Month: February 2023

‘I’m Pleased We Got One’: Kingscote Rides First U.S. Winner At Gulfstream Park

British jockey Richard Kingscote broke through with his first victory in the United States on his last day of his winter sojourn at Gulfstream Park.

The 36-year-old jockey, who rode Desert Crown to victory in last season's Epsom Derby (G1), guided Bill Mott-trained Arthur's Ride ($6.40) to an impressive and hard-fought triumph in the Race 10, an $84,000 maiden special weight race for 3-year-olds.

“I'm really pleased. It's my last day riding, so I'm grateful to the folks for putting me up and it's nice to get a winner before heading home,” Kingscote said. “Mr. Mott is a great trainer, knows what he's doing and fair play to him for putting me on a live chance.”

Kingscote and Arthur's Pride set the pace while under heavy pressure from favored Case and Dreamlike along the backstretch to the top of the stretch. Arthur's Tale held a clear lead in mid-stretch and held gamely to hold off a resurgent Dreamlike to win by 1 ½ lengths.

Kingscote, who picked up the mount aboard Arthur's Ride Saturday morning, had 16 previous mounts since arriving in mid-January.

“I've really enjoyed it. It's been good. Things are very different out here, but I've enjoyed it. The lifestyle is great, Kingscote said. “I didn't expect to be getting a winner, so I'm pleased we got one.”

Kingscote will linger in South Florida for a few more days before taking the long way back to England.

“The kids are coming up next week, we've got a few days, and then I'm home Thursday,” Kingscote said. “Saudi next week and back to work at home.”

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Bourbon Bash, Verifying, Giant Mischief Among Early Probables For Rebel

Bourbon Bash will be pointed to the $1-million Rebel Stakes (G2) for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 25 at Oaklawn Park, Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said. The Rebel is Oaklawn's third Kentucky Derby points race.

Bourbon Bash, in his 3-year-old debut, finished second, beaten two lengths by the promising Gun Pilot, in a one-mile, entry-level allowance race Feb. 4 at Oaklawn. Bourbon Bash, who led in the stretch, was making his first start around two turns since finishing 12th behind eventual Eclipse Award winner Forte in the $600,000 Breeders' Futurity Stakes (G1) at 1 1/16 miles Oct. 8 at Keeneland. Gun Pilot has won 2 of 3 career starts for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

“That's a very, very good horse that won the race, of Steve's, so we were not that disappointed hooking into him,” Lukas said. “We tried him at the eighth pole. The thing with Bourbon Bash is he's real feminine and he hasn't matured yet. If the next two months to three months, he'll get a little stronger – just physically, he's OK mentally – he's got enough tactical speed that we can put him in a race where he belongs. He doesn't need the seasoning. He needs the strength.”

Other early Rebel probables include Verifying and Giant Mischief for trainer Brad Cox and Red Route One for Asmussen. Cox said he could have additional Rebel starters.

Verifying concluded his 2-year-old campaign with a sixth-place finish behind Forte in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at 1 1/16 miles Nov. 4 at Keeneland. Verifying resurfaced in a one-mile entry-level allowance race Jan. 14 at Oaklawn and rolled to a 5 ¼-length victory over Gun Pilot. Verifying ran the distance over a fast track in a meet-best 1:37.23.

Giant Mischief, who will be making his 3-year-old debut in the Rebel, is 2 for 3 overall. The son of Into Mischief ran second in his stakes debut, the =Remington Park Springboard Mile Dec. 17 at Remington Park, after a poor start.

Red Route One closed from far back to finish second behind unbeaten Arabian Knight in the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Jan. 28. The Southwest was Oaklawn's second Kentucky Derby points race.

Nominations to the Rebel closed Friday. The Rebel will offer 100 points (50-20-15-10-5, respectively) to the top five eligible finishers toward the Kentucky Derby.

Following Arabian Knight's Southwest victory, his Hall of Fame trainer, Bob Baffert, said: “We'll definitely have something here for the Rebel.”

The Southern California-based Baffert has won the Rebel a record eight times. Cox (four) and Baffert (three) have combined to win seven of Oaklawn's last 10 Kentucky Derby points races. Oaklawn's fourth and final Kentucky Derby points race is the $1.25 million Arkansas Derby (G1) at 1 1/8 miles April 1.

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‘One Dream At A Time’: Former Claim One Identity Earns First Stakes Win In Ladies’ Turf Sprint At Gulfstream

Lawson Racing Stables' One Identity, in her fourth race off the claim and second straight on the grass, got a well-timed ride from jockey Paco Lopez to become a stakes winner for the first time with a half-length triumph over Charlie T in the $100,000 Ladies Turf Sprint on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Trained by Rohan Crichton, 4-year-old One Identity ($8.20) covered five furlongs in :55.92  over a firm turf course in the Ladies Turf Sprint for older fillies and mares.

Claimed for $35,000 last summer at Gulfstream, One Identity was exiting a third-place effort in an optional claiming allowance sprinting five furlongs Jan. 18, her turf debut, beaten less than two lengths. That race snapped a two-race win streak for the daughter of Uncaptured, both victories having come over Gulfstream's all-weather Tapeta surface.

“When she ran the last time, Paco admitted they went too fast and he wanted to relax her a little bit more so that's what he did,” Crichton said. “It played out well for us.”

Lopez settled One Identity in fourth saving ground as 35-1 long shot War of Ages blazed through an opening quarter of a mile in :21.42 pressed to her outside by Charlie T. Lopez waited patiently for room that came when the field straightened for home, splitting War of Ages and Charlie T at the top of the stretch and outrunning a determined Charlie T to the wire.

Mamba Wamba, sent off as the 2-1 betting favorite, finished third followed by Imagery, Stony Point, Moor Strength and War of Ages. Miss J McKay and Spun Glass were scratched.

“Paco sat and got a good trip. He decided to go inside,” Crichton said. “He gave up the garden spot outside, but the rail opened up and she got through.”

Bred in Florida by Laurie Plesa, David Melin, and Leon Ellman, One Identity won three of seven starts before being claimed and was second in the Any Limit sprinting six furlongs on the dirt last winter at Gulfstream. She has now won three of four starts for Crichton, who said he had not looked beyond the Ladies Turf Sprint for One Identity.

“One dream at a time,” Crichton said. “She's gotten better and better, for sure.”

Uncaptured, a former Ocala Stud stallion before being sold to stand in South Korea, was also represented on Gulfstream's Saturday card by Yes I Am Free, winner of the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint (G3).

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