Idiomaticwasn’t much on drama Oct. 8 at Keeneland as the massive Curlin filly turned the Grade 1 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes into a one-horse showcase.
Author: News
Dancing Duchess Prevails In Algonquin Thriller At Woodbine
Dancing Duchess, under Javier Castellano, got up just in time to win the $200,000 Algonquin Stakes Sunday at Woodbine.
The dark bay daughter of Munnings out of the Congrats mare Duchess Dancer trained by Mark Casse for Tracy Farmer, sat off the early pace set by longshot Rock to Fame, who took her seven rivals through an opening quarter in :22.48 over an inner turf listed as good.
Still on top heading for home in the five-furlong race for 2-year-olds, Rock to Fame was confronted by a host of rivals to his inside and outside in mid-stretch. It was hard-charging, slight 5-2 choice Dancing Duchess, second-last for most of the race, who had the most momentum, powering by her foes in the final yards to eke out a dramatic half-length victory in a time of :58.38.
Pipit, a last-time out winner of the Victoria Stakes, and Golden Canary, another Casse trainee, dead-heated for second. Split Strike was fourth. Only one length separated the top six finishers.
“She was last for a long time, but what an amazing closing kick and what a great ride from Javier,” said Kathryn Sullivan, assistant to Mark Casse. “I was not sure she was going to get there but I think he was more confident than I was.”
Dancing Duchess, now 2-2-0 from six starts, all at Woodbine, arrived at the Algonquin off a troubled trip in the Natalma (G1) on September 16. Prior to that, she posted a pair of runner-up results, in the Soaring Free (won by Golden Canary) on August 20, and the My Dear on July 15.
Bred in Ontario by Mitchell Kursner, Dancing Duchess paid $7.20 for the win.
The post Dancing Duchess Prevails In Algonquin Thriller At Woodbine appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
Can Group Storms From Last To Win Bourbon In 27-1 Surprise, Earns Breeders’ Cup Berth
Last of 12 2-year-olds heading into the final turn, Can Group unleashed a furious outside rally down the stretch to prevail by the slimmest of margins in a 27-1 upset in the $350,000 Castle & Key Bourbon Stakes (G2) Sunday at Keeneland.
With Francisco Arrieta riding for trainer Mark Casse, the Good Samaritan colt pipped Noted by a nose 1 1/16-mile turf contest. He returned $56.34 for the win.
Vote No finished third, a length behind Noted, while favorite First World War was another half-length back in fourth.
“He was (last going into the final turn),” said Arrieta, who who not only picked up his first Keeneland stakes victory but his first Grade 2 victory.. “When I moved and he saw the leaders, he just took off and, wow, it was amazing. I felt like I crossed the wire in front. He was rolling. I won with him at Kentucky Downs (maiden special weight Sept. 2) and he came from off the pace very nice, slow, so today I planned the same. Relax, give him time, and make one move, and he showed up.”
The Bourbon is a Breeders' Cup Challenge “Win and You're In” qualifier for the $1-million Prevagen Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1), and Can Group earned a free berth in the 1 1/16-mile race Nov. 3 at Santa Anita.
Can Group's victory marked the fifth win in the race for Casse, who previously won with Airoforce (2015), Keep Quiet (FR) (2016), Flameaway (2017), and Peace Achieved (2019).
Fortune Seller led the field early while being tracked by Double Your Money with Noted and favored First World War heading up the second flight. The top two positions did not change going into the far turn, but things changed quickly in the upper stretch when the pack closed in.
Vote No emerged with the lead passing the eighth pole, while behind him Noted was being shuffled back and Can Group began his clear run between horses. Noted found racing room about 50 yards from the wire to hit the front only to be caught in the final jump by Can Group.
D.J. Stable LLC and Cash Is King campaign Can Group, who has won half his four starts. The $98,013 winner's share of the Bourbon purse increased his lifetime purse earnings to $307,013.
Bred in Kentucky by Wynnstay Inc. and H. Allen Poindexter, Can Group is out of the Street Sense mare Blue Gallina. D J Stable paid $100,000 for him at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale, where Wynnstay Sales consigned him.
The post Can Group Storms From Last To Win Bourbon In 27-1 Surprise, Earns Breeders’ Cup Berth appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
Oscar Performance Colt Stays Perfect in Zuma Beach
Amerman homebred Endlessly (Oscar Performance) upped his perfect record to three-for-three as he made 4-5 odds look like a gift in Sunday's GIII Zuma Beach S. at Santa Anita. The bay donned cap and gown over a mile at Del Mar July 30, and returned over the same course and distance Sept. 10 to annex the GIII Del Mar Juvenile Turf S. by another daylight margin. Getting a spin around the same trip as the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Nov. 3 this time, Endlessly settled into a midpack spot as his stablemates Ngannou (Mendelssohn) and Formidable Man (City of Light) sat first and second through a half in :46.27. The favorite began to creep closer approaching the quarter pole with Florida invader Grand Mo the First (Uncle Mo) revving up to his outside, made his move up the fence as that foe swung wide and then tipped one off the rail to overtake Ngannou while bumping with the tiring Formidable Man. Once able to fully level out, he asserted his superiority and ran up the score. Ngannou held second from Grand Mo the First.
“I had a really nice trip,” said winning rider Juan Hernandez. “My horse broke sharp today and he always puts himself in a good spot. I was tracking the pace, there were a couple of horses in front of me and I was saving ground the first turn. Around the 3/8 when I was ready to start making my move I was a little surprised because he is the kind of horse when you ask him he picks it up right away, but today it took him a couple of jumps to figure out that he had to start making his move. I wanted to go outside, but then I saw the rail open for me and saw the opportunity to come through and make up more ground, so I decided to come between horses. My horse is really professional–he came through the horses really well and after that he just passed everybody like the last couple of races. He's improving with every race.”
Pedigree Notes:
Endlessly is one of three graded winners and five stakes winners for his young sire. He is one of 80 worldwide stakes winners (20 group or graded) out of Langfuhr mares. Out of French import and SoCal SW/GSP Society Dream, dam Dream Fuhrever is a half to the dam of the Amermans' GISW Coffee Clique (Medaglia d'Oro) and MGSW Admission Office (Point of Entry). Another half-sister is responsible for this year's Hawthorne Derby winner Act a Fool (Oscar Performance). Dream Fuhrever produced a full-brother to Endlessly in March and was bred back to Oscar Performance for the fifth-straight year.
Sunday, Santa Anita Park
ZUMA BEACH S.-GIII, $201,500, Santa Anita, 10-8, 2yo, 1mT, 1:34.52, fm.
1–ENDLESSLY, 124, c, 2, by Oscar Performance
1st Dam: Dream Fuhrever, by Langfuhr
2nd Dam: Society Dream (Fr), by Akarad (Fr)
3rd Dam: Society Bride, by Blushing Groom (Fr)
O-Amerman Racing LLC; B-Jerry Amerman (KY); T-Michael W. McCarthy; J-Juan J. Hernandez. $120,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $229,200. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Ngannou, 118, c, 2, Mendelssohn–Fancy Kitten, by Kitten's Joy. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($120,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-Wells Watson; B-Machmer Hall (KY); T-Michael McCarthy. $40,000.
3–Grand Mo the First, 120, c, 2, Uncle Mo–Lilies So Fair, by Giant's Causeway. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($125,000 RNA Ylg '22 KEESEP; $135,000 Ylg '22 FTKOCT; $335,000 RNA 2yo '23 OBSMAR). O-Granpollo Stables LLC; B-John D. Gunther (KY); T-Victor Barboza, Jr.. $24,000.
Margins: 2 1/4, 1 1/4, HF. Odds: 0.80, 7.20, 7.50.
Also Ran: Ace of Clubs, Mici's Express, Formidable Man, Boltage, Pour Dompter (Fr). Scratched: Rothschild.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
GIII Del Mar Juvenile Turf winner #3 ENDLESSLY ($3.60) adds another graded score to his resume with a commanding victory in the GIII Zuma Beach Stakes at Santa Anita!
The colt by @millridgefarm's Oscar Performance was ridden by @JJHernandezS19 for @mwmracing and Amerman Racing. pic.twitter.com/6XzLWQXkxg
— TVG (@TVG) October 8, 2023
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