Month: November 2023

Naptown, a Munnings colt, takes on nine in the $250,000 Coronation Futurity, part of a Saturday Woodbine card that also features the $250,000 Princess Elizabeth Stakes for fillies.

The 1 1/8-mile Coronation Futurity, a Tapeta event for Canadian-foaled runners, is a significant race on the road to the 165th running of The King's Plate on Aug. 17, 2024, the first jewel of the OLG Canadian Triple Crown.

The 1 1/16-mile Princess Elizabeth, a Tapeta event for Canadian-foaled fillies, is a key event on the path to the 69th running of the Woodbine Oaks, the first jewel of the OLG Canadian Triple Tiara series.

Trainer Graham Motion, looking for his first Coronation Futurity triumph, will send out Naptown, who arrives at his latest test off an emphatic maiden-breaking score at Woodbine on Oct. 29.

Originally slated for the turf, the race was taken off the grass and contested at seven furlongs over the Tapeta. Sent on his way as the slight 3-1 choice in the field of 12, the bay colt, eighth early, was two lengths clear at the stretch call and then cruised home 5½ lengths on top in a time of 1:24.49.

“We've always liked him,” said Motion. “We had him with us the whole meet at Saratoga and we never got to run him, different circumstances. I thought enough of him to have him up there at Woodbine, so yes, obviously we liked him.”

Owned by Robert LaPenta and Madaket Stables LLC, the $120,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale debuted at Laurel Park in a 5½-furlong maiden special weight main track race on Oct 5.

Breaking from the gate as the 2-1 choice, Naptown made a three-wide bid leaving the turn to be within striking distance of the leader but flattened out to finish third behind a runaway winner.

“I think he handled the dirty OK,” Motion said. “But he obviously stepped up going a little further on the synthetic next time out.”

Motion, who recently reached the 2,700-win plateau, is looking forward to Naptown's return engagement at Woodbine.

“It's a big ask to go a mile and an eighth, but I think it should be something he can handle. He's a pretty straightforward, uncomplicated horse. He's done well and he's worked well leading up to this race. It's a great opportunity for him.”

Bred in Ontario by 552727 Ontario Ltd., Naptown will have the services of jockey Rafael Hernandez on Saturday.

Other Coronation Futurity starters include Frost King Stakes winner No More Options, Bull Page Stakes winner Zippy Gizmo, and Babbo, who has won two straight.

Ayrshire Lad won the first running of the Coronation Futurity in 1902. The late Avelino Gomez won four straight (1964-67) editions of the race, a feat duplicated by Sandy Hawley (1973-76).

The Princess Elizabeth has drawn nine hopefuls, a field that includes Sounds Practical.

Trained by John Mattine for owners RCC Racing Stable Ltd. and Realm Racing Stables, the daughter of Practical Joke debuted on Sept. 9 and finished second in the six-furlong maiden special weight event contested on the Woodbine Tapeta.

“She's a very nice filly,” said Mattine. “She has been classy from day one, as soon as she arrived from Florida. She has done everything that we have asked her to do. Her first race, she did well. She had trained forwardly going into it and I thought she came up with a good effort.”

In her next start, a seven-furlong main track race originally scheduled for the turf, Sounds Practical, with Ryan Munger once again in the irons, took charge early and went on to record a 3½-length score in a time of 1:22.30.

“I thought that was an excellent effort,” Mattine said. “She's two, but she is a mature two. She acts older than she is and it is nice to have that. It certainly showed in that race. Ryan had a big old smile on his face afterwards.”

Bred in Ontario by Saintsbury Farms Inc., the bay will look to build off her maiden victory when she steps up to the stakes ranks on Saturday.

Mattine expects Sounds Practical to be up for the challenge.

“It won't be an easy race, but we are going to give it a good go. The extra distance won't hurt her. She's bred for it, being out of a Tiznow mare. She will give the rest of them a run for their money. I think it will be a very good race.”

Sounds Practical was a $30,000 purchase at the 2023 OBS June Two-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age Sale.

Mattine, who will have Munger in the irons on Saturday, was impressed with the filly from day one.

“We were looking for a horse and it's worked out so far. When she walked off the van, she came in and I thought, 'She's pretty quiet.' Usually, after a long ride, you give them a day or two to rest and get comfortable in their new surroundings. But she still acted quiet. It's class.”

Other starters include Airosa, winner of the Catch A Glimpse Stakes, Hurricane Clair, winner of the Muskoka Stakes, South Ocean Stakes winner Olivia Rose, and War Painter, who took the Victorian Queen Stakes.

Princess Elizabeth-winning fillies Moira (2021), Nipissing (2012), Roan Inish (2009), Ginger Gold (2001), Dancethruthedawn (2000), Deputy Jane West (1992) and Par Excellence (1979) all went on to win the Woodbine Oaks the following year.

119th edition of the Coronation Futurity
Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer 

1 – No More Options – Orlando Mojica – Zeljko Krcmar

2 – Naptown – Rafael Hernandez – Graham Motion

3 – King Rosso – Patrick Husbands – Kevin Attard

4 – Thor's Cause – Leo Salles – Krista Cole-Simpson

5 – Vitality – Jose Campos – Harold Ladouceur

6 – Hatmaker Gizmo – Sahin Civaci – Josie Carroll

7 – Piper's Factor (S) – Kazushi Kimura – Katerina Vassilieva

8 – Babbo – Eswan Flores – Sid Attard

9 – Pontiac – Justin Stein – Barbara Minshall

10 – Zippy Gizmo – Patrick Husbands – Kevin Attard

77th edition of the Princess Elizabeth
Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Hurricane Clair – Sahin Civaci – Martin Drexler

2 – Airosa – Rafael Hernandez – Kevin Attard

3 – War Painter – Patrick Husbands – Kevin Attard

4 – More Money Hunny – Luis Contreras – Josie Carroll

5 – Sounds Practical – Ryan Munger – John Mattine

6 – Olivia Rose – Kazushi Kimura – Mark Casse

7 – Fourfiftyfour – Justin Stein – Barbara Minshall

8 – Bravo Kate – Eswan Flores – Sid Attard

9 – Inudation – Leo Salles – Kevin Attard

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Train to Artemus is at the top of the class in Saturday's $100,000 Pan Zareta Stakes, a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for fillies and mares at Fair Grounds that drew field of 11.

Dixiana Farm's recent public auction acquisition exits a narrow defeat in Keeneland's Franklin (G2), finishing third, about a length behind winner Tony Ann and runner-up Caravel. That performance and more garnered the attention of Fair Grounds' morning-line oddsmaker Mike Diliberto, who deemed her the 3-1 favorite.

Dixiana Farm purchased Train to Artemus, a three-time stakes winner this year, for $250,000 in at Keeneland November Horses of Racing Age Sale, where Bluewater Sales offered her. Previously in the hands of Kelly Breen, the 5-year-old Tapizar mare has moved to John Ennis' barn.

“She's firmly the class of the race,” Ennis said. “She's just a smashing filly. Physically, she looks like a colt. You'd love her to win a graded stake on the grass eventually–she definitely looks the part and trains the part.”

Train to Artemus' class edge is hard to deny, but in terms of speed figures and form ratings, there are three entered in the Pan Zareta who stack up.

Klein Racing's Goin' Good is a battle-tested, hard-trying mare who rarely doesn't fire but has only one win in the past two years. The other two are 3-year-olds on the rise, as Horseshoe Racing's Redefined and John Donaldson's Carimba will look to run back to their recent top efforts against allowance ranks, which would prove dangerous against this field.

Train to Artemus' rise to her current form and class level began in the fall of 2022 when Breen claimed her away from Saffie Joseph Jr. and began stepping her up. After running her successfully through allowance conditions, in February she won her first stakes: the Lightning Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. Including the Franklin and her fifth in the Ladies Turf Sprint (G2) at Kentucky Downs, Train to Artmeus has had a formful 5-year-old campaign, going 11-4-2-3, all at sprint distances.

“(Dixiana was) kind enough to send her to me,” Ennis said. “I went and looked at six or seven mares for them at the sale, and she was at the top of the list. I liked what I saw and they were happy that I agreed with what they saw in her as well. Ultimately, she'll be bred, whether it's next year or the year after. There's plenty of miles left on the clock. She'll tell us when she's ready to go.”

Gerardo Corrales was at the reins in her last two starts in Kentucky and changed her running style, bringing her back early to unleash a late run. He  is named to ride her in the Pan Zareta, where she will break from post 2.

“Corrales suits her well,” Ennis said. “He knows her probably better than I do.”

Also nominated for Turfway Park's Holiday Inaugural on Dec. 2, there is a chance Train to Aretmus makes her first start for her new connections on Tapeta, not turf.

“I haven't had her long,” Ennis said. “Maybe she needs another week galloping.”

Here's the complete field for the $100,000 Pan Zareta from the rail out (with jockey, trainer, and morning line): Charlie T (CJ Mcmahon, Lee Thomas, 8-1); Train to Artemus (Corrales, Ennis, 3-1); Twice as Sweet (Jareth Loveberry, Brendan Walsh, 15-1); Still My Babe (Angel Suarez, Brendan Walsh, 20-1); Carimba (Marcelino Pedroza Jr., Rey Hernandez, 7-2); Medalla Match (Deshawn Parker, Michael Biehler, 6-1); Kerry (Corey Lanerie, Joe Sharp, 15-1); Goin' Good (James Graham, Brad Cox, 4-1); Redefined (Jamie Torres, Michelle Lovell, 8-1); Granato (Ben Curtis, Whit Beckman, 20-1); Kela's Turn (Jose Luis Rodriguez, Henry Guillory Jr., 50-1).

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