Thoroughbred Racing Roundup
September 26th, 2011By ROBERT KIECKHEFER
UPI Racing Writer
WinStar Farm generously sponsored this year’s Kentucky Cup racing.In a “now you see them, now you don’t” year for 3-year-olds, To Honor and Serve is the latest re-entrant into the picture for year-end glory.
The opportunity is certainly there.
The Kentucky Derby winner is out for the year with an injury. Last year’s juvenile champion missed the Derby and is just now making a comeback from a liver ailment. And another of the new leaders in the division is a fizzle from the Triple Crown trail.
Now comes To Honor and Serve, who stalked the pace in Saturday’s $1 million, Grade II Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing, then easily drew off in the stretch to win by 2 1/4 lengths. Another of the enigmatic sophomores, Ruler On Ice, ran well in deep stretch to finish second with Rattlesnake Bridge settling for third.
To Honor and Serve, a Kentucky-bred Bernardini colt, finished the 9 furlongs on a fast track in 1:47.34 with Jose Lezcano in the irons. He had looked like a force early in the Triple Crown wars, winning the Nashua and the Remsen in New York. But then he was a well-beaten third in both the Fountain of Youth and the Florida Derby and was put away by trainer Bill Mott, not returning to action until the Saratoga meeting.
Ruler On Ice, meanwhile, won the Belmont Stakes, looking like a potential powerhouse, but then appeared to be going the wrong way, finishing third in the Haskell and fourth in the Travers. And Rattlesnake Bridge languished until June, then started to pick things up in a campaign that led him to a good second-place showing in the Travers.
Mott said To Honor and Serve “seems to be rounding into a sort of maturity” at mid-season. The Breeders’ Cup Classic, he said, might fit right into that schedule.
Elsewhere:
The aptly named Derby Kitten rallied through the stretch in Saturday’s $150,000 Ontario Derby at Woodbine and was up in time to win by 1/2 length over Hippolytus. The favorite, Moonshine Mullin, was another neck back in third. Derby Kitten, a Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey homebred Kitten’s Joy colt out of the Menifee mare Blush, finished the 9 furlongs on the all-weather track in 1:50.32 with Mike Smith riding. Smith said Derby Kitten seemed “a bit warm” after saddling. But, “once the doors opened, he put me right in the race and it was just a matter of finding a place to go.”
Other races with potential implications for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships Nov. 4-5 at Churchill Downs:
Ladies Classic
La Gran Bailadora, a “horse for the course,” rallied from last of seven to win Saturday’s $100,000, Grade III Distorted Humor Kentucky Cup Distaff by 1 length over Bella Medaglia. Miss Mine finished third and the favorite, Upperline, never fired and finished last. La Gran Bailadora, a 4-year-old, Kentucky-bred Afleet Alex filly, ran the 1 1/16 miles on the all-weather track in 1:44.90 with Corey Lanerie aboard. She now has won four of 10 starts at Turfway, with another second and third for those efforts. Overall, she is 5-for-19.
Sprint
Royal Currier upset Saturday’s $250,000 Gallant Bob Stakes for 3-year-olds at Parx Racing, taking the early lead and making it stand up. At the end, the 13-1 shot was 3 3/4 lengths ahead of the favorite, Poseidon’s Warrior, with Indiano third. Royal Currier, a Florida-bred Red Bullet gelding, finished the 6 furlongs on a fast track in course-record time of 1:07.51 with Stewart Elliott up.
Matthewsburg rallied to the lead as the field turned for home in Saturday’s $100,000 Speightstown Kentucky Cup Sprint at Turfway Park and quickly pulled clear, winning by 2 1/4 lengths over Philippe. Will’s Wildcat was third and the favorite, Cal Nation, got home sixth after a tardy start. Matthewsburg, a 3-year-old, Kentucky-bred Ghostzapper colt out of the A.P. Indy mare Romantic Comedy, ran the 6 furlongs on the all-weather track in 1:10.28 with Victor Lebron in the irons. It was his third win from 10 starts and first stakes victory.
Filly & Mare Sprint
Pomeroy’s Pistol pressed the pace in Saturday’s $150,000, Grade II Foxwoods Gallant Bloom Handicap at Belmont Park, then quickly drew off to win by 4 lengths in a minor upset. Tamarind Hall was best of the rest with Lovely Lil third. The favorite, Tar Heel Mom, didn’t fire and finished fifth. Pomeroy’s Pistol, a 3-year-old, Florida-bred Pomeroy filly, got the 6 1/2 furlongs on a good track in 1:16.60 with Javier Castellano aboard. Owner/trainer Amy Tarrant said the Breeders’ Cup is on the agenda. “We’re very excited about it,” she said, “and now she is going to go home (to Monmouth Park) for a nice rest and we’re going to be looking towards the Breeders’ Cup for her.”
Dirt Mile
Future Prospect set a pressured pace in Saturday’s $200,000, Grade II WinStar Kentucky Cup at Turfway Park, then held on to beat General Quarters by 3/4 length. Demarcation was third as the three longest shots in the eight-horse field comprised the $3,328.20 trifecta. Future Prospect, the star of 76-year-old owner-trainer Dodson H. Skaggs’s one-horse stable, ran the 1 1/16 miles on the all-weather track in 1:44.71 under Edgar Prado. The 7-year-old, New York-bred Freud gelding has been nursed patiently back to action after being out for a year and a half with a serious injury. He now has four straight wins. Although he was dispatched at 18-1 odds, Skaggs said, “I liked my horse. I did.” Now, he said, “I don’t really know” what’s next. “We’ll wait and see how he comes back.” He did note that Churchill Downs, site of this year’s Breeders’ Cup, is well within driving distance of his northern Kentucky home. “I like to sleep in my own bed at night,” he allowed.
Juvenile
Hansen ran his way into Breeders’ Cup contention with a dominating victory in Saturday’s $100,000 Bluegrass Cat Kentucky Cup Juvenile. The almost-white colt, by Tapit out of the Sir Cat mare Stormy Sunday, led all the way and won by 13 1/4 lengths. Fine was second and Downtown Driggs finished third. It was Hansen’s second start and second win and his owner, Kendall E. Hansen, said he now will seek the best way to the big race. “If the Breeders’ Cup committee will let us in without any graded earnings, we’ll go right to that race,” he said. “If not, we’ll run at Keeneland.” He said he would prefer to train the colt up to the Breeders’ Cup “to keep him safe. He runs good fresh.” Mike Maker trains Hansen and Victor Lebron rode him over 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.83.
Saturday’s Group 2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket turned up a potential Breeders’ Cup Juvenile contender in Daddy Long Legs, who made all the going and won off by 3 1/4 lengths. Tenth Star and Wrote finished second and third, completing a sweep for Ballydoyle. Trainer Aidan O’Brien said he is considering the Racing Post Trophy and the Breeders’ Cup for Daddy Long Legs, a son of Scat Daddy.
Hunt Crossing pressed the pace in Saturday’s $132,362 NATC Futurity at Monmouth Park, took the lead at the top of the stretch and zoomed off to win by 3 lengths over Dangerous Trick. Managed Account finished third. Hunt Crossing, a Kentucky-bred Corinthian colt out of the Silver Deputy mare Silver Lace, finished the 6 furlongs on a muddy track in 1:10.51 under jockey Elvis Trujillo.
Talk to My Lawyer took the early lead in Sunday’s $65,000 Gottstein Futurity at Emerald Downs, took back midway through the race and came again to win by a neck over Havanna Red. Leadership finished third. Talk to My Lawyer, a Washington-bred filly by Lawyer Ron running against colts, got the 1 1/16 miles on a wet-fast track in 1:44.26 with Leslie Mawing up.
In the “there is some justice” category, first-time starter Gemologist dominated the final race Saturday at Turfway Park, battling for the lead and then distancing the field in the stretch to win by 5 lengths over Fifty Five South. Gemologist, a Tiznow colt out of the Mr. Prospector mare Crystal Shard, ran the 6 furlongs on the all-weather track in 1:11.12. The “justice?” Gemologist is owned by WinStar Farms, whose sponsorship enabled the resurrection of Turfway’s Kentucky Cup races. Tiznow stands at WinStar.
Juvenile Fillies
Charming Vixen pressed the pace in Saturday’s $100,000 Tiznow Kentucky Cup Juvenile Fillies at Turfway Park, shook clear and won off by 3 1/2 lengths. Heated Debate came from off the pace to finish second and Spring Eclipse rallied to finish third. Charming Vixen, a Kentucky-bred Bernstein filly out of the Honour and Glory mare Sadler’s Charm, ran the 1 mile on the all-weather track in 1:40.77 with Calvin Borel up. The morning-line favorite, Flashy Lassie, was an early scratch.
Elsewhere:
England
Sahpresa, invading from France, became the first horse to win the Sun Chariot Stakes three times as she captured Saturday’s Group 1 renewal at Newmarket by 1 length over Chachamaidee. Strawberrydaiquiri finished third. The 6-year-old Sahm mare covered the 1 mile on good to firm going in 1:37.60 with Christophe Lemaire up. Trainer Rod Collet indicated Sahpresa might try the Mile Championship next.
Lightening Pearl drew clear of the field with 2 furlongs to run in Saturday’s Group 1 Jaguar Cars Cheveley Park Stakes, then held off Sunday Times to win by 1/2 length. Angels Will Fall finished third. The previously undefeated favorite, Best Terms, settled for fifth. She finished the 6 furlongs on good to firm turf in 1:11.23 and trainer Ger Lyons said she may be put away for the season with an eye on next year’s Guineas.
Woodbine
Smart Sting dueled with Anne’s Beauty through the early furlongs of Sunday’s $250,000 (Canadian), Grade III Selene Stakes for 3-year-old fillies, then drew away and went on to win by 3 1/2 lengths over that rival. The odds-on favorite, Queen’s Plate winner Inglorious, finished a neck farther back in third in her second straight loss following a sixth-place finish in the Alabama at Saratoga. Smart Sting, a Kentucky-bred Smart Strike filly, ran the 1 1/16 miles on the all-weather track in 1:43.73 with Eurico Da Silva up. She now has three wins from seven starts. “I said to Eurico in the paddock before the race to just let her run her race,” said winning trainer Roger Attfield. “Whatever happens, just let her run, and he gave her a great ride. The filly has a big future.”
