Prat Guides Cezanne, Tizamagician to Stakes Victories
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Cezanne wins the Kona Gold Stakes at Santa Anita Park
Jockey Flavien Prat swept the stakes action at Santa Anita Park April 18, with both of his mounts winning by wide margins.
Early on the card, he rode MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm's Tizamagician to a nine-length victory in the $98,500 Tokyo City Cup Stakes (G3) at 1 1/2 miles. He then shortened up in distance with Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, and St. Elias Stable's Cezanne , who won the $98,000 Kona Gold Stakes (G3) at 6 1/2 furlongs by 9 3/4 lengths.
The Kona Gold was the first start for Cezanne since finishing last of four in the Shared Belief Stakes last August at Del Mar. The 4-year-old Curlin colt trained by Bob Baffert was last of four at the start of Saturday's Kona Gold, but settled into third through the first half-mile. Favored Brickyard Ride showed the way through fractions of :21.18 and :43.60 on the fast track.
Cezanne ($5.80) took over turning for home and powered away with right-hand urging and steady handling from Prat. The bay turned in a final time of 1:14.71.
"We knew there was going to be a hot pace. Not sure how fast, but it ended up being fast, and you know Cezanne just ate them up," said Baffert's assistant Jimmy Barnes. "(Flavien Prat) gave him a wonderful ride and Bob had him ready. It's tough to find a spot to run these horses off a layoff, we chose the Kona Gold and made the right decision.
"With the races coming up this spring and summer, we should be looking really good with Cezanne."
"It worked out well," Prat said. "We had a fast pace in front of us and we were able to save ground. He gave me a good kick when I asked him. He ran really nice."
Brickyard Ride was second, followed by Fight On and Ax Man .
Bred in Kentucky by Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings and St. Elias Stables, Cezanne was produced from the Bernardini mare Achieving, who is a half sister to grade 1 winner Streaming . Achieving is also dam of black-type winners Counterforce and Arabian Hope . Her latest foal is the unnamed 2-year-old full sister to Cezanne.
Agents Jamie McCalmont and Donato Lanni purchased Cezanne for $3.65 million on behalf of M.V. Magnier from Crupi's New Castle Farm consignment to The Gulfstream Sale, Fasig-Tipton's selected 2-year-olds in training sale in Florida, in 2019.
Cezanne has won three of his four career starts and earned $123,000.
Video: Kona Gold S. (G3)
Later on the card, Tizamagician scored a breakthrough victory in the Tokyo City Cup under Prat. The 4-year-old Tiznow colt trained by Richard Mandella pressed the pace of Zestful , who ran a :47.87 half-mile and one mile in 1:13.01.
"I wanted the other horse to clear me, because you can't take a hold of my horse," Prat said. "He settled very nice and it looks like a mile and a half is a great distance for him."
Tizamagician ($3.20) headed the leader near the five-sixteenths pole, drifted out in the stretch, and pulled away after right-handed urging. He ran the 12 furlongs in 2:32.45 as the favorite.
Tizamagician wins the Tokyo City Cup Stakes at Santa Anita Park
"They've all been very good and it's a great operation (My Racehorse)," Mandella said of the owners. "Not only does it create people to own a piece of the horse, but they all have friends and the idea is, if they get their friends, they get people into racing and that's what we need.
"We need people here, it's not the same without them. It's so strange to win races and nobody is here to cheer and celebrate with. It means everything in the world that people are here."
Zestful finished second, Lure Him In was third, and Ronamo fourth. Multiplier was injured approaching the five-sixteenths pole. He was pulled up and vanned off.
Tizamagician was bred in Kentucky by Woodford Thoroughbreds out of the grade 2-placed Dixie Union mare Magic Union , whose 3-year-old Quality Road colt Avenue broke his maiden April 8 at Keeneland. Magic Union's last foal is an unnamed 2-year-old Into Mischief colt.
Spendthrift purchased Tizamagician for $150,000 from the Woodford Thoroughbreds consignment to The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's selected yearling sale in New York, in 2018. He has earned $287,851 from four wins and six seconds in 16 starts.