Australia: Imperioness favored to end skid in Sunday handicap

The 5-year-old mare Imperioness will be a slight favorite to end an eight-race losing streak in a seven-furlong handicap at Tamworth Racecourse in Australia on Sunday evening, a race she can win following a promising comeback from a recent layoff.

Imperioness, trained by Cameron Crockett, finished seventh by slightly less than a length in a handicap at about 6 1/2 furlongs at Muswellbrook on Sept. 12, racing near the front throughout.

The start at Muswellbrook was the first race for Imperioness since late April. During the break, she was transferred from trainer Dean Mirfin to Crockett, who had trained Imperioness earlier in her career.

Previously for Crockett, Imperioness had four starts in early 2022, including a win in a seven-furlong maiden race at Mudgee Racecourse. Imperioness closed from off the pace to beat maidens, but has been effective racing near the front at times. The maiden race is her only win in 11 starts.

The handicap at Tamworth is the third start following a five-month rest for the 4-year-old gelding Injada, who has finished 10th and second in recent starts. Injada is capable of setting the pace as shown in his last start in a handicap against a lower-level runners at 6 1/2 furlongs at Armidale on Sept. 9.

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Injada was beaten slightly more than three-quarters of a length while carrying 134.4 pounds compared to 122.3 for race winner China Grove.

At Tamworth, against a tougher class of handicap runners than he faced in his last start, Injada will carry 121 pounds, thanks to a small decline in the weight assignment with the booking of apprentice jockey Anna Roper.

Imperioness will carry 121, while topweight Spirit of Vomo will carry 134.4.

Despite the high assignment, Spirit of Vomo is rated as a contender in his first start at seven furlongs since a maiden-race win at that distance in March. Spirit of Vomo was given a five-month break following that race and has since finished seventh and fifth in races at shorter distances.

Tamworth has a seven-race program beginning at 11:45 p.m. Eastern or 8:45 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

Militarize, Alligator Blood win Grade 1 races

Militarize won his third Group 1 race of 2023, and first as a Southern Hemisphere 3-year-old, in Saturday’s $640,200 Golden Rose Stakes at seven furlongs at Rosehill Gardens in Sydney.

Ridden by Joao Moreira, Militarize ($10.90 in American pools) closed from well off the pace with a rapid rally to catch 13-1 Encap in the final strides. Militarize won by about a head.

Cylinder, second in the Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes for Southern Hemisphere 2-year-olds in March, finished third as the 2-1 favorite, a nose behind Encap.

Shinzo, the winner of the $3.32 million Golden Slipper Stakes, finished ninth of 12 and was beaten 2 2/3 lengths. Shinzo was found to be unsound after the Golden Rose Stakes, according to track stewards.

Militarize has won 4 of 7 starts for a partnership and trainer Chris Waller. Moreira, a former leading rider in Hong Kong who is now based in his native Brazil, has ridden Militarize in his three Group 1 wins.

By Dundeel, Militarize won Group 1 races at seven furlongs and a mile in consecutive starts in April and is expected to try for a fourth win in a race at that level in the $1.9 million Caulfield Guineas at a mile at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne on Oct. 14.

Alligator Blood overcame early traffic issues to win Saturday’s Group 1 Underwood Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Caulfield for the second consecutive year.

Ridden by Damien Oliver for trainers Adrian Bott and Gai Waterhouse, Alligator Blood ($6.20) won by a length over 5-1 Tuvalu in a field of 15, ending a four-race losing streak since February. Alligator Blood has won six Grade 1 races in his career.

The Underwood had its centennial running on Saturday. Alligator Blood became the 14th horse to record multiple wins in a race that is likely to serve as a prep for another Group 1, the $483,500 Turnbull Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Flemington Racecourse on Oct. 7.

A 7-year-old gelding by All Too Hard, Alligator Blood has won 14 of 32 starts in a career that began with a win in a maiden race at Sunshine Coast in December 2018.

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