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Daunt Goes For First Stakes Win In Friday’s Awad

Marc Keller's Kentucky homebred Daunt will look to make his stakes debut a winning one in Friday's $100,000 Awad, a 1 1/16-mile Widener turf test for juveniles at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

The Awad is one of four stakes on Friday's packed card, including the $200,000 Ticonderoga, a 1 1/16-mile turf test for state-bred fillies and mares; the $150,000 Tempted, a one-turn mile for juvenile fillies; and the $100,000 Atlantic Beach, a six-furlong turf sprint for 2-year-olds.

Trained by Bobby Ribaudo, Daunt, a 2-year-old Nyquist colt, finished a close fifth in his August debut traveling 1 1/16-miles over the firm turf at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. He overcame a bobbled start to graduate at second asking with a strong rallying effort traveling 1 1/16-miles over firm Belmont turf on September 23.

Ribaudo said Daunt has matured considerably.

“He was a playful colt and we were considering gelding him, but he's really turned around,” Ribaudo said. “His race in Saratoga was real good. We just wanted to see what he was all about in that spot. He came back here and broke his maiden and it was a troubled trip for a young horse, but he handled it well mentally.”

The well-related Daunt is out of the graded-stakes placed Artie Schiller mare Promotional, who is a half-sister to multiple Grade 1-winner and $2 million earner Marketing Mix.

Keller purchased Promotional for $275,000 in foal to Nyquist out of the 2019 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale. A Glen Hill Farm homebred, the turf-focused Promotional made all but two of her 18 career starts at 1 1/16-miles or beyond, including a runner-up effort in the 12-furlong 2017 Grade 3 Dowager at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky.

“She was with Tom Proctor her whole career for Glen Hill, so she was in good hands racing wise. She's a homebred of theirs and we bought her in foal to Nyquist,” Ribaudo said. “This is her first foal and it turned out to be real nice. We have a Speightstown out of her but we're thinking about going back to Nyquist.

“The mare was all distance,” Ribaudo added. “She was placed going long in stakes and this horse [Daunt] shows the same kind of talent and he never gets tired.”

Ribaudo said if Daunt continues to improve, he would be a good fit for NYRA's Turf Triple Series.

“He's going to be a very nice horse next year,” Ribaudo said. “I'm hoping he stays around for those long races here next year for 3-year-olds.”

Daunt breezed a half-mile in :50.22 seconds October 24 over firm Belmont inner turf, which was softened somewhat by overnight rain. Ribaudo said he expects Daunt will be able to handle less-than-firm footing this weekend if needed.

“Since the race, he's really been training good. I worked him the other day on the turf and he did well,” Ribaudo said. “Soft turf is tiring for young horses but he never gets tired, so I don't think it will affect him as much it might the other horses.”

Manny Franco will have the call from post 3.

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's Royal Spirit graduated on debut at 1 1/16-miles over firm Spa turf in August for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. By Into Mischief, the $450,000 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase purchase was bumped at the break before rallying to finish second last out in the one-mile Nownownow over good turf at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., on September 26.

Pletcher said he's hopeful of a good effort on Friday.

“I think he's proven he's a stakes quality horse,” Pletcher said.

Royal Spirit will emerge from post 6 under Paco Lopez.

General Ken, a recent private purchase for owner Louis Lazzinnaro, will make his stakes debut for four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown.

A Violence juvenile, General Ken earned a 74 Beyer for a front-running 7 1/4-length maiden score traveling a mile and 70 yards over good turf at Delaware Park in Wilmington, Del., on September 15.

General Ken has breezed five times at Belmont with his last two works coming over the inner turf, including a five-eighths effort Saturday in 1:01.40.

Dylan Davis will pilot General Ken from post 2.

Rounding out the field are maiden winners Geno [post 5, Jorge Vargas, Jr.], Artie's Angel [post 1, Wilmer Garcia], and Ohtwoohthreefive [post 4, Eric Cancel].

The Awad is slated as Race 7 on Friday's 10-race card. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the fall meet at Belmont Park on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Belmont Park, and the best way to bet every race of the fall meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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War Dancer Sires First Stakes Winner in Awad

Step Dancer became the first winner for his freshman sire (by War Front) when he led home a one-two for War Dancer on debut Sept. 4, and he gave the MGSW turf router a first black-type victory Saturday. Third in the GII Pilgrim S. Oct. 3, the bay worked his way to the rail from the seven post while traveling towards the back half of the field early here. He snuck a bit closer heading for the home turn, and remained inside for the stretch run as he waited for a seam. Like a Saltshaker moved first and too the lead, and when he opened up, he drifted off the fence, allowing Step Dancer room to run. The latter charged through on the rail, and had more than Like a Saltshaker could handle late. Both of the top two finishers were produced by freshman sons of War Front.

“I saw Jose [Ortiz, aboard Like a Saltshaker] looking for some room and I was just making sure I had some options in front of me,” said winning rider Dylan Davis. “Jose was able to get through, so I followed him and I thought something else might open up, and it did. He just loved the ground. He kept finding more and more. I was very impressed with him today. It was just like how he wowed me first time out. He really stepped up again today.”

Robin Smullen, assistant to trainer Barclay Tagg, who was in Kentucky with GI Breeders’ Cup Classic contender Tiz the Law (Constitution), added, “Last time we, we stayed a little too close to the pace and we thought we had to on the inner turf, but it took away from his kick. Today, I told Dylan [Davis] I wanted him five lengths off the pace and to find a spot and don’t ask him until he turns for home. He came home with a great kick. He doesn’t need to get to the outside. He showed that he’s game and he can do whatever you want.”

AWAD S., $80,000, Belmont, 10-31, 2yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:48.69, yl.
1–STEP DANCER, 120, c, 2, by War Dancer
                1st Dam: Just Be Steppin, by English Channel
                2nd Dam: War Indian, by Indian Charlie
                3rd Dam: Kadwah, by Mr. Prospector
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O-Hayward R. & Donna R. Pressman &
Diamond M Stable; B-Sugar Plum Farm & Richard Pressman
(NY); T-Barclay Tagg; J-Dylan Davis. $44,000. Lifetime Record:
GSP, 3-2-0-1, $96,100.
2–Like a Saltshaker, 122, g, 2, Peace and Justice–With Sprinkles,
by Harlan’s Holiday. O-Magic Oaks; B-Glenn E. Brok LLC (PA);
T-Adam Rice. $16,000.
3–Space Launch, 120, c, 2, Bernardini–Spacy Tracy, by
Awesome Again. O-Athlone Racing & Daniel & Jane Burke;
B-Daniel J. Burke (KY); T-Christophe Clement. $9,600.
Margins: 3/4, 3 1/4, 1HF. Odds: 7.00, 15.50, 3.95.
Also Ran: Wootton Asset (Fr), It Can Be Done, Shawdyshawdyshawdy, It’s a Gamble, Catman, Kidnapped, Claw, Heat of the Night. Scratched: Master of the Ring, Take Profit.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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Old Friends Celebrates Saturday’s Eighth Running Of Awad Stakes

On Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020, Belmont Park will host the eighth running of the $89,000 Awad Stakes, 1-1/16 mile race on the turf for 2-year-olds. It is scheduled as Race 8 on the card with a post time of 4:27 p.m.

Multiple graded stakes winner Awad was a homebred for Ryehill Farm and trained by David Donk. The son of Caveat, out of Dancer's Candy, by Noble Dancer (GB), Awad ran in eight graded-stakes races with his four biggest wins coming in Grade 1 contests on the turf. Those wins were the Secretariat Stakes, a 1-1/4- mile race at Arlington Park on Aug. 29, 1993; the Early Times Manhattan Stakes, a 1-1/4 mile race at Belmont Park on June 10, 1995; the Arlington Million, a 1-1/4 mile race at Arlington Park on Aug. 27, 1995; and the Sword Dancer Invitational Handicap, a 1-1/2 mile race at Saratoga on Aug. 9, 1997.

Awad was known for his incredible speed and set two track records during his career. The first was in the 1995 Arlington Million, where he ran the 1-1/4-mile race in 1:58.69 to become the first to finish in under two minutes. The second came in the 1997 Sword Dancer Invitational, where, at age seven, he ran the 1-1/2-mile in 2:23.20.

After just one race in 1998, he was retired after 70 starts, finishing his career with 14 wins, two seconds, 11 thirds, and $3,270,131 in earnings.

He stood at stud at Northview Stallion Station in Maryland and Castle Rock Farm in Pennsylvania until 2006, when he was pensioned and came to Old Friends in September thanks to his former trainer, David Donk.

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