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Month: September 2020
Gaffalione, Maker, Three Diamonds Farm Claim Meet Titles At Kentucky Downs
Jockey Tyler Gaffalione and owner Three Diamonds Farm earned their first meet titles at Kentucky Downs, with Mike Maker — who trains for Three Diamonds and frequently uses Gaffalione — winning a record fifth crown at America's most unique race meet in Franklin, Ky.
Wagering on the final day of the six-date meet totaled $9,487,705 on the 10-race card. That brought totaling wagering over the meet's 62 races (with another race ruled a no-contest) to $59,828,444, smashing last year's record $41,239,699 over 50 races and five days.
The RUNHAPPY Meet at Kentucky Downs paid out $12,337,000 in purses to horse owners.
Gaffalione earned his first Kentucky Downs riding title with 11 victories at the six-date meet that concluded Wednesday. That was five wins more than two-time defending titlist Jose Ortiz and his brother, reigning Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz.
Gaffalione ended the meet with a bang, his three wins Wednesday capped by Guildsman's victory in the Grade 3 Franklin-Simpson Stakes in his final mount of the meet.
“This was incredible. This is such a fun place to ride,” said Gaffalione, the 2015 Eclipse Award-winning apprentice jockey. “I always enjoy coming here every year. All the credit goes to my agent (Matt Muzikar). He's really done a great job getting ready for this meet. He told me we were really loaded. I just had to show up and get the job done. A lot of credit goes to all the horsemen who got the horses ready. It was a lot of fun. Hopefully we can do it again next year.”
Maker, already the track's all-time win leader, earned a record fifth meet training crown with eight victories out of a meet-high 56 starters, including four wins last Saturday. That nipped Wesley Ward's seven wins out of 31 starts, denying Ward his own fifth title.
Owner Kirk Wycoff's Three Diamonds Farm earned its first Kentucky Downs owners title with four wins, all trained by Maker.
“It was a good meet, deep and competitive,” Maker said. “Like everything else, wish we'd won a few more but that's racing. Always fun to come here and to do well. We have so many turf horses. It's nice that when we can get an abundance of them in on any given day and know we're coming over here live.”
Maker acknowledged his biggest disappointment was favored Zulu Alpha finishing a rallying third in defense of last year's triumph in the $1 million Calumet Farm Kentucky Turf Cup, which was won by Zulu Alpha's nemesis and 2018 winner Arklow. Both horses now are being pointed to the $4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf on Nov. 7 at Keeneland.
Maker now has won 63 races in his career at Kentucky Downs. His four-year streak of meet titles ended last year when his three wins were one shy of sharing the crown with Ward, Joe Sharp and Ian Wilkes. But even last year, when he had a track-record 15 seconds, he won the money title at $1.4 million.
Noting that the seconds and thirds can be lucrative at Kentucky Downs, Maker said, “For sure. Pays a lot of bills.”
This year Maker finished fourth in money ($823,321), with that title won by four-time reigning Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown at $980,375. Until this meet, Brown had run only one horse at Kentucky Downs.
Gaffalione, who turned 26 on Sept. 12, also earned the jockey money title at $1,619,461, including capturing the $500,000, Grade 3 Real Solution Ladies Sprint on Got Stormy and the $500,000 The Mint Juvenile Fillies on Plum Ali. He won at least one race on five of the meet's six days.
“We always want to be leading rider, but the main thing is they give away so much money so you try to get the money title here more than anything,” Gaffalione said. “But it's always great to get as many wins as possible. Great venue, great racing here. Lot of class horses showed up. Plum Ali really stands out. Got Stormy ran huge. The other day Miss J McKay (second in Tuesday's Music City at 11-1) ran a bang-up race in finishing second. It's been a great meet.”
Kentucky Downs' top six betting days
$17,437,731 — Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020
$11,321,492 — Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019
$10,039,008 — Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018
$9,487,705 — Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020
$8,983,981 — Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020
$8,950,973 — Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020
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Guildsman Prevails In Closing-Day Franklin-Simpson Stakes At Kentucky Downs
Tyler Gaffalione put an exclamation mark on his first riding title at Kentucky Downs in Franklin, Ky., completing a three-win day as Qatar Racing's French-bred 9-1 shot Guildsman came from far back to beat 21-1 shot Island Commish by a neck in the $500,000, Grade 3 Franklin-Simpson Stakes.
It was another neck back to 47-1 Souper Dormy in the capacity field of 12 3-year-old sprinters in the final stakes of the six-date RUNHAPPY Meet at Kentucky Downs.
The Brendan Walsh-trained Guildsman provided the 26-year-old Gaffalione his meet-leading 11th win one race after clinching the 2020 Kentucky Downs riding title. He nailed at least one race on five of the meet's six days.
“That was nice,” Gaffalione said. “It was a great meet. My agent (Matt Muzikar) has done an incredible job preparing for this meet. I'm so thrilled for Brendan. He's been helping me for a long time. We've been trying to hook up with this colt. The distance was key today, just a little extra ground. He kept coming and really proved his stuff today. It was a great race all around.”
Johnny Unleashed led through blistering opening fractions of 21.47 and 44.77 seconds for the quarter- and half-mile, most closely followed by Maven, Island Commish and 2-1 favorite Turned Aside. Meanwhile, Guildsman had one horse beat and was 6 1/2 lengths off the pace entering the stretch run in the seven path.
From there, Guildsman did his best running, and by mid-stretch only 21-1 longshot Island Commish was in front of him with Souper Dormy, longest odds in the field at 47-1, looming after being far behind early.
Guildsman was best in the closing yards to prevail by a neck over Island Commish, the only horse in the early pace that stayed on. Souper Dormy just missed second by another neck. Flap Jack, who was sent off at 37-1 odds, finished fourth, beaten three lengths.
Named after the host town and county of the south-central Kentucky track venue, the 6 1/2-furlong Franklin Simpson yielded among the highest exotics payoffs of the meet.
The foursome fueled a 10-cent superfecta payoff of $6,919.15; the $2 exacta paid $364.00; and the $1 trifecta returned $3,956.30. As for the $2 win-place-show money, Guildsman tickets were worth $21.80, $10.60 and $6.40. Island Commish paid $19.80 and $12.00, and Souper Dormy tickets were redeemed for $18.20.
Following the top four across the finish line were, in order, Turned Aside, Old Chestnut, Another Miracle, Johnny Unleashed, Fore Left, Embolden, Maven and Competitive Saint.
Guildsman was timed in 1:15.87 for 6 1/2 furlongs on turf rated firm. The win pushed Guildsman's record to three wins from 11 starts, with a second and two thirds. The value of the race turned out to be $343,875 because no Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund money was available to the French-bred gelding Guildsman. With the winner's share of $144,150, he upped his earnings to $254,636.
Guildsman made his first six starts in England, France and Ireland last year. Sent to Walsh, he was making his fifth start in America, racing well each time against quality competition. He came into the Franklin-Simpson off his first U.S. win, that coming in Presque Isle's $75,000 Tom Ridge Stakes over a synthetic surface.
“They just sent him over here,” Walsh said. “I guess they just thought maybe he'd fit here. The 5 and the 5 1/2 races, he's been running well but they're a little bit on the short side for him, maybe. We were going six at Presque Isle last time and the 6 1/2 today was right in his wheelhouses. I'm not actually surprised. He's a really talented horse.”
The victory was the third of the meet for Walsh, who also won Wednesday's fourth race with Born Great, the only two-time winner at the meet.
“I'm not just a one-horse trainer,” Walsh said with a laugh.
The victory capped a huge two-week run for Qatar Racing's Sheikh Fahad al Thani. Sheikh Fahad is partners on the Brad Cox-trained Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil. Guildsman also provided Qatar Racing its second straight victory in the Franklin-Simpson, being the co-owner of last year's Doug O'Neill-trained winner Legends of War.
“Sheikh Fahad was watching closely at home in England,” said his representative, Fergus Galvin, who was at the Keeneland yearling sales. “He was thrilled. He had a big couple of weeks with Shedaresthedevil. Brendan has done a great job with the horse. He had it mapped out from a few months ago. but Sheikh Fahad has gotten a massive thrill out of him. He's always shown a lot of promise, this horse. He ran in some of the bigger 2-year-old races over there. The distance, 6 1/2 furlongs, and the configuration of the track obviously played to his advantage. But it certainly made Sheikh Fahad a big fan of Kentucky Downs. He's already wanting to stock up the stable to point to the meeting next year.”
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$950,000 Uncle Mo Colt Highlights Third Session Of Keeneland September Sale
Keeneland's September Yearling Sale resumed Wednesday, the first session of the two-day Book 2 catalog, featuring strong participation from a mix of foreign and domestic buyers and the sale of an Uncle Mo colt from the family of Grade 1 winner and sire Twirling Candy for $950,000 to Mayberry Farm.
During today's session, 185 yearlings grossed $40,861,000, for an average of $220,870 and a median of $180,000. Through the first three sessions of the auction, Keeneland has sold 394 yearlings for $126,076,000, for an average of $319,990 and a median of $250,000.
Book 1 spanned three days in 2019, with Book 2 beginning on Day 4 of the sale. For that reason, comparisons to last year's corresponding session are not available.
“In a time where there was such uncertainty about how much international participation there would be, we're really happy with it,” Keeneland President-Elect and Interim Head of Sales Shannon Arvin said. “We've seen a very diverse base of buyers, and they're participating in different ways. We continue to have a lot of activity on the Internet – today the most of any day so far with 150 bids and six horses sold.”
During last year's first session of Book 2, 16 horses brought $500,000 or more. Today, 12 horses reached that mark.
“Given the year of COVID, I think that's a strong statistic,” Keeneland Director of Sales Operations Geoffrey Russell said. “Last year was a surreal market, one of the strongest September Sales we have had in long time. The whole feel of the market was very strong last year. To replicate that even in a normal year would have been difficult. So for what we are doing at the moment in an unusual year, we are very appreciative of our sellers and our buyers who are here to make this market.”
The session topper, who was bred by Three Chimneys Farm, is out of the Smart Strike mare Bella Rafaela, a half-sister to the aforementioned Twirling Candy as well as to Grade 2 winner Ethnic Dance and Grade 3 winner Dubai Sky.
“He was a really nice colt and, in what has proven to be a pretty selective market, it's great to see him jump through all of the hoops and do well,” Three Chimneys COO Chris Baker said. “He's in good hands to do well, so we are excited about that.”
David Ingordo signed the ticket for the colt.
“I saw this horse at Three Chimneys Farm a few weeks before the sale,” Ingordo said. “He is one of the best prospects I saw and I probably looked at fifteen-hundred (yearlings) on the farms before the sale. He was my personal top pick. We have Twirling Candy (at Lane's End, where Ingordo is bloodstock agent), and he looks like the family. This is the horse we wanted to have.
“If you bring a good horse up here and it jumps through the hoops, you get rewarded,” Ingordo added. “We have found it very competitive to buy horses. We try to buy the best horse, and we have our price in mind. We know we have to stretch for the better ones. My clients are usually their own entities. So it is one person's finances, in some instances, against many people's finances.
“The hardest thing is adjusting to the partnerships (that bid against us). When you are bidding for one person against an entity that is many headed and many 'walleted', we have to figure out how to adjust.”
Among Mayberry's other purchases today was a $775,000 colt from the first crop of Gun Runner out of Grade 1-placed Sweet Shirley Mae, by Broken Vow. Consigned by Baccari Bloodstock, the colt is a half-brother to stakes winner Mae Never No (IRE).
Mayberry was the session's leading buyer, spending $2,385,000 on five horses.
The session-topping Uncle Mo colt was consigned by Gainesway, agent, which sold 20 yearlings for $6,755,000 to lead all sellers on Wednesday. The farm also consigned a colt by Into Mischief who sold to West Bloodstock, agent for Repole Stables and St. Elias Stable, for the session's co-second highest price of $875,000. The colt is out of the Tiznow mare Mimi's Tiz, a full sister to stakes winner Summer House and from the family of Grade 3 winner Custom for Carlos.
Additionally, Gainesway, agent, sold the session's top-priced filly, a daughter of Tapit to Whisper Hill Farm for $500,000. Out of the Forestry mare, Redwood Dancer, the filly is a half-sister to Australian stakes winner The Virginian and is from the family of champion and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Flanders.
“I just feel fortunate that we're here and have the opportunity to sell horses,” Gainesway General Manager Brian Graves said. “Keeneland has done a good job to make it work. My hat is off to Keeneland for making it easy for people to bid in every way. I think that is really necessary this year. There are people at home all over the world and Keeneland has made it easy for them to conduct business and that is fantastic.
“I can't say we expected to be leading consignor,” Graves added. “We'll take it gladly.”
Demi O'Byrne went to $875,000 to acquire a colt by Into Mischief out of the Divine Park mare Divine Heart, a half-sister to Grade 1 winners Include Me Out and Check the Label. Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent for Watercress Farm, consigned the colt.
A colt by Quality Road out of Revel in the Win, by Red Bullet, fetched $870,000 from B-4 Farms. Consigned by Summerfield, agent for Stonestreet Bred & Raised, the colt is a half-brother to Grade 3 winner Poker Player and stakes-placed Coleman Rocky and War Treaty.
Shadwell Estate Company Ltd. purchased two of the day's top-priced horses, paying $800,000 for a Speightstown colt who is a full brother to stakes winner and Grade 1-placed Dawn the Destroyer and was consigned by Elm Tree Farm, agent for Stonesteet Bred & Raised. Shadwell also acquired a colt by Into Mischief for $700,000. Consigned by Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency, agent, he is a full brother to the Grade 2-placed filly Classy Act. Out of the Distorted Humor mare Acting Class, the colt is from the family of champion and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Tempera.
Donato Lanni, agent for SF/Starlight/Madaket, signed the ticket for a Candy Ride (ARG) colt consigned by Claiborne Farm, agent, for $760,000. He is out of the Grade 1-placed Tapit mare Draw It and is a half-brother to 2020 G2 Rebel Stakes runner-up Excession.
A colt by Uncle Mo out of multiple graded stakes winner Kauai Katie, by Malibu Moon, brought a bid of $700,000 from M.V. Magnier. He was consigned by Denali Stud, agent for Stonestreet Bred & Raised.
The September Sale continues Thursday with the second of the two-day Book 2 that begins at 10 a.m. ET.
To view the session's results, click here.
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