Horse Racing News, Recaps, Replays Aug. 22, 2015

Horse Racing News, Recaps, Replays Aug. 22, 2015:

Alabama Stakes – Grade I – 1-1/4 Miles – Three-Year-Old Fillies – Saratoga

Embellish the Lace (Super Saver – Expanse, by Distant View) surprised racing fans with her wire-to-wire win in the Alabama Stakes (GI). The winner of two of four starts made her graded stakes debut in Belmont’s Mother Goose Stakes (GI) but only managed to finish ninth there prior to this unexpected victory. The bay filly claimed the lead as her own at the break of the Alabama and kept the rest of the field at bay by a length for much of the race. Embellish the Lace had expanded her lead to three lengths at the top of the stretch and only allowed it to shrink to 1-1/4 lengths as I’m a Chatterbox made a futile closing move at the wire.

Arlington-Washington Futurity – Grade III – 7 Furlongs – Two-Year-Olds – Arlington

The Illinois-bred Shogood (Nobiz Like Shobiz – Good and Rough, by Good and Tough) claimed one of his home state’s best races in winning the Arlington-Washington Futurity (GIII) over other juveniles. The bay colt has run three times, finishing second in his debut and breaking his maiden in his second start over the Arlington oval. Shogood broke well for the Futurity and utilized his obvious front-running speed to set the pace over the field of eleven. Down the homestretch, the colt maintained an easy margin of victory to take the race by 2-1/2 lengths over longshot Van Damme. *Video Unavailable.

Del Mar Handicap – Grade II Turf – 1-3/8 Miles – Three-Year-Olds and Up – Del Mar

The six-year-old Big John B (Hard Spun – Baldomera, by Doneraile Court) proved his affinity for the Del Mar turf with a repeat victory in the Del Mar Handicap (GII). The gelding won this race in 2014 after graduating from claiming company, and he prepped for this year’s edition with a victory in the Cougar II Handicap (GIII) at Del Mar. In a field of eight, Big John B settled in last while the front-runner set a slow pace. When it came time for the gelding to make his move, he had his work cut out for him. The favored Ashleyluvssugar and Ganesh battled down the lane, but Big John B swept by on the outside to take the race by a length.

Pat O’Brien Stakes – Grade II – 7 Furlongs – Three-Year-Olds and Up – Del Mar

An already small field of five for the Pat O’Brien Stakes (GII) shrunk to four, but Appealing Tale (Tale of the Cat – Appealing Pride, by Unbridled’s Song) still put on an impressive performance with his victory in the Del Mar sprint. The five-year-old gelding has been knocking on graded stakes victory’s door in his last two starts with second-place finishes in the Triple Bend Stakes (GI) and San Diego Handicap (GII), so it should have come as no surprise that he would put up a fight in the Pat O’Brien. The field of four, including Wild Dude, Indexical, and Kobe’s Back, remained static throughout the race with Appealing Tale taking the lead at the break. The gelding finished half a length in front of graded stakes winner Wild Dude with Indexical back in third and Kobe’s Back in fourth.

TVG Pacific Classic – Grade I – 1-1/4 Miles – Three-Year-Olds and Up – Del Mar

A sight to behold was Beholder’s (Henny Hughes – Leslie’s Lady, by Tricky Creek) absolute romp in the TVG Pacific Classic (GI). The five-year-old mare is unbeaten on the year, and in nineteen starts she has never finished out of the money. In her first attempt against male rivals in the Pacific Classic, the champion mare was content to settle in the middle of the pack while Bayern took an expected lead and set a fast pace. Along the final turn, Beholder made a bold move on that outside that in an instant propelled her to the front of the field. Beholder crossed the finish line all alone 8-1/4 lengths in front, making history as the first female to ever win the Pacific Classic.