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Super Stock Back On Top In Ellis Park Derby

The $200,000 RUNHAPPY Ellis Park Derby appeared to be heavily favored Super Stock's race to lose, given that he was the winner of the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby. But that was if he ran to his Arkansas Derby form, rather than his pair of fourth-place finishes in the Texas Derby and Iowa Derby in his last two starts.

For trainer Steve Asmussen, the key was riding Super Stock like Ricardo Santana did in the Arkansas Derby: getting into the race as part of the pace. That happened, and Super Stock hounded the early pace before taking command and drawing off to a 3 3/4-length victory over There Goes Harvard.

Asmussen got be North America's all-time winningest trainer by caring about every race. But Super Stock also holds a special attachment to the trainer. His parents, Keith and Marilyn, own the son of Florida Derby winner Dialed In in partnership with Nashville talent mogul Erv Woolsey, a long-time client.

“He ran a very good race, and it's great to see him back in the winner's circle,” Asmussen said by phone following Super Stock's first victory since the Arkansas Derby, after which he finished 16th in the Kentucky Derby. “Obviously he's a very special horse for the whole family. He makes a lot of people happy when he wins.

“The Lone Star race, the racetrack was absolute sea of water, drawn 13, just was never in the right spot,” he said of the Texas Derby. “And I did not like his trip in Iowa at all, and that was the change in tactics.”

Which was: “To ride him like he did in the Arkansas Derby.”

Ellis Park allowance winner Colonel Bowman broke for the early lead, setting legitimate fractions into the stretch. Super Stock stalked in second place throughout before taking over the lead and pulling away for the clear win over runner-up There Goes Harvard. The final time over the mile and a sixteenth was 1:48.89.

“He broke good, and I was happy when he was in the place I wanted him to be,” said Santana, in from Saratoga to ride Sunday at Ellis Park for Asmussen. “When I was sitting second to that other horse, I knew he would be running hard at the end.”

Jockey Joe Talamo was pleased with runner-up There Goes Harvard's effort.

“We had a really good trip,” he said. “I really thought I had the winner turning for home. Hats off to them (Super Stock and Ricardo Santana). They kept running. But my horse ran a really good race.”

It was another two lengths back to Indiana Derby runner-up Sermononthemount and jockey James Graham. Colonel Bowman tired to fourth in the field of six 3-year-olds.

“He ran good, I thought,” said Graham. “They were just quicker than him early. I was trying to be aggressive. I just wasn't quick enough to hold my spot. He tried to run them down. They went fast the first quarter, backed it up and then went again. I just couldn't get back on terms.”

Super Stock went off as the even-money favorite and paid $4 to win. The colt now has three wins in 12 starts, with two seconds and two thirds, while increasing his career earnings to $957,677.

“He's trying, he's trying,” Asmussen said of Super Stock nearing millionaire status.

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Arkansas Derby Winner Super Stock Could Benefit From Running At Home In Ellis Park Derby

Now North America's all-time win leader with 9,450 victories through Thursday, Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen is chipping away at the world record held by Peruvian-based Juan Suarez Villarroel, who has almost 9,900 wins. Asmussen's Ellis Park division has heated up lately, with six wins since July 30, bringing his meet total to nine, three behind Brad Cox and one behind Ian Wilkes.

Asmussen has a leading contender for the $200,000 RUNHAPPY Ellis Park Derby in Grade 1 Arkansas Derby winner Super Stock. If that colt — owned by Asmussen's parents Keith and Marilyn and renowned Nashville talent promoter Erv Woolsey — runs to his Arkansas Derby performance — he's going to be very tough to beat. Of course, if he runs to his subsequent pair of fourth-place finishers in the Texas and Iowa Derby, then the 1 1/8-mile stakes is wide open. (Super Stock also finished 16th in the Kentucky Derby, but no horse has to apologize for finishing up the track in the Derby's cavalry charge.)

Darren Fleming, who oversees Asmussen's Ellis Park division, was around Super Stock at Oaklawn Park and in Texas.

“I think Super Stock will run well,” Fleming said. “He's gotten to stay here and train. He likes being where he's going to run. Hopefully that makes him run better. He's coming our way. The Derby took a lot out of him.”

Asmussen also has Costa Terra, a debut winner by a nose at Ellis, in the $125,000 RUNHAPPY Ellis Park Juvenile and Iowa Distaff winner Josie and Iowa Distaff third-place finisher Himiko in the Groupie Doll. Ricardo Santana Jr. comes in from Saratoga to ride every horse but Himiko, who will have Joe Talamo aboard.

Fleming said Costa Terra “has been training really well. I think he'll take the step forward good.”

Costa Terra could become the third stakes-winner from the first crop of horses sired by Asmussen's 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner. Costa Terra is owned by Ron Winchell, who campaigned Gun Runner with Three Chimneys Farm.

Josie makes her first start for Asmussen after being sold at Fasig-Tipton's July auction to KatieRich Farms for $300,000. She was previously trained by Brad Cox.

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Charlatan To Stand For $50,000 At Hill ‘N’ Dale

Multiple Grade 1 winner Charlatan will stand the 2022 breeding season at Hill 'n' Dale Farm at Xalapa for a fee of $50,000 live foal stands and nurses.

His meteoric rise to stardom began at Santa Anita in February of his three year old year where he won at first asking by 5 3/4 lengths, stopping the clock in 1:08.85 and receiving TDN Rising Star status. In his next start, less than 30 days later, this time at a mile, the powerful and perfectly-made son of Speightstown served notice of his raw talent with an effortless 10 1/4 length romp which landed him on the lips of every turf writer in America as one of the top colts of his crop.

His tour-de-force 6 length win at Oaklawn in the mile and an eighth Grade 1 $500,000 Arkansas Derby resulted in him being installed as the favorite for the Kentucky Derby (G1). In the year of COVID which reshuffled the racing calendar, Charlatan re-emerged in December, capping off his three year old campaign, off an 8 month layoff, with a brilliant performance in the Grade 1 Malibu at 7 furlongs, winning by 4 1/2 lengths. His final career start came in the $20 million Saudi Cup, where the heavily-favored Charlatan who made all the pace, locked horns with recent Whitney (G1) winner Knicks Go, only to be nabbed at the wire by Mishriff in an effort which many have described as a valiant performance.

“I have been looking forward to having this horse,” said John Sikura, owner of Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa . “He is a brilliant physical specimen. He is by the right horse in Speightstown, and he has all the right horses in his pedigree. I think this is the most highly credentialed horse we've brought to the farm in terms of performance, pedigree, and speed; all those elements we feel are requisites of very important horses. Curlin was a very important horse – a great racehorse and Horse of the Year – but this brilliance is hard to find. Succinctly, Charlatan has everything I value in a stallion in spades.”

Charlatan retires to stud with a record of four wins and a second from 5 starts with earnings over $4 million.

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Charlatan to Stand for $50K

Multiple Grade I winner Charlatan (Speightstown–Authenticity, by Quiet American) will stand the 2022 breeding season for a fee of $50,000 live foal stands and nurses, Hill 'n' Dale Farm announced Wednesday. Named a 'TDN Rising Star' after a tour-de-force debut victory, Charlatan went on to capture the GI Arkansas Derby and GI Runhappy Malibu S. before finishing second in the $20-million Saudi Cup in his career finale.

“I have been looking forward to having this horse,” said John Sikura, owner of Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa. “He is a brilliant physical specimen. He is by the right horse in Speightstown, and he has all the right horses in his pedigree. I think this is the most highly credentialed horse we've brought to the farm in terms of performance, pedigree, and speed; all those elements we feel are requisites of very important horses. Curlin was a very important horse–a great racehorse and Horse of the Year–but this brilliance is hard to find. Succinctly, Charlatan has everything I value in a stallion in spades.”

Bred by Stonestreet Stables, Charlatan was a $700,000 Keeneland September buy. Owned by the partnership of SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Frederick Hertrich III, John D. Fielding and Golconda Stables and trained by Bob Baffert, he retired with a record of 5-4-1-0 and earnings of $4,047,200.

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