Month: September 2022

‘What About Flightline?’ Breeders’ Cup Classic Still Target For Jockey Club Gold Cup Victor Olympiad

Grandview Equine, Cheyenne Stable and LNJ Foxwoods' Olympiad surpassed the $2 million mark in purse earnings with a prominent two-length score in Saturday's Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott and piloted by regular rider Junior Alvarado, the 4-year-old Speightstown colt subsequently garnered a 105 Beyer Speed Figure and picked up a second Breeders' Cup Challenge “Win and You're In” berth to the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic(G1) = November 5 at Keeneland with his decisive victory over Grade 1 winner Americanrevolution in the 1 ¼-mile Gold Cup.

Olympiad improved his record to 6-for-7 on the year, adding to victories in the Grade 3 Mineshaft on February 19 and Grade 2 New Orleans Classic on March 26 at Fair Grounds before securing triumphs in Churchill Downs' Grade 2 Alysheba on May 6 and Grade 2 Stephen Foster on July 2, which also offered “Win and You're In” status.

He entered the Jockey Club Gold Cup, his first attempt at 10 furlongs, off his lone defeat this year when a distant fourth behind Life Is Good in the nine-furlong Grade 1 Whitney on August 6 at the Spa.

“He had a poor race in the Whitney. The excuse that we gave him was the high heat and the high humidity,” Mott said. “He bounced back with the better weather yesterday. It seemed like he had good energy leaving the paddock and he ran that way.

“Olympiad looks like he exited the race in good order,” Mott added. “He ate up last night and he looked good on the shank this morning. It seemed like he had good energy and a good appetite.”

Mott said Olympiad will now target the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic where he could face the undefeated Flightline, who earned a 126 Beyer for his 19 1/4-length score in Saturday's Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar while trying the Classic distance for the first time.

“We are leaning toward the Breeders' Cup Classic. Of course, the next question is going to be, 'What about Flightline, who ran in California,'” Mott said. “They usually run more than one horse in the race, and we'll probably be a participant. We won two Win and You're In races and we won at a mile and a quarter. It's the end of the year with a big purse. We'll probably have a lot of interest in going to the Breeders' Cup Classic.”

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Godolphin’s English Classic Winner Corobeus Suffers Fatal Injury At Longchamp

Godolphin's homebred 2000 Guineas (G1) victor Corobeus sustained a fatal breakdown Sunday during the stretch run of the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (G1).

“The whole team at Moulton Paddocks is deeply saddened by the passing of Coroebus and our deepest sympathies go to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed and everyone at Godolphin,” trainer Charlie Appleby said.

The 3-year-old by Dubawi out of First Victory, by Teofilo, followed his Guineas triumph at Newmarket with a victory at Royal Ascot in the St. James's Palace (G1).  He subsequently was defeated in Deauville's Jacques Le Marois (G1) in his start prior to Sunday's race in which he sent off the favorite as he bid to get back to his winning ways.

Rated in midfield by William Buick, who angled out his mount to rally, the colt stumbled and fell inside the final quarter mile. Buick was reportedly unhurt but took off a later mount at the French racecourse.

“It is very sad to see a great horse, who gave so much to racing, lose his life in this way. Everyone took a lot of joy from his victories in the 2000 Guineas and at Royal Ascot,” Appleby said. “Most importantly, William Buick walked away and was fine afterwards.”

Godolphin's Hugh Anderson, managing director, UK and Dubai, said that even though Sunday was a difficult day for Godolphin, the stable focused their sympathies on the family of trainer Henry de Bromhead, whose 13-year-old son, Jack, died following a pony race accident Saturday in Ireland.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the de Bromhead family at this incredibly sad time,” Anderson said.

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The Lieutenant, Justify’s Ill-Fated Half-Brother, Represented By First Winner At Saratoga

Nearly three years following the tragic slaughter of The Lieutenant, as well as three other stallions located at Haras Barlovento in Peru, where he was standing for the 2019 southern hemisphere season, the New York-based half-brother to Triple Crown champion Justify (Scat Daddy) was represented by his first winner at Saratoga.

A graded stakes winner who retired with a 4-2-1 record from 15 starts and $345,882 in earnings, The Lieutenant stood just a single season at Sequel Stallions New York where he bred a reported 46 mares before shipping south to Peru where, just four months later, he would be killed in a break in along with three other stallions at Haras Barlovento, which has since closed its operation.  His only crop of foals, numbered just 32, included Sunday's winner Vacation Dance.

After failing to meet his reserve at OBS March (:10), Vacation Dance brought $90,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale (:10.1) earlier this year. Making his career debut Sunday at 8-1, he was slow into stride and settled mid-pack in fifth while racing in the clear to the outside. Under a ride midway around the turn, Vacation Dance bid three wide past the quarter pole to take command at the top of the lane and, despite drifting out in the final furlong, he held steady to the line to just hold off Disarmed (Maclean's Music) by a head.

From the extended family of GI Woodward S. winner Art Collector (Bernardini), Vacation Dance has a yearling half-sister by Mucho Macho Man and a weanling half-sister by Heart to Heart. His dam was sent to Combatant for the 2023 season.

1st-Saratoga, $88,000, (S), Msw, 9-4, 2yo, 5 1/2fT, 1:03.52, fm, head.
VACATION DANCE (c, 2, The Lieutenant–Matinee Express, by Zensational) Sales History: $45,000 Ylg '21 EASOCT; $140,000 RNA 2yo '22 OBSMAR; $90,000 2yo '22 EASMAY. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $48,400. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O-Sleeping Giant Stables, LLC, America's Pastime Stables & KimDon Racing, LLC; B-Harry Landry & James Hogan (NY); T-John C. Kimmel.

 

 

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