Month: June 2021

‘I’ll Be Back, Better Than Ever’: Broken Ankle Sidelines Kendrick Carmouche

Jockey Kendrick Carmouche was his usual upbeat, positive, and optimistic self on Sunday morning at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., despite being hobbled on crutches with a broken right ankle suffered in a spill at the start of Saturday's l3th and last race on the Belmont Stakes Day card.

“I talked to my doctor last night and I'm flying out tonight to Tennessee. He said both of the major bones on each side of my ankle are broken and I need surgery. They're going to do it tomorrow and will have to put a plate in one side of my ankle and a screw in the other,” said Carmouche, who was accompanied by his wife, Whitney, who is celebrating her 40th birthday on Sunday.

The surgeon will be the same one who repaired his broken right leg, also a result of a spill, in September 2018.

The latest mishap occurred two races after the rider had finished fifth on Bourbonic in the last leg of the Triple Crown series. Carmouche said that his horse, Kentucky Pharoah, reacted badly out of the gate, unseating him, and then a horse stepped squarely on that ankle as he was lying on the turf course.

Carmouche was transported to a local medical facility by ambulance Saturday night. On Sunday morning he was looking at the bright side of the situation, saying that he has no intention of staying sidelined for the entire Saratoga meet.

“I ain't missing nothing,” he said with a broad smile. “I'll be back, better than ever.”

To his many fans Carmouche tweeted, “Life is good. God is great, Lot of prayer, I'll see ya'll soon, Keep pushing!!!”

Kentucky Pharoah was caught by the outrider after completing the course and walked home.

The post ‘I’ll Be Back, Better Than Ever’: Broken Ankle Sidelines Kendrick Carmouche appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Cox Sets Sights On Travers Stakes For Essential Quality

Trainer Brad Cox provided a positive report on Godolphin's newly minted American classic winner Essential Quality, who gave the prestigious racing and breeding operation their first triumph in a Triple Crown race in a memorable edition of Saturday's Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

The reigning Champion 2-Year-Old tracked swift fractions produced by Hot Rod Charlie, and dueled with the pacesetter in a dramatic battle down the stretch, getting the better of his foe by 1 ¼ lengths, and produced a career-best 109 Beyer Speed Figure. The result replicated the one-two finish of last year's Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland.

“He looks amazing. It doesn't look like he lost any weight. We jogged him up this morning and he was moving great,” Cox said Sunday. “He's a very intelligent horse. It's amazing to watch him. We train him on race day, and whenever we put him back in, he'll lay down the rest of the day. He knows what's going on and he deserves a good rest today after such a long race yesterday.”

In capturing the “Test of the Champion,” Essential Quality gave his prolific sire Tapit his fourth progeny to conquer the final leg of the Triple Crown, joining Tonalist [2014], Creator [2016] and Tapwrit [2017].

With the Belmont Stakes in the rearview mirror, Cox said the Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers on August 28 at Saratoga Race Course is the next major objective for Essential Quality. He did not rule out giving the talented gray colt a start beforehand in the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy on July 31 at Saratoga Race Course.

“It's one of the more prestigious races out there for three-year-old colts. So that would be the logical spot,” Cox said of a possible start in the “Mid-Summer Derby.” “It's a mile and a quarter and we know he can handle that. In regard to a race before, it would be nice. Saratoga is obviously a demanding track. I wouldn't say we have to have a race before that, but it would be nice. I think the logical spot would be the Jim Dandy, but we'll get him back to Churchill and let him tell us over the next couple of weeks how he's feeling.”

The Belmont Stakes was the third time Essential Quality faced off against Hot Rod Charlie. Prior to Saturday's race, they ran a respective fourth and third in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 1.

“I think it would be great for racing, no doubt about it.” Cox said of a potential rivalry between the Belmont top two finishers.

A Kentucky homebred, Essential Quality is out of the multiple stakes-placed Elusive Quality mare Delightful Quality. She has an unraced Uncle Mo 2-year-old filly named Famed, who also is trained by Cox.

“She's a nice filly,” Cox said. “She shows some gate speed and is a pretty quick learner. Elegant filly with plenty of leg. We've had her for about a month and she's had some three-eighths works under her belt. No rush with her.”

Essential Quality is scheduled to ship back to Cox's primary division at Churchill Downs on Monday.

 

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Danon Kingly Wins Yasuda Kinen, Qualifies For Breeders’ Cup Mile

Danox Co's 5-year-old Danon Kingly (JPN), at 47-1, defeated 5-year-old mare and odds-on favorite Gran Alegria (JPN) by a head in Sunday's 1-mile, $2.68 million Grade 1 Yasuda Kinen on turf at Tokyo Racecourse. With this victory, Danon Kingly gained an automatic berth into the $2 million, Grade 1 FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.  

The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which will be held at the Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California, Nov. 5-6, 2021. 

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for Danon Kingly, a son of Deep Impact (JPN), trained by Kiyoshi Hagiwara and ridden by Yuga Kawada, to start in the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile, which will be run at 1 mile over the Del Mar turf course. Breeders' Cup also will provide a travel allowance of US$40,000 for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships.  

Danon Kingly, making his first start of the year, improved his record to six wins in 12 starts. In registering his first Group 1 victory, Danon Kingly completed the mile in 1:31.7 over a course listed as good to firm. 

In the 71st Yasuda Kinen, Danon Kingly crushed defending champion Gran Alegria's high hopes of a consecutive Yasuda Kinen title. Breaking from stall 11 in a field of 14 runners, Danon Kingly traveled two-wide in mid-pack a couple of lengths in front of the favorite while Daiwa Cagney (JPN) led the field. Still near the rear at the final bend, Danon Kingly took a center-lane path and unleashed a determined stretch run climbing the Tokyo course hill to finally draw even with 2019 Yasuda Kinen winner and second-choice, Indy Champ (JPN), and Schnell Meister (GER) at the front. The only female in the field, Gran Alegria, ridden by Christophe Lemaire, was far back but finally loomed up inside 100 meters.  While Indy Champ and Schnell Meister weakened after a brief rally in the final strides, Danon Kingly narrowly held off the strong challenge from Gran Alegria by a head margin. 

‟He felt a bit tense first entering the track but he had good rhythm during the trip and had plenty of horse left,” commented winning rider Kawada. “He responded just as I hoped turning the last corner and ran well after that. Although he hasn't been able to put in his best results in the past, he has definitely demonstrated his true strength today and I'm happy to have been a part of it in my first time in the saddle.”  

On target to notch her second Yasuda Kinen title, Gran Alegria was reserved fourth from the rear and found herself trapped behind a wall of horses in the straight. She finally weaved through horses to reach contention in the last half-furlong and dug in fiercely, but was too late. Three-year-old and fourth pick Schnell Meister took a wide trip down the backstretch sitting outside of Indy Champ while gradually making headway up to fifth before hitting the top of the stretch. With the eventual winner on his outside and runner-up behind him, this year's Grade 1 NHK Mile Cup winner ran strongly to reach the front 100 meters out and joined a brief rally with three older foes but lacked the final kick. Schnell Meister finished a half-length behind Gran Alegria in third. 

Danon Kingly kicked off his career with three wins, including the Grade 3 Kyodo News Hai before finishing third in the Satsuki Sho (Grade 1 Japanese 2000 Guineas, 2,000m) and a second in the Tokyo Yushun (Grade 1 Japanese Derby, 2,400m) in 2019. He won the Grade 2 Nakayama Kinen in February 2020, was third in the Grade 3 Osaka Hai, and seventh in last year's Yasuda Kinen. He was given long break after running a disappointing 12th in the Grade 1 Tenno Sho (Autumn, 2,000m) last November. 

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Arcano Filly Remains Unbeaten in Italian Oaks

Quafin SPA's Eulaila (Ity) (Arcano {Ire}) kept her perfect record intact with a one-length defeat of Cima Star (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the G2 Premio Oaks d'Italia at San Siro on Sunday.

Trying 2200 metres for the first time, the 7-1 chance broke from gate 10 and pressed the pace set by Zelandia (Fr) (Olympic Glory {Ire}) from the bell. A half-length back in second as the field entered the turn, she had dead aim on the pacesetter with a half-mile remaining. Asked to quicken down the straight, she stuck her neck in front a quarter mile from home and withstood all comers to win comfortably. Cima Star (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) closed to take second, 3/4 of a length in front of Anoush (Ger) (Isfahan {Ger}) with Sopran Basilea (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) a nose back in fourth. It was another 2 ½ lengths to the 6-5 crowd's pick Invite (Ire) (The Gurkha {Ire}), who was held up at a crucial stage, in fifth.

Yet to taste defeat, Eulaila graduated at first asking going 1800 metres in Milan on Oct. 18, and returned at three to take a Rome 2000-metre contest by a half-length on Apr. 5. Her last start prior to the Oaks was a one-length win going that trip in Rome on May 2.

 

Pedigree Notes

Eulaila is the first Classic winner for the 2009 G1 Prix Morny winner Arcano (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who is making the most of his opportunities in Italy, with 17 stakes winners, seven at the group level, to date.

A dual winner and second in the Listed Premio Criterium Femminile, Eubea foaled an Arcano colt in 2017 and Eulaila, her last known produce, is her second. The second dam, Egesia (GB) (Kaldoun {Fr}), a two-time Italian listed winner, also threw the stakes-placed Einstein (Ity) (Lando {Ger}) and the Group 3-placed Everarda (Ger) (Singspiel {Ire}), herself the dam of Italian stakes winner Donna Prassede (Ity) (Manduro {Ger}) and the stakes placed Epsom (Ity) (Gladiatorus).

Eulaila's great granddam is the G2 Premio Principe de Amedeo third Heil (GB) (Star Appeal {Ire}), a half-sister to G2 Prix de l'Opera heroine Hortensia (Fr) (Luthier {Fr}).

 

Sunday, San Siro, Italy
PREMIO OAKS D'ITALIA-G2, €366,300, San Siro, 6-6, f, 3yo, 2200mT, 2:14.10, gd.
1–EULAILA (ITY), 126, 3, f, Arcano (Ire)
                1st Dam: Eubea (Ity), by Pounced
                2nd Dam: Egesia (GB), by Kaldoun (Fr)
                3rd Dam: Heil (GB), by Star Appeal (Ire)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Quafin SPA; B-Al
Dei Lagoni SRL (Ity); T-A. Botti; J-Dario Vargiu. €141,525.
Lifetime Record: 4-4-0-0, €164,025. Werk Nick Rating: D+.
   Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Cima Star (Ire), 126, 3, f, Sea The Stars (Ire)–Snowfield, by
Tale of the Cat. (€90,000 Wlg '18 GOFNOV; €150,000 Ylg '19
SGASEP). O-A. & C. Borsani SNC; B-Allevamento Le. Gi. SRL
Societa' Agricola (Ire); €62,271.
3–Anoush (Ger), 126, 3, f, Isfahan (Ger)–Absolute Gold (Ger), by
Kendargent (Fr). (€20,000 Ylg '19 BBAAUG). O-Darius Racing;
B-Gestut Karlshof (Ger); €33,966.
Margins: 1, 3/4, NO. Odds: 7.00, 7.75, 2.25.
Also Ran: Sopran Basilea (Ire), Invite (Ire), Memo De L'Alguer (Ire), Sopran Kalypso (Ire), Zelandia (Fr), Kharsang (Ger), Nania (Ger). Click for the Racing Post chart or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video.

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