Month: August 2022

After matching strides throughout the stretch, 6-5 favorite Twilight Blue emerged as a narrow head winner over tracking stablemate Intrepid Heart in Saturday's inaugural running of the $200,000 Fort Larned for 3-year-olds and up at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Joe Sharp and ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., Twilight Blue covered the 1 3/16 miles on a fast main track in 1:57.09.

After longshot Artemus Eagle led the field of five older horses through a first quarter mile in :24.11, Twilight Blue asserted himself to the front down the backstretch and a half-mile in :49.33 with Intrepid Heart in close pursuit. Passing the six-furlong marker in 1:13.77, Twilight Blue and Intrepid Heart engraved their prolonged drive midway around the far turn. The two battled shoulder to shoulder to the finish with a head bob deciding the victor.

“He was really gutsy today,” Hernandez said of Twilight Blue. “He took me to the front up the backside and really battled late. It was really cool to win a race named after Fort Larned (who Hernanadez rode to victory in the 2012 Breeders' Cup Classic [G1]) in the first edition.

The win was worth $122,760 and increased Twilight Blue's earnings to $444,594 with a record of 5-3-1 in 12 starts. Three of his wins have come at Churchill Downs.

“Both of these horses try so hard all the time and give it their all,” said Sharp, who trains the winner and the hard-luck runner-up. “It's great to win it with one of them but you're gutted at the same time for the other to run so well and lose. Both of these horses have been on the right and wrong sides of tight photos in the past. It's nice to run on this day at Churchill Downs. This is our home track and I'm glad we're able to be here to support it.”

Twilight Blue is a Kentucky-bred son of Air Force Blue out of the Rahy mare Lily the Pink and was bred by Knowles Bloodstock Inc. He is campaigned by Carl R. Moore Management LLC, which bought him from Lane's End for $45,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Twilight Blue returned $4.76. Intrepid Heart, with Tyler Gaffalione up  outfinished King Fury, who was 1 ¼ lengths back in third under Julien Leparoux.

The post Sharp-Trained Twilight Blue, Intrepid Heart Finish 1-2 In Inaugural Fort Larned appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Lothenbach Stables Inc.'s Bell's the One returned to the Churchill Downs winner's circle for the first time in nine months after she rallied from last in the stretch and surged past pacesetters Joyful Cadence and Lovemesomeme inside the final sixteenth of a mile to win Saturday's inaugural running of the $200,000 Lady Tak by 1 ½ lengths.

Ridden by Corey Lanerie for trainer Neil Pessin, Bell's the One ran six furlongs over a fast track in 1:09.22.

It was Bell's the One's 10th career stakes win and first in four tries this year. Her 2021 campaign includes wins in the Roxelana Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs; Honorable Miss (G2) at Saratoga; Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) at Keeneland; and Dream Supreme last November at Churchill Downs.

Joyful Cadence was the expected early leader in the compact field of five fillies and mares and rattled off the first quarter mile in :22.42 and the half in :45.42 with Lovemesomeme in close pursuit, who was followed by Music City Star, 4-5 favorite Sconsin and the trailing Bell's the One. Leaving the turn, Bell's the One commenced her wide rally and loomed boldly from the outside as she got up for the victory inside the final sixteenth of a mile.

“No matter what she always comes with a late kick and she did that today,” Lanerie said. “We sat a perfect trip behind the pacesetters and she really responded well when I asked her to go. She's a really special mare and I'm very thankful to be able to ride her.”

Joyful Cadence, the 5-1 third choice under Rey Gutierrez, paid $4.34 and $5.58. Lovemesomeme, with Brian Hernandez Jr. up, was another half-length back in third. Favorite Sconsin was fourth.

The win was worth $124,000 and improved Bell's the One's career earnings to $1,795,675 with a record of 12-5-3 in 26 starts. She's earned $952,325 from five wins and three seconds and one third in 11 career starts at Churchill Downs.

“She's taken us on a lot of journeys and I'm so thankful most of them have been successful here at Churchill,” Pessin said. “She's a special mare and backs that up every time on the track. They didn't go too fast on the lead but it was a contentious pace. She was able to rally past them and show the strong kick in the stretch.”

Bell's the One, who returned $4.82, is a 6-year-old daughter of Majesticperfection out of the Street Cry mare Street Mate and was bred in Kentucky by Bret Jones.

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