ANOTHERTWISTAFATE A HORSE TO WATCH IN 2019
After a smashing debut victory on December 9 at Golden Gate Fields, two-year-old colt Anothertwistafate was on the radar of horsemen not just in the Bay Area, but all over the United States.
Purchased by owner Peter Redekop and bloodstock agent Alistair Roden for a whopping $360,000 in June, the Scat Daddy colt was transferred to trainer Blaine Wright’s stable shortly after the sale. Once he began training, it was apparent that the dark bay or brown colt oozed talent.
“[Anothertwistafate] has a good mind-not a nervous colt,” said Wright. “I worked him with a couple of other 2-year-olds and he outworked his company pretty easily. I worked him against some 3-year-olds and he finished ahead of them. And then I started working him against some pretty well regarded, nice older horses-allowance caliber horses-and he beat them too. It was clear that he had a ton of ability.”
His first start came on November 3, 2018 at Santa Anita: a six-furlong maiden special weight on the dirt. That day, he ran ninth of 12, though Wright explained that the run was a good learning experience for his star 2-year-old.
“He got some dirt in his face and didn’t like it,” said Wright. “[Jockey] Juan [Hernandez] came back after the race and said [Anothertwistafate] hated the dirt in his face. But if you watch the replay, Juan was able to get him in the clear down the stretch and once he did, he made up a good amount of ground, and the gallop out was terrific.”
“I probably should have never run him in that race,” admitted Wright. “It was a mistake on my part. I blame myself for that loss.”
Anothertwistafate redeemed himself in lifetime start number two, a maiden special weight on December 9 at Golden Gate, going a mile and a sixteenth on the Tapeta. That afternoon, he went to the lead and never looked back, finishing four lengths ahead of second place finisher Shadrack, who in turn was 10 lengths clear of the third place finisher. Anothertwistafate covered the 8.5 furlongs in 1:43.44 seconds, which was the fastest mile and a sixteenth run on the Tapeta that week.
“He ran in his second start like we thought he could,” said Wright. “I don’t think Juan really asked him to run until the very end of the race-the final 100 yards or so. I don’t think the race took a lot out of him either.”
Anothertwistafate is entered to run in Race 3 on Friday, an allowance event for 2-year-olds. The race will be served as a prep for stakes competition later on down the line.
“The El Camino Real Derby [in February] is a long term goal, certainly,” relayed Wright. “We’ll see how he does and go from there. I think he can run on any surface; he has good balance underneath him.”
ALVARADO, CEDILLO PICK UP MILESTONE WINS
Jockeys Frank Alvarado and Abel Cedillo earned major milestone wins last week at Golden Gate Fields. Both riders have been highly successful in the Bay Area for a number of years and were greeted in the winner’s circle by fellow jockeys and members of the racing community after their milestone victories.
Alvarado, a successful veteran that began his riding career in 1990, picked up career win number 3,500 in the last race of 2018 when Sweetly Spoken pulled off a 13-1 upset in the New Years Eve nightcap, a maiden special weight for fillies and mares. Alvarado was quick to thank all of his followers via social media following the big win.
“What a beautiful end to 2018,” said Alvarado. “Thanks to everyone at GGF: the trainers, owners…everybody.”
Cedillo made his 1,000th career trip to the winner’s circle one day earlier with Be Thoughtful, a maiden claimer routing for the first time. Cedillo has consistently finished in the top three spots in the jockey standings since joining the Bay Area riding colony in 2012.
“I feel really happy,” said Cedillo. “I’m excited also because I won the race on my son’s birthday. I want to thank everyone for the opportunities I’ve been given. I feel really lucky and blessed.”
JOCKEY CEBALLOS LOOKS TO MAKE A NAME FOR HIMSELF
19-year old Franklin Ceballos began his riding tenure at Golden Gate Fields last month and is here to stay for the foreseeable future. The Venezuelan born journeyman has already ridden horses for top outfits like John Martin, William E. Morey and Isidro Tamayo and picked up his first victory since joining the Golden Gate jockey colony with Southern Thunder on New Years Day.
“Franklin is excited to be here,” said jockey agent Fernando “Shoes” Navarro, who represents Ceballos. “He is a good kid who is eager to learn and get better as a rider.”
Before moving to Golden Gate, Ceballos rode the Southern California racing circuit: Santa Anita, Del Mar and Los Alamitos. As an apprentice, Ceballos began his riding career at Gulfstream Park before relocating to California.
Bay Area racing fans may be familiar with Ceballos already, as he guided Rickey B to a pair of wins earlier in the year: once at Golden Gate in September and the other at Fresno in October.
“He wants to do well here and he is hungry to win races,” expressed Navarro. “He has raw talent, will work hard, listens to instructions and has a great attitude. He has everything you’re looking for in an up and coming rider.”
FINISH LINES: Larry Rivelli, who has won the Arlington Park training title 5 years in a row, shipped a string of 17 horses to Golden Gate Fields last week from his home base in Chicago. The majority of his Golden Gate Fields trainees worked over the main track on Tuesday morning. A story to come in an upcoming edition of the news and notes…The Steve Specht trained Tomlin, who won the Golden Gate Debutante in November, faces four other rivals on Sunday at Santa Anita in the Grade 2 $200,000 Santa Ynez Stakes for 3-year-old fillies going 7 furlongs. Tyler Baze rides the daughter of Distorted Humor…Jockeys Juan Hernandez and Abel Cedillo both had a sensational first week at the current Winter/Spring meet. Hernandez sits atop the jockey standings with 13 victories, two more than Cedillo. Luis Ocasio and Catalino Martinez are tied for third in the standings with 4 wins apiece…Trainer Bill Delia is off to a white-hot start at the current meeting, with 6 wins from his first 17 starters (equating to a 35% win rate.) Delia is first in the trainer standings after Day 6, one win ahead of Jonathan Wong and Blaine Wright…Congratulations to jockey Julien Couton, who recently became engaged to fiancé Angela Johnson…Happy birthday to Stronach Group Director of Food and Beverage Mark Ventresca and jockey Edgar Velasco, both whom celebrate birthday’s this week…Race 5 on Friday will be Leg E (the last leg) of the Stronach 5 wager this week.