Conquest Enforcer earned his first graded stakes success and stamped himself as a force to be reckoned with in the West Coast turf division with a commanding wire-to-wire victory in the GII Mathis Brothers Mile S. at Santa Anita Monday. In his first start since being acquired by Loooch Racing for $785,000 as part of the Conquest Stables dispersal at Keeneland November, the chestnut set a swift pace and dug in late to fend off all challengers.
“I am very happy,” said winning trainer Phil D'Amato, who recently earned his first Breeders' Cup victory with Obviously (Ire) (Choisir {Aus}) in the GI Turf Sprint Nov. 5. “He's settled into our program really nicely and I think the sky is the limit with this horse. [Jockey Flavien] Prat is a great fit for him. This horse actually reminds me of Obviously and he guided Obviously to a nice Breeders' Cup win and hopefully next year we're doing the same with this horse.”
Previously trained by Mark Casse for Ernie Semersky's Conquest Stables, the imposing colt finished fourth in his career debut in Woodbine's GII Summer S. in September 2015 and burst on to the scene with a next-out graduation in the grassy 1 1/16-mile Cup and Saucer S. for Ontario-bred juveniles Oct. 11. Sent to the sidelines for the winter, Conquest Enforcer proved his versatility with a win over Woodbine's All-Weather track in the restricted seven-panel Queenston S. in May. He added a score in the one-mile Charlie Barley S. back on the Toronto turf July 3 and checked in third facing elders in the seven-furlong GII Play the King S. Aug. 20. The chestnut cut back to six furlongs to capture Belmont's Allied Forces S. Sept. 11 and was a narrowly beaten third back at Woodbine in the GII Nearctic S. Oct. 16.
Shipped to California following his sale, Conquest Enforcer worked on a weekly basis for D'Amato dating back to early December. Tabbed as the clear favorite in the finale of Santa Anita's opening day card, the 3-year-old went straight to the front and set the pace under pressure from former stablemate Blackout (Fr) (Dream Ahead) through fractions of :22.91 and :46.11. The Ontario-bred shook free from that one through six furlongs in 1:10.29, kicked on strongly and was never truly threatened in the final furlong.
“It was a great day,” said winning rider Flavien Prat, who also captured the GI La Brea S. with Constellation (Bellamy Road). “This horse was very sharp. I just wanted to get him to relax. He broke so sharp, I just wanted him to relax on the lead. He didn't relax until the backside and then he got going. Phil said he has a great turn of foot and he seemed so sharp. I was a little worried in the stretch, but he kicked away.”
Pedigree Notes:
Originally a $210,000 Fasig-Tipton July yearling buy, Conquest Enforcer is a half to undefeated MSW Conquest Vivi (Court Vision), who sold for $480,000 to Adena Springs at Keeneland November, as well as MSP Keen Gizmo (Giant Gizmo). Keen Victory is also responsible for the yearling filly Keen's Success (Successful Appeal) and a weanling colt by First Samurai. This is the same female family that produced GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. winner Poseidon's Warrior (Speightstown).
Monday, Santa Anita Park
MATHIS BROTHERS MILE S.-GII, $201,725, SA, 12-26, 3yo, 1mT, 1:33.64, gd.
1–@CONQUEST ENFORCER, 121, c, 3, by Into Mischief
1st Dam: Keen Victory, by Victory Gallop
2nd Dam: Really Keen, by Rakeen
3rd Dam: Lady Lyndy, by Bold Favorite
($210,000 Ylg '14 FTKJUL; $785,000 3yo '16 KEENOV).
O-Loooch Racing Stables, Inc., Imaginary Stables & Raquel
Ritchie; B-Tall Oaks Farm (ON); T-Philip D'Amato; J-Flavien
Prat. $120,000. Lifetime Record: 8-5-0-2, $480,640. *1/2 to
Keen Gizmo (Giant Gizmo), MSP, $280,915; and Conquest Vivi
(Court Vision), MSW, $153,057. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click
for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”buckland-sales-a-zach-madden-auction-purchase”][bullet ad=”lanes-end-sales-grad”][bullet ad=”warrendale-sold-congratulations-to-all-the-connections”][bullet ad=”ontario-bred”]2–Mittersill (Ire), 119, c, 3, Acclamation (GB)–Bobbie Soxer
(Ire), by Pivotal (GB). O-Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners;
B-Windflower Overseas Holdings Inc (IRE); T-Patrick Gallagher.
$40,000.
3–Moonlight Drive (Ity), 119, c, 3, Red Rocks (Ire)–Tina
Donizetti (Ire), by Monsun (Ger). O-David Bienstock, Charles N.
Winner & Roberta Williford; B-Centro Equino Arcadia Srl (ITY);
T-Bob Baffert. $24,000.[bullet ad=”irt-shell”]Margins: 1 1/4, HF, 2 3/4. Odds: 1.80, 7.20, 10.20.
Also Ran: Isotherm, Blackjackcat, Frank Conversation, Blackout (Fr), Path of David, Defiantly, Tusk. Scratched: Fabozzi.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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