 0,30 lengths back in third.
Taxi To The Moon races for Kestorm Investments and in landing the 2025 Lebelo Sprint (a race in which he had finished fifth in 2024), he took his career tally to five wins from 17 outings. It was his first black type victory.
The gelding, runner up in the last two runnings of the Listed Allied Steelrode Golden Loom Handicap, is out of the Indigo Magic mare Earn A Moon and is thus bred on the same cross as the Oldlands bred G1 Gold Medallion winner Ambiorix.
Taxi To The Moon was a R1 million purchase at the Race Coast Sales Premier Yearling Sale.
Taxi To The Moon was one of three winners at Turffontein on Saturday for Vercingetorix.
The Alyson Wright yard are in flying form at present and not only lead the KZN Trainers Championship but also landed a Listed race at Turffontein Standside on Saturday with the well-related Gimmethegreenlight filly Charge It.
The Wright-trained Varsfontein homebred Charge It is a full-sister to Surcharge, a Gr 1 winner in both South Africa and Australia, and after being backed in from 6/1 to 9/4 for the War Of Athena Handicap over 1800m at Turffontein on Saturday she produced a fine turn of foot under Muzi Yeni to win the R225,000 event by 1,25 lengths from Soldier’s Eye and Gerbera. It was the Gimmethegreenlight filly’s fifth career start and her second win, but more importantly her first black type success. She had finished second in the Gr 3 Ducat Africa Fillies Mile at Turffontein Standside on Betway Summer Cup day at odds of 100/1 in her previous start and in the War Of Athena, as the only three-year-old in the contest, she carried 52,5kg off a 93 merit rating.
Earlier, the Non-Black Type Sophomore 1000 was won by the Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained Avontuur Thoroughbred Farm-bred What A Winter colt Constellation, who has now won four of eight starts. The filly Anchorage challenged late and looked likely to come second before trying to take a bite out of the winner, forcing Muzi Yeni to snatch her up and this handed second place to Charming Cheetah.
The meeting was cut short due to lightning with only seven of the ten races completed and the day’s winners included the Sean Tarry-trained 110-rated Vercingetorix filly Callmegetrix, who easily accounted for The Equator in a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1600m, winning by 3,20 lengths under Mickaelle Michel, who has now had four wins since arriving in SA at the beginning of December.
Vercingetorix’s other winner on the day was the Candice and Tammy Dawson-trained five-year-old gelding Plus Four, who won a Mr 96 Handicap over 1000m under Rachel Venniker.
Ladyofdistinction Earns Bold Black Type In Flamboyant Stakes
Vercingetorix filly Ladyofdistinction, a full-sister to KZN Horse Of The Year Gladatorian, gets up in the Listed Flamboyant Stakes last Friday (Candiese Lenferna Photography)
The Listed Flamboyant Stakes over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Friday was won by the Michael Roberts-trained Ladyofdistinction, while the gelding Imposing continued his transformation under Gareth van Zyl by winning the Listed Christmas Handicap over the same course and distance.
In the Flamboyant Stakes the lightly-raced four-year-old Vercingetorix filly Ladyofdistinction, who is a full-sister to KZN Horse Of The Year Gladatorian, started 2/1 favourite with Tomyris the only other one in single figures at 28/10.
There was an early crawl and for a moment it looked like Ladyofdistinction might be caught wide and pulling.
However, Forward Motion saved the day by going forward and as the deck was shuffled again Rachel Venniker managed to find cover for Ladyofdistinction in a perfect one out and two back position.
Ladyofdistinction was switched outward in the straight and stormed home, getting the better of Forward Motion and Tomyris and holding off the strong challenge of eventual runner up Amelia’s Legacy on the very outside by 0,25 lengths.
Ladyofdistinction was bred by Erasmus Thoroughbreds CC and cost R1,5 million at the November Two-year-old Sale.
She is owned by Al Khayl Breeders (Pty) Ltd and has now won four of seven starts.
The Flamboyant was the first black type race she had contested.
It could not have been an easy week for Michael Roberts as his Gr 1-winning stable star See It Again has been moved to the Justin Snaith yard ahead of the L’Ormarins King’s Plate and WSB Met.
Roberts said the Flamboyant had been the target for Ladyofdistinction a long way out.
She looks capable of progressing into a contender for top female races.
In the Christmas Handicap over the same trip Imposing sat in a handy position under S’Manga Khumalo and shot clear early in the straight and never looked like stopping.
The Lammerskraal Stud-bred six-year-old Visionaire gelding carried 54kg off a 96 rating and beat Isivivane by two lengths with Capsaicin beaten 2,80 lengths into third.
Imposing has now had five starts for Gareth van Zyl for four wins.
The Christmas Handicap was his first black type win.
He is owned by Howard Schwegmann and cost R350,000 at the National Yearling Sale.
Alyson Wright Maintains Lead In KZN Champs
Slytherin (Pomodoro) gave Alyson Wright’s her 23rd win in KZN this season last Friday (Candiese Lenferna Photography)
Alyson Wright maintained her lead in the KZN Trainers Championship despite a blank at the Hollywoodbets Greyville meeting on Sunday.
Wright is on 23 wins in KZN this season at a strike rate of 13,29%, although she has had 24 wins overall in the season.
Reigning KZN Champion trainer Gareth van Zyl is on 21 wins for the season in KZN and also in contention are Andre Nel and Dean Kannemeyer on 16 wins apiece, while Mike and Mathew de Kock and Stuart Ferrie have 15 wins apiece.
Andrew Harrison of Race Coast wrote the below report on Sunday’s turf meeting:
There is never a dull day in horse racing. Hollywoodbets Scottsville suffered a midweek deluge forcing a switch to Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday.
Main race of the day, a B Stakes, was delayed as Henry Harvey bolted in the canter down and deposited Nicholas Patel on to the turf delaying the start for the waiting for the ambulance. Starting, Magic Surprise jumped awkwardly leaving Kabelo Matsunyane surveying his departing colleagues from the turf. Magic Surprise then surprised Callan Murray on Major Tommie who was making his challenge up the inside rail the loose horse cutting across his bows forcing him to snatch up.
S’Manga Khumalo made the most of his good fortune on Gareth van Zyl’s charge, leading all the way on the favourite Wild Justice and winning as he liked.
Son Of Rafeef appears to be more than just useful as he won a smart race to kick off the card. Yogas Govender’s colt caught the eye in his first two starts and was a tad unlucky last time out. However, he showed that there was plenty to build on as he whistled past race favourite Place Of Practice to win convincingly.
Lilac In Winter again proved that Cape Town form is generally stronger at this level than local as the filly won the second well from a wide draw. Terry Fripp does duty for the Candice Bass yard in KZN and he admitted that he was a little surprised at the win as she had not shown much although Summerveld is struggling with inclement weather.
In the third, Christmas Cactus gave notice that he is on the right track when shedding his maiden in smart form for Nathan Kotzen impressing title chasing Craig Zackey enough, declaring that he would like to stay with the ride in future.
Siphesihle Hlengwa is an under rated rider in anyone’s books and he rode a confident race on Garth Puller’s charge Agrado in the fourth. Well back in the early exchanges, Hlengwa picked is way through the light traffic and the gelding responded with a fine turn of foot to relegate the game seven-year-old Fate Of Fortune to the runner’s up box.
Mike Miller’s filly Warrior Royale has had her issues with the starting gates but all was forgiven as she behaved impeccably putting a useful fifth race field to bed in a matter of strides. Third behind the Gr1 winning filly Quickstepgal last time out and at the same time just behind Friday’s Flamboyant Stakes winner Ladyofdistinction, she started at rather generous odds, paying R7.70 on the nanny goat (tote).
"Run-Ups" Cause American Times To Be Faster
Canterbury Park was the first USA track in modern times to eliminate the “run-up”
South African fans are probably bemused by how fast One Stripe’s time was for his mile event at Gulfstream Park on Friday as 91-and-a-half seconds would be an unheard of time for a turf mile in South Africa.
The explanation is that in America many horse races still have “run-ups”.
The Gulfstream Park mile on Friday had an 85 foot run-up.
This means the starting stalls are positioned 85 feet away from the mile point and the official timing of the race only starts when the leading horse breaks an electronic eye beam or other means of timing at the mile point.
Races over all distances in America and at all tracks had run-ups added to the official distance of the race at one stage, although some tracks have now eliminated the run-up.
The horses are obviously going at pace when reaching the official start of a race that has a run-up, which is as opposed to a standing start in South Africa, and hence the generally faster official times at a lot of tracks in America.
Run-ups have caused a lot of controversy and one pundit summed it up by saying, “Run-up distances are one of those difficult-to-fathom ‘only in horse racing’ concepts.”
The following three articles sum up the controversy:
Analyst Pat Cummings explains why run-ups are “simply wrong”
“Run-ups cause inaccuracies that are an affront to integrity” – Paulick Report
Gulfstream’s Change of Run-Up Distances Makes Big Win Harder To Quantify
In 2023 Canterbury Park became the first track in the modern history of North American racing to time Thoroughbred races from the break of the gate, eliminating “run-up” distances, and some other tracks have followed suit.
“Accuracy matters. This is a watershed moment for American racing,” said Thoroughbred Idea Foundation executive director Patrick Cummings at the time of Canterbury Park’s decision. “For more than a century, we have endured inaccuracy in racing’s most fundamental data points – time and distance. The inconsistencies created by running and timing races with run-ups are too numerous to count, but this Is a much-needed first step towards embracing accuracy – for horseplayers, horse owners and any stakeholder in the sport.”
Zackey And Smith Score Individual Four-Timers
The Dean Smith-trained Algoa Cup hero Zatara Magic (Rabada) makes it three on the trot and secures a four-timer for Craig Zackey and the third leg of a four timer for Smith on the Fairview poly on Monday (Pauline Herman Photography)
Richard Fourie had been steadily closing the gap on national log leader Craig Zackey in the race for the Jockeys Championship, but today (monday) on the Fairview poly Zackey had a four-timer to Fourie’s blank and this saw him going eleven wins clear.
Dean Smith also scored a four-timer, two of them brought home by Zackey, and Cliffie Miller scored a double.
Champion owners Hollywood Racing clinched a treble and Hemel ‘N Aarde Stud bred two of the day’s winners.
Zackey is now on 109 wins for the season and has done it at a strike rate of 17.03%.
Dean Smith is on 17 wins at 14.91%, although the Smith yard have now had 43 wins for the season with 26 of them registered under the late Gavin Smith’s name.
Cliffie Miller has had nine wins at 6.29%.
Hollywood Racing have had a phenomenal 80 wins already this season at a strike rate of 15.56%, so they are likely to smash their own record of 128 in a season.
Hemel ‘N Aarde have had 23 winners of 27 races this season.
Speedman Can Make It Three From Three
Speedman will be out to make it three wins from three starts in the 6th race (JC Photos)
Turffontein Standside Tuesday Formguides And Selections
R1 8 TURN IT UP by Querari is a half-brother to Gr 1 Gold Medallion winner Proceed and his career began in almost identical fashion with a strong-finishing second behind a firecracker over 800m, so he should go one better over this suitable step up in trip. 2 CATFISH is by Danon Platina out of a Var mare and Gavin Lerena is an eyecatching booking. 1 BUFFALO KING CODY made a good debut behind a firecracker and should be a big runner. 3 DAD’S DREAM ran a good race on debut in a good field and should be in the shake up. (8-2-1-3)
R2 4 DUCHESS ZAHRA made a good debut and should go close with expected improvement. 1 PRINCESS OF ALL has some fair form and can earn. 5 ELEGANT EDGE made a good debut and should be in the shake up. 6 FOXY AFTER DARK is by Captain Of All out of a Jet Master mare and is a half-sister to twice winner Plus Four (Vercingetorix). (4-1-5-6)
R3 8 TAKING A RISK has been knocking on the door and gets a good opportunity here. 7 STONEYWOOD is a full brother to Dyce and can put his moderate debut run behind him. 4 EDELSTEEN is capable of improving on his moderate debut. 6 SABRAGE is a full brother to Old Fashioned who has reeled off two wins in succession recently after battling until blinkers were applied, so this one could also improve. (8-7-4-6)
R4 3 DELAWARE RIVER is knocking hard and gets a fine opportunity over a suitable trip from pole position. 1 WINDS OF GRACE is knocking hard and the wide draw should not be insurmountable in this small field. 9 THE REASON improved second time out and Yeni stays aboard over a step up in trip she should relish. 7 ASMINDEROD is by Erik The Red and is a half-sister to Atticus Finch. (3-1-9-7)
R5 10 REECE’S WISH has run two fine seconds and should go one better with Lerena staying aboard. 3 STAY TUNED has gone close in both starts and should be right there. 8 TROMBOLINES made a fine debut and is a big runner here from pole position over a suitable step up in trip. 4 RED SUNRISE has been close up in his last two starts and is a contender. (10-3-8-4)
R6 4 SPEEDMAN looks to be going places and can make it three from three despite a wide draw. 1 PARISIAN WALKWAY has been disappointing in features but will appreciate the step down in trip and can bounce back in this lesser company. 3 SOLAR SAIL has the class to be a contender here too. 2 DECEPTION PASS is capable of earning here. (4-1-3-2)
R7 5 UNITED COUNCIL is an up and coming stayer who could be a strong contender here. 6 BREEZE OVER usually starts slowly but is dangerous if able to get to the front without using up to much energy. 4 NEBRAAS has been in good form lately and can earn again. 3 NAVAJO NATION disappointed in the Summer Cup but could earn in this easier field over a trip he should get as he was not disgraced in the Gold Cup over 3200m last season. (5-6-4-3)
R8 9 MILITARY MOVES ran well first time out the maidens and from pole position over a suitable trip should go close. 6 REPETITION ran a fine race last time out in Cape Town over 1800m and is the one to beat if able to repeat, but he does have a tough draw. 5 REAL STUNNER won his maiden easily and starts handicapping here off a reasonable mark, but does have a wide draw. 2 ZIP CODE flew up late over 1475m at the Vaal on Saturday for a close fourth and on pedigree should enjoy this trip. (9-6-5-2)
R9 2 MICHAEL FARADAY produced a strong finish from off the pace on Saturday over 1400m and only just failed and Gavin Lerena stays aboard over a trip he stays. 3 APOSTROPHE won well in the maidens and over a suitable trip can make a good handicap bow over a reasonable 78 merit rating. 7 COMMANDER OF ALL should be competitive in this field over a suitable trip. 1 THE MIGHTIEST is in good form and could earn against the boys here. (2-3-7-1)
R10 9 TOMMY ADKINS won his maiden well and the form has been franked so he can do well off a reasonable 83 merit rating. 2 WAR OF KINGDOMS will be a threat if reproducing his last start from this good draw. 4 GUERILLA WARFARE ran well on Grand Heritage day and should be in the shake up. 6 CLEVER TREVOR tries further again and off a four point lower mark could be a contender from a fair draw. (9-2-4-6)
Today's Question
FIELDS, Tuesday, 30 December
Today’s Question Answer
Gary Lynn Stevens (born March 6, 1963) is an American Thoroughbred horse racing jockey, actor, and sports analyst. He became a professional jockey in 1979 and rode his first of three Kentucky Derby winners in 1988. He had nine wins in Triple Crown races, winning the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes three times each, as well as ten Breeders’ Cup races. He was also a nine-time winner of the Santa Anita Derby. He entered the United States Racing Hall of Fame in 1997. Combining his U.S. and international wins, Stevens had over 5,000 race wins by 2005, and reached his 5,000th North American win on February 15, 2015.
