Zozos won his first career graded stakes race when he went wire-to-wire in the Grade 3 $400,000 Ack Ack Stakes at Churchill Downs on Sept. 30.
Month: September 2023
Fall Stars Weekend Jumpstarts Keeneland’s Fall Meet, Fields Shaping Up For 11 Stakes
Keeneland's 17-day Fall Meet opens Friday with the start of Fall Stars Weekend, three days of exceptional Thoroughbred racing that will help determine the fields for the Breeders' Cup World Championships and the contenders for Eclipse Awards as United States champions.
The Fall Meet, which runs through Saturday, Oct. 28, will offer record prize money to North America's leading horses and horsemen along with inviting wagering offerings for horseplayers and exciting special events for fans.
Keeneland will present 22 stakes worth a record $9.05 million, which includes $1.3 million from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF). A total of $5.55 million of that amount will be awarded during 11 stakes on Fall Stars Weekend, eight of which are part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series. Winners of those races will earn an automatic and free entry to the 40th Breeders' Cup Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita.
The Fall Meet continues a noteworthy run at Keeneland, which has established records for all-sources handle for the past five consecutive race meets while raising stakes purses to new heights. All-sources wagering during the 15-day Spring Meet in April was $224 million, a record for the Spring season at the track.
Post time for the first race each day of the Fall Meet is 1 p.m. ET, and all races will be livestreamed on Keeneland.com. Complimentary Equibase past performances will be available to download.
PROSPECTIVE FIELDS FOR FALL STARS WEEKEND STAKES
Fields are taking shape for the Oct. 6-8 Fall Stars Weekend, which includes eight races are Breeders' Cup Challenge tests (*) that award the winners fees-paid berths into corresponding races at the 40th World Championships, which will be held Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita.
According to Keeneland Stakes Coordinator Allison De Luca, the prospective fields for those stakes are as follows:
Friday, Oct. 6. Entries taken Monday, Oct. 2
*$600,000 Darley Alcibiades (G1), 2-year-old fillies, 1 1/16 miles: Alpine Princess (trainer Brad Cox), Brightwork (John Ortiz), Candied (Todd Pletcher), Crazy Cami (Mike Maker), Emery (Cox), Our Keepsake (D. Wayne Lukas), Shimmering Allure (Kenny McPeek), V V's Dream (McPeek), Wine On Tap (Todd Pletcher).
*$350,000 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix (G2), 3-year-olds and up, 6 furlongs: Baytown Bear (Paul McEntee), Doctor Oscar (Tim Padilla), Hoist the Gold (Dallas Stewart), Manny Wah (Wayne Catalano), Nakatomi (Wesley Ward), Sibelius (Jeremiah O'Dwyer). Possible: Bango (Greg Foley).
*$350,000 Jessamine (G2) Presented by Keeneland November, 2-year-old fillies, 1 1/16 miles (turf): Abeyance (Eoin Harty), Bella Haze (Carlos Santamaria), Crown Imperial (Ortiz), Pharoah's Wine (Dale Romans), Smooth Waves (Maker), Time to Dazzle (Mark Casse), Toupie (Graham Motion), Tripolina (Kevin Attard).
Saturday, Oct. 7. Entries taken Monday, Oct. 2
*$1 Million Coolmore Turf Mile (G1), 3-year-olds and up, 1 mile (turf): Annapolis (Pletcher), Atone (Maker), English Bee (Motion), Master of The Seas (IRE) (Charlie Appleby), Stitched (Foley), Up to the Mark (Pletcher). Possible: Carl Spackler (IRE) (Chad Brown).
*$600,000 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1), 2-year-olds, 1 1/16 miles: Awesome Road (Cox), Baytown Chatterbox (McEntee), Django (McPeek), Generous Tipper (McPeek), Just Steel (Lukas), Locked (Pletcher), Northern Flame (McPeek), The Wine Steward (Maker), West Saratoga (Larry Demeritte).
$750,000 First Lady (G1) Presented by UK HealthCare, 3-year-olds and up, fillies and mares, 1 mile (turf): Evvie Jets (Mertkan Kantarmaci), Gam's Mission (Cherie DeVaux), In Italian (GB) (Brown), Jumbly (GB) (Joseph O'Brien), New Year's Eve (Brendan Walsh), Whitebeam (GB) (Brown).
*$350,000 Thoroughbred Club of America (G2), 3-year-olds and up, fillies and mares, 6 furlongs: Last Leaf (Eddie Kenneally), Sharp Hero (Bradley Ross), Static Fire (Brian Lynch), Wicked Halo (Steve Asmussen), Yuugiri (Rodolphe Brisset). Possible: Fire On Time (Romans).
$350,000 Woodford (G2) Presented by FanDuel, 3-year-olds and up, 5½ furlongs (turf): Arzak (Mike Trombetta), Eye Witness (Ward), Kaufymaker (Ward), Live In The Dream (IRE) (Adam West), Olympic Runner (Mark Casse), Our Shot (John Terranova II).
Sunday, Oct. 8. Entries taken Tuesday, Oct. 3
*$600,000 Juddmonte Spinster (G1), 3-year-olds and up, fillies and mares, 1 1/8 miles: Bellamore (Santamaria), Idiomatic (Cox), Malloy (Catalano), Misty Veil (Maker), Nest (Pletcher), Secret Oath (Lukas). Possibles: Hidden Connection (Bret Calhoun), Le Da Vida (CHI) (Ignacio Correas IV).
*$350,000 Castle & Key Bourbon (G2), 2-year-olds, 1 1/16 miles (turf): Coin Miner (Keith Desormeaux), Depiction (DeVaux), Double Your Money (Lynch), First World War (Walsh), Nomos (Pletcher), Palm Tree (Walsh).
$250,000 Indian Summer (L) Presented by Keeneland Select, 2-year-olds, 5½ furlongs (turf): Bledsoe (Ward).
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Breeders’ Cup: Hopefuls Arcangelo, Asmussen Quartet Gallop Saturday At Santa Anita
Top-rated Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) hopeful Arcangelo, winner of the Belmont (G1) and Travers (G1) in his two most recent starts, galloped for the second straight day Saturday at Santa Anita under exercise rider Robert Mallari.
Mallari said Jena Antonucci, Arcangelo's trainer, was expected to visit Santa Anita from New York early next week.
Also galloping Saturday were four Breeders' Cup-bound horses trained by Steve Asmussen: former champion Echo Zulu and Grade 1 winners Clairiere, Gunite, and Society.
Scott Blasi, Asmussen's assistant, reported all four horses under his care have continued to do well in their first week at Santa Anita. He added that none of the foursome was likely to have a work until sometime next week.
The other Classic contender on the grounds is Grade 1 winner White Abarrio, who has been only jogging. Trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. was expected visit Santa Anita this weekend, his assistant and brother Chip Dutrow said on Friday.
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Jockey Pyfer Announces Retirement To Become Racing Analyst
Jessica Pyfer, the 2021 Eclipse Award winner as outstanding apprentice jockey, has announced her retirement from race riding to work full time as a racing analyst with Santa Anita/XBTV.
Pyfer, 24, announced her career change Friday via X: “After an amazing three years as a jockey, I am officially transitioning my career and have accepted a full time position with XBTV/Santa Anita Park as a Racing Analyst and couldn't be more excited to continue working in this role. I am so thankful for the times I have had in the winner circle and the lessons that I have learned while riding for the best.
“Thank you to the trainers, owners, my fellow riders, agents, and most importantly the horses who have carried me through the successes in my career–including winning the 2021 Eclipse Award for leading apprentice jockey. I will still be riding in the mornings because if you know me, I could never spend more than a day off the back of a horse.”
Pyfer, a stepdaughter of leading Southern California trainer Phil D'Amato, started her professional career in fall of 2020 and rode as an apprentice until November 2022.
During her Eclipse Award-winning season, Pyfer won 59 races and $2,856,833 in purses en route to becoming one of three women to garner the honor, joining Rosemary Homeister Jr. (1992) and Emma-Jayne Wilson (2005).
This year, Pyfer has gone winless on 10 mounts. Overall, her career line stands at 88-89-106 from 819 mounts and $4,210,897 in purse earnings.
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