Woodslane Farm's Wolfie's Dynaghost remained a perfect 3-for-3 over the synthetic surface with a convincing 2 ¼-length victory Saturday in the $299,600 TwinSpires Kentucky Cup Classic on the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) undercard at Turfway Park.
Ridden by Hall of Famer John Velazquez, Wolfie's Dynaghost completed 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.09 on the synthetic surface.
Wolfie's Dynaghost broke sharply from the starting gate and sat second into the first turn, just outside of Two Birds. Velazquez and Wolfie's Dynaghost poked their head in front at the half-mile pole and never gave up the lead. At the top of the lane, 9-1 longshot Verstappen attempted to make a run at the Wolfie's Dynaghost but proved to be second best.
Trained by Jonathan Thomas, Wolfie's Dynaghost returned $7.08 for the win. Verstappen, ridden by Declan Cannon, was second, and King Cause finished third, four lengths back.
Multiple Grade I winner Santin had a troubled beginning and checked in fourth followed in order by Founder, Two Birds, Richiesgotgame, Wentru, Camp Hope and Ocean Atlantique.
Wolfie's Dynaghost improved his career mark to 7-2-4 from 19 starts with solid purse earnings of $586,805. The talented 5-year-old son of Ghostzapper was bred in Kentucky by his owner.
Idiomatic Notches First Stakes Win In Latonia Stakes
Juddmonte's 4-year-old filly Idiomatic held off a late charge of Kate's Kingdom to notch her first career stakes victory in in the $245,000 Latonia Stakes.
Jockey Chris Landeros was aboard the Brad Cox-trained Idiomatic in the Latonia Stakes and the duo completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.50.
Idomatic sat in second in the opening stages of the Latonia Stakes, 1 ½-lengths behind leader Grand Ave Girl. Into the first turn, Grand Ave Girl skittered an opening-quarter mile in :23.39. Landeros continued to rate Idiomatic up the backside, about one-length behind Grand Ave Girl's half-mile clocking of :47.63. Around the far turn, Idiomatic overtook a tiring Grand Ave Girl and was able to hold off the late charge of Kate's Kingdom for a two-length victory.
It was another three-lengths back to Bellamore who finished ahead of Il Malocchio, Purrfect, Bali Belle, Grand Ave Girl and Candy Raid.
Idiomatic returned $7.06.
Kate's Kingdom, ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., finished second, and Bellamore was third.
“She's a big filly and covers a lot of ground with her stride,” Landeros said of Idiomatic. “She was very comfortable and I think could run all day. She's won at a mile-and-a-quarter and one-mile at this meet. It shows how versatile she is.”
Idiomatic improved her overall record to 4-0-2 from six starts and purse earnings of $297,970.
Idiomatic is a 4-year-old filly by Curlin out of the First Defence mare Lockdown. She was bred in Kentucky by her owner.
Longshot Rarified Flair Holds Off Ocean Pointe In Rushaway
It was bombs away in the $250,000 Rushaway Stakes where Magdalena Racing, C&H Diamond Racing, David Menard and Al Riccio's Rarified Flair made his 3-year-old debut a winning one at odds of 29-1.
Trained by Kenny McPeek and ridden by Landeros, Rarified Flair recorded his second lifetime victory in a final time of 1:45.45 for the 1 1/16-mile distance.
Rarified Flair had a slow beginning in the Rushaway and was forced to eighth early in the field of 12 3-year-olds. Moon Landing and John Velazquez took early command of the Rushaway field into the first turn and cruised a quarter-mile in :23.73. Up the backside, Moon Landing was joined to his inside by a keyed up Worthington and the duo completed a half-mile in :48.73. Meanwhile, Moon Landing continued tracking the early pace in seventh, about five lengths off the pace.
Around the far turn, while the leaders continued to battle one another, Luan Machado and Midnight Rising made a bold, four-wide rally and took the lead at the quarter-pole. Moon Landing was tipped five-wide in the stretch by Landeros and surged past Midnight Rising inside the sixteenths pole.
“Kenny (McPeek) was confident in him today and so was I,” Landeros said. “We broke in a little bit of a tangle but I let him take his time to get his feet underneath him. He traveled well after the start and came with his run in the stretch. I'm very proud of his effort.”
Bettors were rewarded if they backed Rarified Flair who returned $61.78. Longshot Ocean Pointe, who went off at odds of 35-1, completed the exacta Santorini, the 2-1 post time favorite, finished third.
Midnight Rising lost the photo for third by a nose to round out the superfecta. He was 2½ lengths clear of Itzos followed by Worthington, Unified Weekend, Quadra Island, Moon Landing, Ironsides, Reckoning Force and Roja Redemption.
Rarified Flair is a 3-year-old son of Honor Code out of the Arch mare Truth. He was bred in Kentucky by Maccabee Farm.
Eye Witness Remains Undefeated With Animal Kingdom Victory
Westerberg, Mrs. John Magnier, Jonathan Poulin, Derrick Smith and Michael B. Tabor's talented 3-year-old Eye Witness notched his second career victory with an impressive five-length score in the $178,500 Animal Kingdom Stakes.
Trained by Wesley Ward and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., Eye Witness covered the 6 ½-furlong distance in 1:11.76.
It was a fairly non-eventful journey for Eye Witness as he sat second in the early stages of the Animal Kingdom Stakes behind front-running Olazabal, who covered an opening quarter-mile in :22.26. Around the far turn, Ortiz continued to track Olazabal through a half-mile in :46.54. At the head of the lane, Eye Witness quickly took command of the race and drew off in hand in the final Florence furlong.
“I knew he'd handle the surface well after breaking his maiden here last time,” Ortiz said. “That was only his second start. Today, I let him break and just do his thing up the backside. I had a lot of horse the entire way around there.”
Eye Witness was bet down to the heavy 3-5 favorite and returned $3.42 for the win.
Olazabal held second under Gerardo Corrales, and Brazen Boy finished third.
Moon Strike and Tiger Paw completed in the Animal Kingdom order of finish.
Eye Witness is a son of City of Light out of the Mr Greeley mare Gracilia. He was bred in New York by Anlyn Farms.
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