LFG Racing LLC's Anglophile struck for his first stakes win Sunday at Kentucky Downs when upstaging favorite and runner-up Far Bridge in the $1-million National Thoroughbred League Dueling Grounds Derby (G3).
The English Channel colt was third to Wadsworth in the KY Downs Preview Dueling Grounds Derby Aug. 5 at Ellis Park but would not be denied Sunday. Relaxing his mount off the early pace in fourth through one mile in the 1 5/16-mile race as Wizard of Westwood set the early tempo, Declan Cannon brought the winner up along the rail with a determined stretch rally to get the victory by a half length as Far Bridge rallied strongly on the outside but just missed.
Battle of Normandy, who who dispatched by the winner after leading briefly at the eighth pole, hung on for third, one length behind Far Bridge.
Anglophile returned $23.40 after completing the trip in 2:o8.93 on firm turf. His overall record improved to 3-1-2 from nine starts. The $597,120 winner's share of the purse brought his lifetime bankroll to $735,599.
“He'd been training so well coming into this race,” trainer Brian Lynch said of the chestnut colt. “We thought he had a little bit of traffic (at Ellis Park) last time that probably could have cost him the prep for it. But he overcame it today. What a great, confident ride with Declan. It was just great to see this little horse and this group of guys. Just a wonderful group. To pull this off for them is fantastic. Everybody just loves this little horse. He just continues to get better and better. We're just thrilled to have him in the barn.”
“I think the sky's the limit for this little guy, especially for these marathon distances. So we'll just let the dust settle here and we'll look for bigger and better things down the road.”
Anglophile was bred in Kentucky by Upson Downs Farm and Louie W. Wright. His dam is the Kitten's Joy mare Trustmore Lovemore.
Louisville resident Hunter Rankin of winning owner LFG Racing, recalled how he put the partnership in Anglophile together.
“Had this idea to put 14 guys together and got together with this horse. It is very special to me because my parents (of Upson Downs Farm) bred this horse. He is such a neat little horse, he does everything you ask him to do. If you don't ask him to do it, he won't, but if you ask him he will. He has just gotten better with racing. We put blinkers on him a race ago and it helped him because he is so laid back. I can't say enough about what Brian Lynch and his staff have done with him.”
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