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Ancient Rome Conquers Mint Millions

Ancient Rome (War Front) came to America and conquered the richest turf race outside of the Breeders' Cup in Kentucky Downs's GIII Mint Millions S. A graded-stakes winner in his native France, the Charlie Hill trainee also picked up Group 1 placings in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and the Criterium International as a juvenile.

Shipped in specifically for this race, the 6-1 shot came away in the front flight but began to take back under jockey Jamie Spencer as Stiched (Mizzen Mast) and Smokin' T (War Front) traded blows up front. Caught wide up the sweeping run into the far turn, Ancient Rome had clear aim on the leaders into the stretch and rallied outside of the pair to nab the win. Race favorite Annapolis (War Front) made a move to come through a hole inside of Ancient Rome inside the final sixteenth but had to check back as the eventual winner closed the gap.

“I think he's pretty adaptable on all types of ground,” said Spencer. “He's been running on Polytrack also. I went to ride him at home once, and he was pretty lively on his feet. I was pretty expecting that was how he'd be in the paddock. He went to the post a bit lively. I kept him on the move. He was good once he got in the gates. For an English horse, he broke really fast. But he's always done that in France.”

Pedigree Note:

Ancient Rome is another feather in the cap for prolific global sire War Front. His full-sister Etoile, herself a group winner in Ireland, is the dam of successful American juvenile runner No Nay Mets (Ire) (No Nay Never) who sold for £800,000 in the Goffs London Sale just before a start at Royal Ascot in June. Dam Gagnoa is a half to several group winners and to the dam of GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) who RNA'd for $3.45m at last year's Fasig-Tipton November Sale. She is responsible for eight winners from as many to race and foaled back-to-back fillies by Justify in 2021 and 2022 respectively. She returned to the Triple Crown champion for 2024.

Saturday, Kentucky Downs
MINT MILLIONS S.-GIII, $1,994,285, Kentucky Downs, 9-2, 3yo/up, 1mT, 1:33.37, fm.
1–ANCIENT ROME, 122, c, 4, by War Front
1st Dam: Gagnoa (Ire) (MGSW & MG1SP-Fr, G1SP-Ire, $597,492), by Sadler's Wells
                2nd Dam: Gwynn (Ire), by Darshaan (GB)
                3rd Dam: Victoress, by Conquistador Cielo
O-Mrs. Fitriani Hay; B-Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt (KY);
T-Charlie Hills; J-Jamie P. Spencer. $1,176,600. Lifetime
Record: GSW & MG1SP-Fr, 16-6-3-2, $1,528,247. *Full to
Etoile, GSW-Ire. Werk Nick Rating: B+.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Stitched, 126, c, 4, Mizzen Mast–Walking Miracle, by Into
Mischief. ($50,000 RNA Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Nathan McCauley,
Michael Olszewski and William Minton; B-Nathan McCauley
(KY); T-Gregory D. Foley. $386,000.
3–Smokin' T, 126, c, 4, War Front–Wine Princess, by
Ghostzapper. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($295,000 RNA Ylg
'20 KEESEP). O/B-Dattt Farm LLC (KY); T-Claude R. McGaughey
III. $193,000.
Margins: HF, HD, HF. Odds: 6.66, 24.55, 6.46.
Also Ran: Atone, Annapolis, Dhabab (Ire), Max K. O., Hozier, Gray's Fable, Get Her Number, Cabo Spirit, Churchtown.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Secret Money Upstages Favorite Danse Macabre In Music City

Secret Money fired for her first stakes win Saturday when annexing the $1-million Big Ass Fans Music City (G3) for 3-year-old fillies at Kentucky Downs.

Sent off at 5-1 odds under Tyler Gaffalione, Secret Money easily held back favorite and runner-up Danse Macabre for a one-length triumph while rebounding with aplomb from a third-place finish in the Lake George (G3) July 21 at Saratoga.

The daughter of Good Samaritan covered 6½ furlongs in 1:15.14 on firm turf and returned $12.98.

Bling was second, three-quarters of length behind Danse Macabre.

Secret Money, trained by Brendan Walsh, has won half of her six career starts and earned $585,960, improving her lifetime earnings to $740,811. She is campaigned by Fortune Farm LLC (Richard Nicolai), Robert G. Hahn, and Matthew Hand.

Produced by Grade 1 winner Awesome Humor, by Distorted Humor, she was bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm LLC.

Music City Quotes

Tyler Gaffalione, winning jockey Secret Money: “It feels amazing to win that kind of race here. Brendan has done a great job with that filly. He said he was pointing for this race a couple months back. And he brought her over ready to run. As soon as a spot opened up, she didn't hesitate. She ran right through and finished up very well. It all has to come together. You have to have the trip, have to have the luck. Everything has to fall into place and luckily it did for us today.”

Brendan Walsh, winning trainer Secret Money: “She's been very good all year. She hasn't put a foot wrong really. She had a horrible trip at Woodbine a couple of starts back. Came back, we decided we'd try to stretch her out, see if she'd get the mile at Saratoga. She ran really well, didn't quite get home, but ran a very respectable third in very good company. We always had this race in the back of our mind all year, the 6 1/2 we felt would hit her right between the eyes. Thankfully it did. I'm delighted. It's a great group of owners. It's Richard's first time here at Kentucky Downs, so it's been a great experience for him.

“Tyler gave her a great ride as usual.”

(On purse being raised to $1 million): “Absolutely. We're always thankful for a few bucks extra. Listen, it was great. This has always been a lucky track for us. It's nice to come and win a nice race like this.”

Richard Nicolai, winning co-owner, Secret Money and winning his first $1-million race in first trip to Kentucky Downs: “It feels great, let me tell you. I have good partners and a great trainer. A lot of patience. This filly really did her work for us today. I thought she had a tough race ahead of her, but she made it look easy, to be honest with you. We're really thrilled.”

“I love this place, and I love it a lot more after winning. It's a real experience, and they did a great job at this place. I can't wait to come back.”

Kelsey Danner, trainer, runner-up Danse Macabre: “She ran great. She just got beat. It was a great race.

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Sunday Insights: Maidens Tackle The Kentucky Downs Turf

1st-KD, $150K, Msw, 2yo, 1mT, 1:30 p.m.

ROCKETEIGHTYEIGHT (Into Mischief), a homebred for Frank Fletcher Racing, debuts for Riley Mott Sunday at Kentucky Downs. His dam is a half to the dam of successful young sire Bolt d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro) along with GISW Global Campaign (Curlin) and SW/MGSP Sonic Mule (Distorted Humor). Under his third dam is MGISW Zensational (Unbridled's Song) and MGSW/GISP Departing (War Front).

Making his second start, Hanalei Bay (Into Mischief) was a $500,000 yearling who just missed when debuted over the Colonial Downs turf Aug. 3. He is out of a half-sister to GSW/MGISP Out of Control (Brz) (Vetorri Pire {Ire}) and to the dam of Brazil's champion 3-year-old colt George Washington (Brz) (Redattore {Brz}). TJCIS PPS

5th-KD, $150K, Msw, 2yo, f, 7fT, 3:41 p.m.

A pair of first-time starters headline this field including Sierra Sky (Uncle Mo), a $375,000 yearling out of GSW Sky Girl, herself a $1.5m broodmare purchase by Mt. Brilliant Farm out of the 2017 Keeneland November Sale. Sky Girl is a half-sister to champion 3-year-old filly Abel Tasman (Quality Road).

A Godolphin homebred is lined up just to her inside in Pendulum (Street Boss). Entered off a pair of bullet works at Turfway Park, she is from the family of champion 2-year-old colt Vindication (Seattle Slew). TJCIS PPS

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Bright Future Repels Proxy in Jockey Club Gold Cup Thriller, Earns Breeders’ Cup Classic Berth

Bright Future delivered a career-defining performance Saturday at Saratoga when grabbing the lead into the stretch, then digging in to barely hold off hard-charging Proxy and win the $1-million Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) in a thriller.

After tracking pacesetter Warrior Johny from second early, the Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable colorbearer landed the first stakes victory of his career by a nose under Javier Castellano and entered off an allowance victory July 21 at the Spa.

Bright Future, a 4-year-old son of Curlin, returned $9.50 to win after covering 1¼ miles in 2:03 flat.

Proxy held on for second and Tyson was third.

The Jockey Club Gold Cup is a Breeders' Cup Challenge “Win And You're In” qualifier, and Proxy gained automatic entry into the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) on November 4 at Santa Anita.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Bright Future has a 4-0-0 record from seven career starts.

Bright Future was bred in Kentucky by Clearsky Farms. Produced by the Bellamy Road mare Sophia's Song, his breeder sold him for $250,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Jockey Club Gold Cup Quotes

Todd Pletcher, winning trainer of Bright Future (No. 8, $9.50): “He's a horse that we've always thought a lot of. I've got to give the Violas and the Repoles [owners] a lot of credit because we've had to kind of tap on the brakes a few times along the way and they gave him time to develop. We probably got a little ambitious when we tried the Brooklyn, maybe didn't have quite the foundation to be ready to go a mile and a half at that stage. We regrouped with the allowance race here and I thought it was a powerful performance, so from that time on we've been pointing for this and the horse has trained exceptionally well. Coming into it, we were optimistic he was ready to make a move forward.

“It wasn't real clear how much speed there was on paper. So, we wanted to get into the race and get into a good position, get in a good rhythm which he was able to do.

“Javier [Castellano] has had a phenomenal year. He's making all the right decisions and it is great to see him back in top form after taking some time off for an injury. He's riding as good as ever.

“It was a good spot to try a Grade 1 and he delivered a big performance. In order to go to the next one, he's going to need to make another move forward. It appears to be pretty wide open, the older horse division. I guess we will learn a little more in California tomorrow or Monday. We'll see.”

On a potential next start in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic on November 4 at Santa Anita Park: “I would think so. I doubt we'd do anything in between.”

Mike Repole, winning co-owner of Bright Future (No. 8): “Just a really nice effort. A horse we had high hopes for last year. He's a Curlin. He was winning at a mile, so we decided to try him in the Brooklyn and we looked at each other and said, 'What were we doing?' Something happened that day but there's nothing wrong. He didn't work well, but he got the two starts here and he backed up his last win very impressively.

“He's a Curlin. I had a horse by Curlin named Vino Rosso that couldn't put it together at three, but now [Bright Future] has put it together at four. I named the horse Bright Future for a reason. I knew he was going to be a later 3-year-old, 4-year-old horse and so far his name is fitting right now.”

Javier Castellano, winning jockey aboard Bright Future (No. 8): “I really like the way he did it and the way he finished. I had a lot of confidence after the way I rode the horse last time. He gave me the impression he was going to step up the ladder a little bit, the level. I had a lot of confidence because this is a good horse and I thought he can do it. I'm very happy that everything went through. I had a beautiful trip and a good post today. It worked out great.

“I felt great because we went pretty quick [early] and had to hustle a little bit to put him in a good spot because we were way, way outside. I took forward position and I could use my spot to get in the clear. I think that's why I used my horse a little bit but we backed it up a little bit just to give a little break. I think it was the key to win the race.”

On winning another Grade 1 this year: “Thank God. I've been blessed, very lucky and very fortunate to ride the best horses, especially with Todd Pletcher, one of the best trainers in the country. He gave me the opportunity to ride this horse and that's the key. Keep positive and working hard, and see everything come around.”

Joel Rosario, jockey of runner-up Proxy (No. 1): “He ran a big race. It was a very good performance for him. I don't think it was really quick [pace], but it seemed like it was OK for me there. He was more in the race like he did last time and when he's like that, he runs better. I was happy where he was.

“I thought for a second we got it done.”

Manny Franco, jockey of third-place Tyson (No. 6): “He ran a good race. The first two finishers are very good horses and it was the first time on the dirt for my horse. I was pleased with the way he run.”

Winning margin: nose

Final time (1 1/4 miles): 2:03

Fractions: 22.25, 48.86, 1:14.10, 1:38.59

Full order of finish: 8-1-6-5-7-4-3-2

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