Month: October 2023

After enduring a frustrating start to his 4-year-old campaign with three runner-up finishes in as many starts, Jeff Drown's Zandon made a shining return to the winner's circle when he gunned down Film Star in the final furlong to capture the 70th running of Sunday's $400,000 Woodward (G2) for 3-year-olds and upward going 1 1/8 miles at Belmont at the Big A.

Winless in eight starts since capturing last year's Blue Grass (G1) at Keeneland, Zandon was last seen finishing 6 1/4 lengths in arrears of White Abarrio in the Whitney (G1) on August 5 at Saratoga Race Course. The dark bay Upstart colt also posted second-place efforts in the Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap (G1) on June 10 at Belmont Park, beaten 3 1/4 lengths by Cody's Wish after making his 2023 debut in Belmont's  Westchester (G3) on May 5, finishing 5 1/4 lengths behind Repo Rocks.

“He's been a horse that's been knocking on the door and he's had a little bit of bad luck running into really, really top horses in some of these races. I felt a little bad for him because he's run such fast numbers in defeat that would have been good enough to win a lot of these races any other year when you really look at it,” said trainer Chad Brown. “He's always run into really top class horses along the way. Like I've said before, one thing I'll always point out is even in a lot of runner-up finishes, look at the horses that were behind him. I mean, he's beat a pile of good horses in those valiant runner-up races. This horse is a really consistent horse and has been a pleasure to train.”

Leaving from post 3 under Flavien Prat, Zandon was in tight entering the first turn, just to the outside of a rank Law Professor, as his 43-1 stablemate Pipeline set the tempo through an opening quarter-mile in :23.43 and a half-mile in :46.66 over the fast main track. Film Star sat just off the flank of the pacesetter in second with Zandon four lengths back in sixth.

Around the far turn through three-quarters in 1:10.52, Zandon began to advance position and made a sweeping five-wide move with Film Star to catch as Pipeline dropped out of contention. Under Prat's right-handed encouragement, Zandon moved past Film Star and powered home a 4 1/4-length winner in a final time of 1:48.48. Film Star held second a neck ahead of an advancing Law Professor, who finished second in last year's Woodward.

Completing the order of finish were Charge It, O'Connor, Tyson, Costa Terra and Pipeline. Algiers and Un Ojo were scratched.

Prat said the run into the first turn was a bit of a scramble.

“We were all trying to be in the same position, pretty much,” Prat said. “I was trying to get position, but my horse didn't want to be there so we went to 'Plan B.' I grabbed a hold of him and got him to settle down and from there I was traveling super. A bit worried when we hit the turn, it looked like he wasn't going anywhere and then as soon as he got into a rhythm, he kicked on well.

“From the five-sixteenths to the quarter pole he was really grabbing the bridle and making a nice move,” Prat continued. “As soon as I tipped him out and he swapped leads, he really made another good move.”

Brown admitted having some anxious moments heading into the first turn.

“Law Professor ducked out right next to him and kind of took him wide and then Flavien had to take back,” Brown said. “He then got him in a nice, comfortable spot, but I just thought potentially all that commotion and being pitched a little wide in the first turn would discourage the horse. I'll tell you, his consistency really came through. He was able to get up in through the dirt and out in the clear and once he did, he just really grabbed the bit finally and really powered home. I loved the way he finished the race.”

The well-traveled Zandon has never finished worse than fourth while contesting over seven different racetracks, including a game third-place finish in last year's Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs.

“I'm really proud of this horse and I'm just so happy for him. He's showed up every week breezing for us, he has a well-traveled history – running in the Kentucky Derby and nearly winning it, and a bunch of other races in between that he's taken us to all over,” Brown said. “The Met Mile, the Whitney, and winning a race like the Blue Grass. This horse has really taken us to some great races. This horse has always showed a lot of heart and battled to the wire, win or lose.”

Zandon will soon take up stallion duty at Spendthrift Farm in Lexington but will likely race one more time in the $6-million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) on Nov. 4 at Santa Anita according to Brown, who added that a Woodward win was important for the horse's reception at stud.

“He'll probably have his last career start in the Breeders' Cup Classic,” Brown said. “Obviously, it's going to be a much, much tougher race than today, but at least we're going in off of a decisive victory and a horse that's had a very consistent year. That's all you can ask for and anything can happen in a horse race.

“I'm so happy for [owner] Jeff Drown and his family. They love this horse and he's been so important to them,” Brown added. “They've always thought highly of this horse, win or lose, and they've never been overly disappointed with some of those close calls. Spendthrift Farm, who really invested in this horse last year to get him before the [Kentucky] Derby, I'm happy that he's got another graded win, and he looks like a really exciting prospect next year. We couldn't be happier he's going over there. With one start to go, hopefully he goes out on the highest note of all. We'll see.”

Zandon, who returned $4 for a $2 win wager as the even-money favorite, improved his overall record to 13-3-6-3 and bankroll to $2,140,000 after earning $220,000 for Saturday's win.

Bred in Kentucky by the late Brereton C. Jones, Zandon was purchased for $170,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale and is out of the Creative Cause mare Memories Prevail, a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-winner Cairo Memories.

The post ‘Always Showed A Lot Of Heart’: Zandon Back To Winning Ways In Woodward, Eyes BC Classic appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Godolphin's Kentucky homebred Caramel Swirl was third past the wire but landed in the winner's circle regardless following a double disqualification in Sunday's $250,000 Gallant Bloom (G1), a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for fillies and mares at Belmont at the Big A.

Trained by Bill Mott and piloted by Junior Alvarado, Caramel Swirl, the 4-5 mutuel favorite, was last-of-six in the early going but advanced with an inside rush in the stretch run and attempted to angle to the outside of the drifting out pacesetter Headland, who had led through fractions of :22.65, :45.93, and 1:10.09 over the fast main track.

Sterling Silver, with Javier Castellano up, was rallying from an outside position and cut across the path of the retreating pace presser Beguine, under Dylan Davis, as well as the closing Caramel Swirl, who took up sharply. Sterling Silver emerged from the skirmish to take command and cross the wire first in a final time of 1:16.18, besting the Jose Lezcano-piloted Headland by four lengths. It was a further half-length back to Caramel Swirl, who was one length in front of Beguine. Undervalued Asset and Remain Anonymous rounded out the order of finish.

Following the race, a stewards' inquiry was launched along with claims of foul by Alvarado against Castellano [Sterling Silver] and Lezcano [Headland] and a further claim of foul by Davis against both Alvarado and Castellano. Both of Alvarado's claims were allowed, while both claims by Davis were denied which resulted in a double disqualification that saw Caramel Swirl elevated to first and Sterling Silver and Headland demoted to second and third, respectively. [The official decision can be found here.]

Alvarado, who teamed up with Mott and Godolphin to win the Vosburgh (G2) earlier on the card with Cody's Wish, said he felt the stewards made the right call.

“I had a horse outside of me coming from the seven path [Sterling Silver] and I didn't mind because I knew they would try to squeeze me a little there, it's a big race and you have to defend your race,” Alvarado said. “But they both [Sterling Silver and Headland] got right in front of me. I clipped heels with the horse to the inside [Headland], then when I got out of there, I was [shut off] by the horse outside of me [Sterling Silver]. That takes it to a different level. Now, I'm in a terrible spot where I almost went down. I'm just glad everybody got back safe, and I think it was the right decision.”

Castellano said his horse should not have been demoted.

“I had much the best horse. I didn't bother the one horse [Caramel Swirl],” Castellano said. “The six horse [Headland], he bothered the one horse. He came in – Jose Lezcano – all the way he put in jeopardy the number one. I keep the horse straight. A little before, a couple yards before, Dylan Davis [aboard Beguine] stand up before I get to the point to pass a horse. He anticipated before it happened. I didn't bother him, the horse I [allegedly] bothered finished fourth.”

The victory marked the third graded score for Caramel Swirl, who took the 2021 Raven Run (G2) at Keeneland and the Vagrancy (G3) in May at Belmont Park. She entered Saturday's test from a distant fourth-place finish in the Ballerina Handicap (G1) on August 26 at Saratoga Race Course that saw multiple Grade 1 winners Echo Zulu, Goodnight Olive and fellow Godolphin color bearer Matareya sweep the top three positions.

“She's trained really well. She trained well going for the Ballerina, ran a good race [there],” Mott said. “Three Grade 1 winners finished in front of her. Obviously the two best horses in the country, and then the other Godolphin filly beat us by a nose, but she's a Grade 1 winner. Our filly's not [a Grade 1 winner], she's a notch under, but she's a good filly.”

Michael Banahan, Godolphin's director of bloodstock, said Caramel Swirl could come under consideration for a potential start in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) on November 4 at Santa Anita.

“She's run against those fillies before, so we'll get her back and see how she is and go from there,” Banahan said. “The plan is for Matareya to go there as well. Two is better than one, so we'll see what we can do.”

Caramel Swirl is out of the Smart Strike mare Caramel Snap, who is a half-sister to multiple Grade 1-winning multimillionaire Frosted. Caramel Swirl banked $137,500 in victory while improving her record to 16-6-4-3. She returned $3.90 for a $2 win bet.

The post Caramel Swirl Elevated To Gallant Bloom Win Via Double DQ, Caps Graded Double For Godolphin appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Godolphin's Kentucky homebred Cody's Wish overcame a hesitant beginning and the stubborn pacesetter Accretive to capture Sunday's $250,000 Vosburgh (G2), a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up at Belmont at the Big A.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott and piloted by Junior Alvarado, the victory provided the 5-year-old Curlin bay a “Win and You're In” berth to the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) on Nov.4 at Santa Anita. However, Cody's Wish will instead target a title defense in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1)  on the same card, having already secured a “Win and You're In” ticket for his impressive score in the Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap (G1) in June at Belmont Park.

“He was off slow, but he was able to make it up. Ideally, there's more pace and they kind of come back to him, but everybody kept running today,” Mott said. “I think obviously a horse like him when they go :44 and change, he's going to close better and finish better if the others are coming back to him, but they kept running.”

Cody's Wish broke last of all from the outermost post 6 as Irad Ortiz Jr. sent Accretive to the lead to mark the opening quarter-mile in :23.33 over the fast main track with Sheriff Bianco in second and Great Navigator saving ground in third. Alvarado urged Cody's Wish into contention with an outside rush down the backstretch to land in second position as Accretive reached the half-mile in :46.12.

Cody's Wish loomed large to the outside of Accretive to put a head in front as the field hit the top of the lane, but the pacesetter dug in gamely and refused to give way. The two foes threw it down but Cody's Wish would not be denied, pulling away from his rival inside the final sixteenth under right-handed encouragement and crossing the wire a 1 1/2-length winner in a final time of 1:21.83. Accretive completed the exacta by 3 1/4-lengths over Great Navigator with Sheriff Bianco, High Oak and Cowan rounding out the order of finish.

The victory marked the sixth career graded score for the multiple Grade 1-winner, making amends for a distant third-place finish when attempting to stretch out to nine furlongs in the Whitney (G1) on August 5 at Saratoga Race Course.

“It's great just having him back [in the winner's circle],” Mott said. “We would have been really disappointed had he not been able to handle this group. He was supposed to win. I thought he did it well enough and at the wire, he was getting away from them. Turning for home, that other horse [Accretive] gave him a little bit of a tussle, but past the eighth pole, it looked like he showed up.”

Alvarado said Cody's Wish had the class to overcome a slow start.

“Right when he loads, he started acting up,” Alvarado said. “He fixed himself up a little bit there, but not 100 percent, and then they broke so I don't think he got a chance to get his feet from underneath him. He broke flat-footed out of there. The pace wasn't too fast, so he had a chance to quicken himself and get in contention.

“We had to put up with a little fight there, but I knew I had the horse to fight him [Accretive],” Alvarado added. “I didn't care how much we won by, just as long as he gave me that punch he always does turning for home. That's all I was expecting and he did it well.”

Mott said the effort should set Cody's Wish up well for the Dirt Mile.

“I would think so. It wasn't so brilliant you worry about taking everything out of him, but it was enough to see that he still wants to do it and can do it,” Mott said. “I think both distances [seven furlongs and one mile] are good. I guess seven is good for him if there's more pace. There wasn't a lot of pace today, but [it was] a good effort.”

Mott will send out Juddmonte's Elite Power – last year's Vosburgh winner – for a title defense in the Breeders' Cup Sprint. The 5-year-old Curlin chestnut breezed a half-mile in 51 flat Friday over the Oklahoma dirt training track in his first breeze back since a runner-up effort in the Grade 1 Forego on August 26 at Saratoga.

“He's back on a work schedule and we've got more work to do before the Breeders' Cup, but he's doing fine,” Mott said. “He runs pretty well fresh. He's run good with a couple months off.”

In addition to his Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and Met Mile scores, Cody's Wish also enjoyed top-flight success in last year's Forego (G1) at the Spa. The fan favorite is named after teenager Cody Dorman, who was born with the rare genetic disorder Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome and is unable to walk or communicate without utilizing a tablet. The story of the two Codys has captured the hearts of many as Cody's Wish has traveled across the nation since last March, drawing fans at six different racetracks and winning now at five of them.

Michael Banahan, director of bloodstock for Godolphin, said Cody's Wish is likely to retire at the end of this campaign.

“We got another year out of him which is great. The major goal was trying to win the Met Mile, which we achieved,” Banahan said. “Everything else was just bonus to top it off. In this situation, we'll try to be a repeat winner of the Breeders' Cup [Dirt] Mile. We're hoping he can do that again, he's obviously one of the best horses in the country and we'd like to maintain that position if we can.”

Out of the Grade 1-winning Tapit mare Dance Card, Cody's Wish is a half-brother to dual graded stakes winner Endorsed. He banked $137,500 in victory while improving his record to 15-10-1-4. He returned $2.30 for a $2 win bet.

The post BC Dirt Mile Setup: Cody’s Wish Back To Winner’s Circle With Vosburgh Victory appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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