Ashford Stud Progeny Imposing in Zuma Beach Stakes

Progeny of Ashford Stud stallions have strength in numbers in the $100,000 Zuma Beach Stakes (G3T) Oct. 4 at Santa Anita Park, represented by three of the five entries. Jay Bligh's Maxify and Amerman Racing's Repo Man—first-out winners by Justify and Golden Pal, respectively—are two of the race favorites, as is Qatar Racing's Duty Bound, an unbeaten filly by another Ashford stallion, Jack Christopher. They battle Off in the Corner, a son of Gainesway stallion Karakontie (JPN), who ran third in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf Stakes (G3T), and the longshot maiden A P Oxbow, by Calumet Farm stallion Oxbow. Off in the Corner is cross-entered in the shorter, Oct. 3 Speakeasy Stakes over 5 furlongs on turf at Santa Anita. The Zuma Beach is a two-turn mile test on grass. Umberto Rispoli, who rode both Maxify and Repo Man to victory last out at Del Mar for trainer Michael McCarthy, stays aboard Repo Man, who impressed by surging to victory in his lone start over 5 furlongs on turf. Juan Hernandez picks up the ride on McCarthy stablemate Maxify, whose only start resulted in a win over a mile. Duty Bound, like Repo Man, attempts to handle more ground after turf-sprinting victories in her two career starts at Colonial Downs and Kentucky Downs. Emisael Jaramillo rides the Jack Sisterson-trained Duty Bound. Both Repo Man and Duty Bound are by sires who were most effective as racehorses when racing around one turn. Golden Pal was a grass-sprinting specialist known for his speed, and Jack Christopher thrived in one-turn races from 7 furlongs to a mile. Justify won as far as 1 1/2 miles in 2018 by taking the Belmont Stakes (G1), the third and final leg of the Triple Crown. Justify and Jack Christopher raced exclusively on dirt. Vanta Seeks Second Stakes Win in Surfer Girl Two races after the Zuma Beach, the fourth race on the card, Rispoli rides favored Vanta in the $100,000 Surfer Girl Stakes for 2-year-old fillies. That race is also over a mile on turf. The daughter of Spendthrift Farm stallion Greatest Honour is 2-for-2, having won on debut in a turf sprint at Del Mar for trainer Jeff Mullins before repeating in the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf Stakes over a mile. Away slowly, she overwhelmed the opposition with her stretch rally. Dutch Girl Holdings and Irving Ventures own the filly, a $370,000 purchase from the Golden Rock Thoroughbreds consignment to the Ocala Breeders' Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. Blockade and Less Please—second and fourth behind Vanta in the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf—head the opposition.