Month: October 2023

‘He Just Dug In’: Runaway Storm Narrowly Prevails In Bryan Station Thriller

Robert J. Hunt's homebred Runaway Storm, at odds of 20-1, outbattled 1-2 favorite Talk of the Nation on his outside and 37-1 longshot Santorini on his inside and posted a head victory in the 19th running of the $297,307 Bryan Station (G3) for 3-year-olds on Saturday's closing day of the Keeneland Fall Meet.

Ridden by Colby Hernandez and trained by Ethan West, Runaway Storm took the one-mile race on a turf course labeled good in 1:35.93. The victory marked West's first stakes win at Keeneland.

Runaway Storm is a Kentucky-bred gelding by Midnight Storm out of Runaway Betty, by Run Away and Hide. Saturday's victory was worth $179,025, which boosted his career earnings to $288,525 with three wins in five starts. Runaway Storm was third in the New Kent County Virginia Derby (G3) at Colonial Downs on Sept. 9 in his start prior to the Bryan Station.

Talk of the Nation outfinished Santorini by a nose for second.

The winner paid $42.50.

“(The finish was) very nerve-wracking,” West said. “It was exciting. I wasn't sure if we had it or not. Everybody kept telling us that we had it, but until they posted No. 6, I wasn't going to believe it. I was very confident in the horse, actually, even though he was longer odds. He's been training down here for a few weeks now and had three very solid works going into it. After his turf work last week I called the owner, Dr. (Robert) Hunt and said, 'He's ready. He's ready to run.' ”

Hernandez said Runaway Storm showed tenacity to get the win.

“He dug in,” he said. “When the horse on the outside (odds-on favorite Talk of the Nation) ran up to me, he wasn't going to let the horse pass. He just dug in. He was jumping away down the lane. Yes, (I knew I had it) in the last three yards. He wasn't going to let that horse pass. Just kept digging in and found more. I want to thank (trainer) Ethan (West) and his team for giving me the opportunity.”

Smokey Mandate finished fourth and was followed by Dude N Colorado (GB), Gigante, Worthington, and Appraise (IRE).

The Bryan Station was one of three stakes on the final day of the Keeneland season. O'Connor (CHI) took the $310,538 Hagyard Fayette (G2), and Glengarry won the $169,775 Bowman Mill.

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Notes On BC Classic Contenders; Closer Look At Senor Buscador

Following is a look at the morning activity and planned activity for the horses set to compete in the $6-million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) Nov. 4 at Santa Anita, plus comments from their trainers.

Horse: Arabian Knight
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Set: 7:15 a.m.
Morning Activity: Galloped on main track.
Planned Activity: Gallop Sunday and work Monday.
The Quote: “He's slowly turning into a man right now; he's still learning. He's ready to run.” – Bob Baffert

Horse: Arcangelo
Trainer: Jena Antonucci
Set: 7 a.m.
Morning Activity: Galloped a mile under regular exercise rider Robert Mallari.
Planned Activity: Similar to Saturday, will gallop a mile at approximately 7 a.m. Sunday
The Quote: “The most beautiful thing about this sport is if you have the right horse and you have the right rider and you have the right trainer, you can make it happen with any price on any horse. The horse is the equalizer on the price.” – Owner John Ebbert

Horse: Bright Future
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Set: N/A
Morning Activity: In transit from Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky, to Santa Anita Park.

Bright Future worked 4f in 48 2/5 Friday morning at Keeneland in company with Classic candidate Dreamlike. The two galloped out 5f in 1:00 4/5 before shipping to California on Saturday.
Planned Activity: Will be hand-walked Sunday morning at Santa Anita.
The Quote: “Very pleased. Traveling well in hand throughout.” – Todd Pletcher on 10/29 work

Horse: Charge It
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Set: N/A
Morning Activity: Charge It worked 4f in 48 3/5 Friday morning at Keeneland before shipping to California on Saturday. He also was pre-entered in the Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1).
Planned Activity: Will be hand-walked Sunday at Santa Anita.
The Quote: Pletcher on the work to Daily Racing Form: ” Super impressive like he always is. Finished up really strongly. Great gallop-out, moving super. I'll get with the connections later and we'll make a decision between the two races, but I thought his breeze was good enough to consider everything.”

Horse: Clapton

Trainer: Chad Summers

Set: 7 a.m.

Morning Activity: Worked 4f in 48 3/5 under Antonio Fresu. First work at Santa Anita since arriving from Belmont Park on Oct. 21.

Planned Activity: Will walk the shedrow on Sunday morning.

The Quote: “It's kind of what we wanted. We worked him three-quarters at Belmont last week before we came here. We just wanted him to get used to the track, get a feel for things, look around. With everyone coming on the track, we actually caught some company, but it was fine.” – Chad Summers

Horse: Derma Sotogake (JPN)
Trainer: Otonoashi Hidetaka

Set: 7:30 a.m.

Morning Activity: The UAE Derby (G2) winner did some figure-eight footwork to loosen up while in the chute and then had cantered a mile and a half before returning home with morning trackwork-mate and fellow Japanese invader Meikei Yell. Masa Segawa was aboard Derma Sotogake.

Planned Activity: Another routine day planned for Sunday with a possible walk through the paddock/parade ring.

Horse: Mage

Trainer: Gustavo Delgado

Set: 7:30-8 a.m. (ET) at Thoroughbred Training Center, Lexington, Kentucky

Morning Activity: Had scheduled workout postponed because of early morning rain.

Planned Activity: Final work Sunday before shipping to Santa Anita on Monday. Work distance TBD.

The Quote: “We want the track to be perfect when he works. We are just going to put the finishing touches on, just another day at the gym for him on Sunday. The 'Rocky' montage is over. The Training Center is his home, his place, his fortress. He loves it there.” – Co-owner Ramiro Restrepo

Horse: Proxy
Trainer: Mike Stidham
Set: Keeneland
Morning Activity: Breezed 4f in 48 2/5 at Keeneland, 29th-fastest of 106 works at the distance.
Planned Activity: The Clark Stakes (G1) and Oaklawn Handicap (G2) winner will walk the shedrow on Sunday before shipping from Kentucky to California on Monday.
The Quote: “Basically today's work was just a half-mile with a decent gallop-out by himself with (Joel) Rosario. We went early in the dark because there was a forecast for possible rain sometime in the morning, so we didn't want to take any chances and went early.

“The work went really well. He was in the bridle going to the pole and Joel said he was very willing and had good energy throughout the work and he had a good gallop-out. We had him in :48 2/5 and out in 1:01 1/5, I think, and he cooled out well. I could not have asked, as they say, for it to have gone any better.” – Mike Stidham

Horse: Saudi Crown
Trainer: Brad Cox
Set: 5:30
Morning Activity: Worked 6f in 1:12 1/5 at Churchill with jockey Florent Geroux up.
Planned Activity: Will walk Sunday and ship to California Monday.
The Quote: “We put him on the inside last week with A Mo Reay and we put him on the outside this week,” Cox said. “I've loved what we've seen from him since the Pennsylvania Derby (G1). A Mo Reay is a good work horse and he's gotten a lot out of his works. By the way he's doing now here in Kentucky, I'm confident he'll run a big race in the Classic.” – Brad Cox

Horse: Senor Buscador

Trainer: Todd Fincher

Set: 7:45

Morning Activity: Galloped 1 ½ m with Dennis Means up

Planned Activity: Similar routine as Saturday

The Quote: “Senor Buscador has been our horse that has had the most bad luck in his racing career, but we have been confident in his ability since he was a 2-year-old.” — Joey Peacock, owner and co-breeder

Closer Look: From the disappointment of an eighth-place finish in last year's Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Keeneland, Joey Peacock's Senor Buscador is primed to set his hooves on center stage in Saturday's $6-million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1).

“It was very disappointing last year in the Dirt Mile,” trainer Todd Fincher said. “But he washed out, which he had never done before and also bled for the first time. It was a legitimate excuse. I was expecting a big race from him last year. He's definitely a Classic horse and I envisioned him getting here one day.”

Senor Buscador is the third foal to race for Peacock's mare Rose's Desert.

“When my father was alive, he planned all the matings for Rose's Desert,” Peacock said. “Senor Buscador is the last horse we bred together. I have been planning all the matings since Senor Buscador.”

Rose's Desert raced from 2010 to 2013 and compiled a 15-10-5-0 record, winning seven stakes and earning $626,035.

“Her pedigree is sneaky good for a New Mexico bred,” Peacock said. “All of her foals that have made it to the track are stakes winners and we own every one of her offspring.”

Fincher trained Rose's Desert, who has produced six-time stakes winner and $783,509 earner Runaway Ghost by Ghostzapper and three-time stakes winner and $603,681 earner Sheriff Brown by Curlin.

“She was one of the best fillies I've ever had to train and to race,” Fincher said. “She has had unbelievable success as a broodmare. To get one as good as her is unbelievable. Hard to find one that produces as well.”

Senor Buscador has spent the summer in Southern California, starting at Del Mar with a victory in the San Diego Handicap (G2) at a mile and sixteenth and a fourth in the Pacific Classic (G1) at a mile and a quarter. In his most recent start, he was third in the Awesome Again (G1) at Santa Anita going a mile and an eighth.

Aboard for all three rides was 32-year-old Giovanni Franco, who will be seeking his first Breeders' Cup victory this weekend.

“I worked him last year at Churchill Downs before he won the Ack Ack (G3),” said Franco, who was aboard Thursday morning when Senor Buscador worked a bullet 5 furlongs in :59 2/5.

“I filled in one morning for Francisco Arrieta and Senor Buscador worked in :58 (and 1) with Todd's good filly Slammed. I came to California and one morning at Del Mar, I introduced myself to Todd and told him I had filled in that one morning at Churchill.

“He said, 'I owe you one.' A minute later, my agent called and said, 'you got the mount.'”

Their first pairing was a success with the victory in the San Diego Handicap.

“He had an incredible run the last three-eighths,” said Franco, who has 994 career victories. “In the Pacific Classic, things didn't work out the way I wanted it to and would have liked a better trip. In the Awesome Again, he was the only horse that closed ground that day … all day. He is going to have to bring his 'A' game, but I feel he is ready to run big.”

Franco's most recent Breeders' Cup ride came in 2021 at Del Mar when he finished second on Lieutenant Dan in the Turf Sprint (G1) behind Golden Pal.

“If I could have one race back …” Franco said, replaying the race in his head. “I broke like a bullet and I should have gone after Golden Pal. Then we see who gets tired first.”

This story is not close to ending.

“I have a Candy Ride 2-year-old filly and a yearling Hard Spun filly coming,” Fincher said.

And for Franco, whose 1,000-win milestone looms close. Just what if that 1,000th win came in the Classic?

“Hmmmmm,” Franco said, pondering the thought. “That would be like a movie story. It would be sweet.”

Horse: Ushba Tesoro (JPN)
Trainer: Takagi Noboru
Set: 6 a.m.
Morning Activity: The Dubai World Cup (G1) winner cantered two miles on the Santa Anita main track. Masa Fukami was aboard the dual Group 1 winner.
Planned Activity: After a trot-up to clear (veterinary protocol) on Friday, a breeze is possible for Ushba Tesoro on Sunday.

Horse: White Abarrio
Trainer: Richard Dutrow Jr.
Set: NA
Morning Activity: Scheduled walk day following Friday's breeze
Planned Activity: Will Go to the track Sunday between 6:30 a.m. and 6:45 a.m. to jog under exercise rider Emily Ellingwood.
The Quote: As planned, Richard Dutrow returned to New York after the 4yo colt worked 5f in :59.80 Friday under Emily Ellingwood at Santa Anita.

Chip Dutrow, Richard's brother and assistant, on the breeze and how the colt looked Saturday: “Very happy with his workout. The rider, Emily, was very pleased. All the connections were very happy with him yesterday. Today, he looks great. After the breeze, everything checks out good today. We're very happy with that. He came out of the work sharp.”

Horse: Zandon
Trainer: Chad Brown
Set: Belmont Park
Morning Activity: Breezed 5f at Belmont Park in 1:00.23, second-fastest of three at the distance.

Planned Activity: Expected to ship from New York to California for the Classic on Sunday. “It looked like (jockey Luis Saez) was in with plenty of horse (coming around the turn), and I think he made the right decision: Let the other horse (Cowes) set the fractions. We learned something today, that he'll rate. And hopefully we're on to better things. (Iowa) is a little bit smaller state in the horse business, and (winning at Keeneland) just helps everything. We're just tickled to be here.”

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‘It Could Open the Doors for More Asian Owners in Ireland and Britain’

Hong Kong-based owner Sean Wee Gan, who recorded a Group race breakthrough with Inquisitively (GB) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) at Newmarket this month, has revealed that the classy 2-year-old will not race again in Europe and will continue his career in Hong Kong.

Wee Gan purchased Rascal Recknell (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) for 215,000gns through Inquisitively's trainer Kevin Philippart de Foy and bloodstock agent Sam Wright at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses-In-Training Sale off the back of that success.

Wright, who bought the G3 Cornwallis S. winner Inquisitively on behalf of the owner after the colt finished third for trainer Ollie Sangster in the Windsor Castle S. at Royal Ascot, says there is an opening for more Asian owners to buy and race younger horses in Europe before shipping them to Hong Kong.

Wright said, “This experience could open the doors for more Asian-based owners to run horses in Ireland and the UK, particularly as two-year-olds, before bringing them over to Hong Kong. “We could see more people doing that in the future. I do think that there's good value, particularly in Ireland and the UK.”

Reflecting on the Cornwallis win, he continued, “This is the first horse I have bought Sean. I was introduced to Sean when I visited Hong Kong and it was decided after I found this horse at Royal Ascot that, once he was purchased, he would be transferred to Kevin Philippart De Foy.

“I worked with Kevin at Christophe Clement's in 2015 and 2016. Once that decision was made, we basically left it up to Kevin to decide if we'd race him or just keep him ticking over. Kevin put some good works into Inquisitively and said that he could go on to be quite competitive in black-type races.

“As we saw, he went straight for a listed when the horse was still a maiden but he delivered. After York, the weather took a change and it was hard to find nice ground but we took a chance and ran him at Newmarket and I'm glad it all paid off.”

Inquisitively is not the first horse that Wee Gan has sourced from Europe. One of his first horses, Carbon Fibre (Ire) (Helmet {Aus}), whose name was changed to First Responder when he arrived in Hong Kong, was bought out of Michael O'Callaghan's yard after he finished second to Ten Sovereigns in a Curragh maiden.

That was a contributing factor in Wee Gan's interests being piqued with Inquisitively as he had been following the progress of Ten Sovereigns ever since the multiple Group 1 winner made that scintillating debut.

Wee Gan said, “We were very lucky that Sam found us a good horse. After I saw Inquisitively finish third at Ascot, I became very interested because, at the same time, I had been tracking the progeny of Ten Sovereigns.

“My first horse in Hong Kong raced under the name First Responder. Before that, when he was trained in Ireland, he was named Carbon Fibre and finished second to Ten Sovereigns at the Curragh. Not to mention that the sire of Ten Sovereigns is by No Nay Never, who is very popular in Hong Kong.”

On future plans for Inquisitively, he added, “This horse is destined for Hong Kong. I kept him in Britain because he is such a young horse, he's only a two-year-old and, in Hong Kong, we don't have two-year-old races.

“I have learned from my experience. I had a horse last year from Ireland and he came here as a two-year-old. The trainer was keeping him on ice as he couldn't race against older horses. That's why I kept Inquisitively in the UK, because he can have a few races before he comes to Hong Kong. We were lucky that he won the listed at York and then the Group 3 at Newmarket.”

In many ways, Rascal Recknell boasts a similar profile to Inquisitively being an unexposed two-year-old. He will eventually be shipped to Hong Kong with Wee Gan explaining how he is on the search for more equine talent.

He said, “I told Sam to try and get me another one like Inquisitively. This horse is owned by a syndication but the next ones I might own myself.

“I have two horses of my own in Hong Kong. They are all called Coulourful something. We had a runner last week called Colourful Prince (NZ) and we also have Colourful Emperor (Ire).

“Then I have horses with a syndicate. We are all St John Ambulance members. The first horse, who we have now retired, was called First Responder. When Inquisitively comes to Hong Kong, he will be called Fast Responder.”

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Everso Mischievous Strikes Gold In Forty Niner

Formerly known as the Kelso, Saturday's GII Forty Niner S. at Aqueduct may not have Breeders' Cup implications, but as the first graded win in New York for Cristian Torres, who piloted Everso Mischievous (c, 3, Into Mischief–Ever So Clever, by Medaglia d'Oro), it may have felt like the Breeders' Cup. Torres picked up the sixth graded win of his career after earning his first one earlier this year in the GIII Razorback S. at Oaklawn on Last Samurai (Malibu Moon).

“It's unbelievable,” said Torres. “I can't express how I feel. To win a stakes race in any part of the country is awesome, but NYRA? It's great.”

Tracking from second behind 14-1 leader Swiftsure (Uncle Mo) through a first quarter in :23.29 and a half in :45.89, Everso Mischievous collared the frontrunner going into the turn as GII Woodward runner-up Film Star (Flatter) joined the fray to his outside. The three raced across the track, emerging with Everso Mischievous holding a slight advantage as the Chad Brown duo of Dr Ardito (Liam's Map)–who was five for six over this track–and last-out GII Vosburgh runner-up Accretive (Practical Joke) made their own runs. The blinkered Brad Cox winner fought to the wire in determined fashion and dug in to hold a closing Dr Ardito at bay by a half-length, while favorite Accretive just missed second by a nose.

“He was perfect,” said Torres of the winner, who was the lone 3-year-old in the field. “The trip worked out perfect. When we were turning for home, I asked my horse and he took off again. He's a nice horse, so he finished up. They always thought this was a nice horse. In the beginning of his career, he was a little green, but it was just a matter of time that he'd mature. They put blinkers on him at Saratoga and he improved a lot. They're very happy, I'm very happy, and I'm very grateful to ride this kind of horse.”

Everso Mischievous was a $600,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase for China Horse Club and Gandharvi Racing before selling again just over a year later at the Keeneland November Horses of Racing Age sale having not made it to the starting gate. Fergus Galvin picked him up for $85,000. Now a Qatar Racing colorbearer, the bay is two heads shy of being undefeated. He debuted in February at Aqueduct, broke his maiden at second asking in May at Churchill, and has now won three straight, including the Harrods Creek S. at Churchill in his last out Sept. 23. He's never gotten under a 90 Beyer Speed Figure and added blinkers three back, which Cox has said helped him focus.

Pedigree Notes:

Spendthrift's Into Mischief, who will stand for $250,000 again in 2024, is the sire of the Forty Niner winner and 138 other black-type winners worldwide. His 68 graded winners include six Grade I winners this year, tops among North American-based sires. He's led the leading sires list for the past four seasons and is on target to do it again this year.

Active Darley sire Medaglia d'Oro, who stands at Jonabell Farm, has sired the dams of 97 stakes winners. Ever So Clever, dam of Everso Mischievous, is one of his 176 black-type winners worldwide. She has juvenile and yearling full-brothers to the Forty Niner winner and was bred to Jack Christopher for next term. Her 2-year-old is unraced and was a $400,000 RNA at Keeneland September in 2022, while her yearling was a $1.1-million purchase for West Point Thoroughbreds at the recent edition of the same sale.

Saturday, Belmont at the Big A

FORTY NINER S.-GII, $300,000, Belmont The Big A, 10-28, 3yo/up, 1m, 1:35.32, ft.
1–EVERSO MISCHIEVOUS, 120, c, 3, by Into Mischief
                1st Dam: Ever So Clever (GSW, $522,830), by Medaglia d'Oro
                2nd Dam: Foxy Danseur, by Mr. Greeley
                3rd Dam: Ravish Me, by Wild Again
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($600,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP; $85,000 2yo '22 KEENOV). O-Qatar Racing; B-Clearsky Farms (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Cristian A. Torres. $165,000. Lifetime Record: 6-4-2-0, $524,640. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Dr Ardito, 122, g, 5, Liam's Map–Delightfully So, by Indian Charlie. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($95,000 Ylg '19 SARAUG). O-Michael J. Caruso and Michael Dubb; B-Fred W. Hertrich lll & John D. Fielding (NY); T-Chad C. Brown. $60,000.
3–Accretive, 122, g, 4, Practical Joke–Mallory Street, by Street Sense. ($180,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.; B-Falcon Wood Partners (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $36,000.
Margins: HF, NO, 1 1/4. Odds: 2.60, 6.00, 1.60.
Also Ran: Film Star, Swiftsure, Business Model, Double Crown. Scratched: Synthesis.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

 

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