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Art Collector Draws Away in Blue Grass

Bruce Lunsford homebred Art Collector (Bernardini) put his name in the hat for the Sept. 5 GI Kentucky Derby with a victory in the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland Saturday. Engaged in a three-way duel for control through the opening stages, the 2-1 shot ended up a close third just off MGSW filly Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) and Shivaree (Awesome of Course) as the first quarter went in :23.25. Maintaining that position while running off the fence through a :46.61 half-mile, the dark bay ranged up menacingly outside of Swiss Skydiver with 10 charging up behind as Shivaree called it quits with three-eighths left to run. Swiss Skydiver turner for home in front, but Art Collector was right with her and those two drew away from the rest of the field down the lane. Art Collector shrugged free of the filly in the final sixteenth and rolled clear to a 3 1/2-length victory. Swiss Skydiver held second over Rushie (Liam’s Map).

“It’s been a little bit of a roller coaster ride,” said trainer Tom Drury. “Everybody was fighting the same thing with COVID-19 and the uncertainty. I’m at a loss for words. It takes a village to get these things; there’s a lot of people who have done their part. I’m just honored to be able to share this with my staff and everyone that worked to get him here.”

As for the Derby, Drury said, “It took me my whole life just to get to this one win. I’m going to enjoy this one and we’ll worry about that tomorrow.”

Graduating at second asking on turf at Kentucky Downs last September, Art Collector was seventh in the GIII Bourbon S. on grass at Keeneland last October and was sixth in his first try on dirt in November at Churchill Downs. He romped by 7 1/2 lengths in a six-panel event in the slop on the Churchill main track Nov. 30, but was disqualified from purse money after a positive test for previous trainer Joe Sharp. Transferred to Tom Drury after that, Art Collector won a seven-furlong test at Churchill Downs May 17 and won by 6 1/2 lengths when stretched to 1 1/16 miles in Louisville June 13.

Pedigree Notes:

Art Collector is the 46th graded stakes winner for 2006 champion 3-year-old colt Bernardini, a reliable conduit of A.P. Indy. He is also the third of Bernardini’s 75 black-type winners specifically out of a Distorted Humor mare, including 2017 GI Vosburgh S. winner Takaful. Additionally, Art Collector was the second graded winner of the day at Keeneland out of a daughter of Distorted Humor, following Guarana’s win in the Madison. Bruce Lunsford bred Art Collector and his dam Distorted Legacy, a half to Lunsford-bred GSW and 1999 GI Belmont S. and GI Travers S. runner-up Vision and Verse (Storm Cat), but they are originally from a multi-generation Greentree Stud family. Distorted Legacy’s granddam is a half-sister to the Greentree stars and later sires Hatchet Man (The Axe II) and Stop the Music (Hail to Reason). Lunsford has gotten colts the last two years out of Distorted Legacy, both by Into Mischief.

Saturday, Keeneland
TOYOTA BLUE GRASS S.-GII, $600,000, Keeneland, 7-11, 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:48.11, ft.
1–ART COLLECTOR, 123, c, 3, by Bernardini
1st Dam: Distorted Legacy (SW & GISP, $421,466), by Distorted Humor
2nd Dam: Bunting, by Private Account
3rd Dam: Flag Waver, by Hoist the Flag
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O/B-Bruce Lunsford (KY); T-Thomas Drury, Jr.; J-Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. $360,000. Lifetime Record: 8-4-1-0, $548,475. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ * Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Swiss Skydiver, 118, f, 3, Daredevil–Expo Gold, by Johannesburg. ($35,000 Ylg ’18 KEESEP). O-Peter J. Callahan; B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY); T-Kenneth G. McPeek. $120,000.
3–Rushie, 123, c, 3, Liam’s Map–Conquest Angel, by Colonel John. ($70,000 2yo ’19 OBSMAR). O-Jim & Donna Daniell; B-Ocala Stud (FL); T-Michael W. McCarthy. $60,000.
Margins: 3HF, 4 3/4, NK. Odds: 2.30, 2.20, 7.30.
Also Ran: Enforceable, Attachment Rate, Mr. Big News, Finnick the Fierce, Tiesto, Hard Lighting, Basin, Shivaree, Hunt the Front, Man in the Can.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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Rushing Fall Shatters Course Record in Jenny Wiley Repeat

Already a Grade I winner at ages two, three and four, ‘TDN Rising Star’ Rushing Fall (More Than Ready) made it four straight seasons at the highest level with a record-setting victory in the GI Coolmore Jenny Wiley S. at Keeneland Saturday, which she also won last season. Away in good order, the 4-5 chalk was hot on pacesetting Jolie Olimpica (Brz)’s (Drosselmeyer) tail in second with Juliet Foxtrot (GB) (Dansili {GB}) to her inside through upbeat fractions of :23.42 and :46.94. Ranging up to look Jolie Olimpica in the eye turning for home, Rushing Fall engaged in a brief battle with her foe, but shut the door on her by mid-stretch and drew clear to win by 3/4 of a length. Her final time of 1:39.02 shattered the previous course record for a mile of 1:40.30 set by Quiet Resolve (Affirmed) in 2000.

“It’s a dream come true,” said owner Bob Edwards of e Five Racing. “Everyone wishes for a horse like this. I hope I get another one in my racing career like her. This is just phenomenal. We’re all sitting around watching it at the house…I’m still shaking. The adrenaline spike is still there even when you’re watching from your couch. And not a terrible day for Chad [Brown]!”

Kicking off her 2019 season with a victory in this race, Rushing Fall followed suit with a win in Belmont’s GI Just a Game S. last June and was second to her champion stablemate Sistercharlie (Myboycharlie {Ire}) in Saratoga’s GI Diana S. Closing out last term with a fourth to another champion barnmate in Uni (GB) (More Than Ready) in this venue’s GI First Lady S. in October, the bay opened this term with a wire-to-wire victory in Belmont’s GIII Beaugay S. June 3.

Pedigree Notes:

Rushing Fall’s female family has dabbled in the spotlight for many years, long before her dam, Autumnal, produced the five-time Grade I winner and 2014 SW & three-time GSP Milam (Street Sense). Autumnal’s dam, Marie J, made headlines in 1997 when she sold for $1 million as a 2-year-old in training at that year’s Barretts March sale and then was named after the “Marie” half of prominent owners Aaron and Marie Jones, who bred Autumnal. The latter was sold as a 2004 Keeneland September yearling for $550,000. Rushing Fall is the brightest light in the most recent branches of the family, although Marie J’s half-sister did produce GISW Albert the Great (Go for Gin). Autumnal has had only two foals since Rushing Fall was born in 2015, including a full-brother to the Jenny Wiley winner born this year. Rushing Fall is one of 202 black-type winners–91 graded–for dual hemisphere super sire More Than Ready.

Saturday, Keeneland
COOLMORE JENNY WILEY S.-GI, $350,000, Keeneland, 7-11, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16mT, 1:39.02, fm.
1–RUSHING FALL, 118, m, 5, by More Than Ready
1st Dam: Autumnal, by Forestry
2nd Dam: Marie J, by Mr. Prospector
3rd Dam: In My Cap, by Vice Regent
‘TDN Rising Star’ ($320,000 Ylg ’16 FTSAUG). O-e Five Racing Thoroughbreds;
B-Fred W. Hertrich III & John D. Fielding (KY); T-Chad C. Brown;
J-Javier Castellano. $210,000. Lifetime Record: 13-10-2-0,
$2,278,000. *1/2 to Milam (Street Sense), SW & MGSP,
$239,651. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Jolie Olimpica (Brz), 118, f, 4, by Drosselmeyer
1st Dam: Jolie Celina (Brz), by Trempolino
2nd Dam: China Empress, by Wavering Monarch
3rd Dam: Autumn Rythym, by Slew o’ Gold
O-Fox Hill Farms, Inc.; B-Stud T N T (BRZ); T-Richard E.
Mandella. $70,000.
3–Juliet Foxtrot (GB), 118, m, 5, by Dansili (GB)
1st Dam: Kilo Alpha (GB), by King’s Best
2nd Dam: Anasazi (Ire), by Sadler’s Wells
3rd Dam: Navajo Princess, by Drone
O/B-Juddmonte Farms, Inc. (GB); T-Brad H. Cox. $35,000.
Margins: 3/4, HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 0.80, 6.20, 4.20.
Also Ran: Altea (Fr)-(DH), Toinette-(DH), Secret Message, La Signare (Fr), Mucho Unusual. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

The post Rushing Fall Shatters Course Record in Jenny Wiley Repeat appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Speech Rallies Past Venetian Harbor To Record First Stakes Victory In Ashland

Getting a perfect trip under Javier Castellano, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' and Madaket Stables Speech ended her bout of seconditis with an emphatic victory over odds-on favorite Venetian Harbor in the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., on Saturday.

The Michael McCarthy-trained daughter of Mr Speaker tracked Venetian Harbor in second throughout, then took command in the stretch to win by three lengths, covering 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.26, a new track record. Venetian Harbor finished second, with Envoutante another 3 3/4 lengths back in third and Bonny South fourth in a race that gave 100-40-20-10 qualifying points for the Sept. 4 Kentucky Oaks.

Speech paid $10 to win as the second choice in the wagering.

Venetian Harbor, second to division leader Swiss Skydiver in the G3 Fantasy at Oaklawn last out on May 1, set the fractions of :24.04, :47.14 and 1:10.44 for the first six furlongs under Joel Rosario. Castellano had Speech lapped on Venetian Harbor's right hip much of the way, and the filly responded when asked by Castellano, taking command in the stretch after a mile in 1:34.90 and drawing away for the win.

Speech broke her maiden at second asking at Los Alamitos last December, then ran second in four consecutive races, including a hard-fought neck loss to Gamine in a May 2 allowance race at Oaklawn Park. Gamine came out of that race to win the G1 Acorn Stakes at Belmont Park by 18 3/4 lengths.

Returned to California after that narrow defeat, Gamine finished second to Swiss Skydiver in the G2 Santa Anita Oaks on June 6.

Speech now ranks second, with 160 Kentucky Oaks points, behind Swiss Skydiver. Swiss Skydiver was entered in Saturday's G2 Blue Grass Stakes against males, where she finished second.

Updated Kentucky Oaks Leaderboard

The post Speech Rallies Past Venetian Harbor To Record First Stakes Victory In Ashland appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Speech Loud and Clear in Ashland

Speech (Mr Speaker) became her young sire’s first Grade I winner and earned enough points to land her a spot in the Sept. 4 GI Kentucky Oaks with a decisive score in the GI Central Bank Ashland S. at Keeneland Saturday afternoon. Speedy GII Las Virgenes S. romper Venetian Harbor (Munnings) shot out to the early lead, loping through an opening quarter in :24.04 with Speech stalking from second off the fence. Envoutante (Uncle Mo) slipped up the fence inside of Speech as the half went up in :47.14, but backed out of it on the backstretch as Speech ranged up threateningly on the pacesetter’s outside. Speech overtook Venetian Harbor in early stretch and punched clear to win by three lengths. Venetian Harbor held second over Envoutante.

“I was very happy,” said winning trainer Mike McCarthy. “Obviously we had our mind set on running in the [GIII] Beaumont S. for the last five weeks or so and the last minute, we kind of called an audible and sometimes these things work out. To come back today and think we would set a track record in a race we weren’t especially pointing to says something about Speech. She trained well, she shows up every time. I call her the ultimate overachiever.”

Graduating at second asking at Los Alamitos in December, Speech was second to ‘TDN Rising Star’ Auberge (Palace) in a Feb. 1 optional claimer at Santa Anita and completed the exacta behind Donna Veloce (Uncle Mo) in the GIII Santa Ysabel S. Mar. 8 in Arcadia. Coming up a neck short of dominant GI Acorn S. victress and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Gamine (Into Mischief) in an Oaklawn optional claimer May 2, the bay filled the place spot again in the GII Santa Anita Oaks last time June 6.

Pedigree Notes:

Speech is the first black-type winner for her young sire Mr Speaker. Breeder Gail Rice purchased the winner’s dam Scribbling Sarah, who was conditioned by her former sister-in-law Linda Rice, for $7,500 at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton February Sale. The 10-year-old mare has since produced an unnamed juvenile colt by Upstart and a 2019 colt by Unified. She was bred back to Midnight Lute, but has no reported foal for 2020.

Saturday, Keeneland
CENTRAL BANK ASHLAND S.-GI, $392,000, Keeneland, 7-11, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:41.26, ft.
1–SPEECH, 121, f, 3, by Mr Speaker
1st Dam: Scribbling Sarah, by Freud
2nd Dam: Plinking, by Talkin Man
3rd Dam: Holy Wish, by Lord At War (Arg)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. ($65,000 Ylg ’18 OBSWIN; $95,000 RNA Ylg ’18 FTKJUL; $190,000 2yo ’19 OBSMAR). O-Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners & Madaket Stables LLC; B-Gail Rice (FL); T-Michael W McCarthy; J-Javier Castellano. $240,000. Lifetime Record: 7-2-4-1, $353,840. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A.
2–Venetian Harbor, 121, f, 3, by Munnings
1st Dam: Sounds of the City, by Street Cry (Ire)
2nd Dam: Welcome Home, by Dixieland Band
3rd Dam: Safe Return, by Mr. Prospector
($110,000 Ylg ’18 KEESEP; $205,000 RNA 2yo ’19 OBSAPR). O-Ciaglia Racing LLC, Highland Yard LLC, River Oak Farm & Dominic Savides; B-Colts Neck Stables LLC (KY); T-Richard Baltas. $80,000.
3–Envoutante, 121, f, 3, by Uncle Mo
1st Dam: Enchante, by Bluegrass Cat
2nd Dam: Wear, by Arch
3rd Dam: Abrade, by Mr. Prospector
($250,000 Ylg ’18 KEESEP). O-Walking L Thoroughbreds LLC & Three Chimneys Farm; B-Jumping Jack Racing LLC (KY); T-Kenneth G McPeek. $40,000.
Margins: 3, 3 3/4, 2. Odds: 4.00, 0.60, 5.50.
Also Ran: Bonny South, Alta’s Award. Scratched: Tonalist’s Shape. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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