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Violence, sire of 2022 champion 2-year-old male Forte, will stand for a reduced stud fee in 2024, Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa announced in a Sunday night press release. The son of Medaglia d'Oro out of Violent Beauty, by Gone West, will command a fee of $40,000 stands and nurses next year, a reduction from the previously announced fee of $60,000.

“At the end of last breeding season, Violence had a period where he was missing too many of his mares,” said John Sikura, president of Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa in Paris, Ky. “We raised his fee to not only reflect his racetrack success but to lessen demand for the stallion.

“In evaluating a recent veterinary opinion on the management of his book, we feel confident he can cover a maximum book of 125 mares in 2024. We will accommodate breeders with constant communication regarding the ideal booking schedules for their mares and 'double' all mares if possible.

“Violence is an important sire and we feel this adjustment will allow more breeders to access the horse at a price more than competitive in the marketplace. It's a tough time for breeders with stud fees rising in an ever-polarized market. I think this is good for the stallion and good for breeders.”

For more about Violence, click here.

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Heavenly Sunday, who made her first career start on dirt after eight previous starts on turf, rolled past pacesetter Callie's Grit at the top of the stretch and widened her margin inside the final furlong to win Friday's off-the-turf $298,250 Mrs. Revere by five lengths over Beach Walkin.

Owned by William B. Harrigan's Miacomet Farm, Heavenly Sunday ran the 1 1/16 miles for 3-year-old fillies in 1:44.69 on a fast track. Florent Geroux rode the winner for trainer Brad Cox.

The field was reduced from 12 entries to nine starters when turf racing called off for the final three days of the Fall Meet after track officials were not satisfied with the turf course's condition.

The Mrs. Revere was carded a Grade 3 event but was downgraded to listed status pending a review by the American Graded Stakes Committee.

Heavenly Sunday banked the $178,800 first prize and rewarded her backers $4.82 for the win.

“She's always worked well on the dirt so we thought she'd handle things just fine,” Cox said. “When she started her career we put her on grass and because she did so well we've always kept her on it. She was impressive today and can give her another option moving forward on dirt.”

Breaking from post No. 9, Heavenly Sunday raced just off the tail of pacesetter Callie's Grit, who set fractions of :23.95, :48.81, and 1:13.32 during the early stages of the race. Heavenly Sunday pulled her way to the front leaving the final turn and drew away down the stretch while geared down late for the comfortable win.

“We sat a great trip,” Geroux said. “She's a pretty versatile filly with her running style. She worked like she would handle the dirt fine and did.”

Beach Walkin outfinished Make the Boys Wink by 1 ¼ lengths for second.

Callie's Grit, Neecie Marie, Safeen, Sabalenka, Financial Advice (FR), and Cha Cha Tap completed the order of finish. Hay Stack, Bling and Watch This Birdie were scratched.

The winner's share of the purse pushed Heavenly Sunday's earnings to $708,683 from a record of 4-2-2 in nine starts. Prior to the Mrs. Revere, Heavenly Sunday finished second to Surge Capacity in the Valley View (G3) at Keeneland on Oct. 27. Earlier this year, she won the Edgewood (G2) on the Kentucky Oaks (G1) undercard at Churchill Downs.

Heavenly Sunday is a dark bay or brown daughter of Candy Ride (ARG) out of the Giant's Causeway mare Alien Giant who and bred in Kentucky by Randal Family Trust.

The Mrs. Revere is named in honor of Mrs. Revere, an accomplished Churchill Downs fan favorite in the mid-1980s. Mrs. Revere won 12 races in 28 starts, finished second seven times and earned $429,545 for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. Her six wins in a dozen starts at Churchill Downs included stakes triumphs in the Regret, Dogwood and Edgewood in 1984 and the Kentucky Cardinal in 1985. She was owned by Dr. Hiram Polk and the late Dr. David Richardson, who have provided the winner's trophy for the Mrs. Revere in each year of its existence.

The post Heavenly Sunday Cruises Clear In Off-The-Turf Mrs. Revere appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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V V's Dream sat just off pacesetters Hot Beach and Youalmosthadme in the early stages of the race before easily running past those foes down the stretch to win Saturday's 55th running of the $300,000 Pocahonatas (G3) for 2-year-old fillies by a widening 8¾ lengths over Youalmosthadme at Churchill Downs.

Owned by Michael J. Mackin's MJM Racing, V V's Dream ran one mile in 1:36.45 for jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. and trainer Kenny McPeek. This marked the second straight year that McPeek trained a Mackin-owned runner to win the Pocahontas after doing it in 2022 with Fun and Feisty.

Kentucky-bred V V's Dream is from the first crop of 2019 champion male sprinter Mitole, who stands at Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, and is her sire's first stakes winner. She is out of the Tapit mare Quay and banked $183,105 for the win.

V V's Dream is the early points-leader on the “Road to the Kentucky Oaks” after collecting 10 points. The Pocahontas is the first of 32 qualifying races to the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) to be run next May, and points were awarded to the top five finishers on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale.

“She's still young but has shown a lot of talent already,” said Greg Geier, McPeek's assistant trainer. “She spent the summer in New York training for this race. It's been the plan to run here in the Pocahontas and then to the Breeders' Cup. I don't see why she wouldn't improve stretching out in distance after this.”

Breaking from post three in the field of six 2-year-old fillies, V V's Dream tugged her way into third after leaving the chute as Hot Beach and a tracking Youalmosthadme dictated the pace through fractions of :22.83, :45.55, and 1:10.24. At the top of the stretch, V V's Dream was full of run and cut loose with a powerful three-wide move to demolish her rivals.

“She sat in a perfect spot just behind the two pacesetters,” Hernandez said. “She got a little bit of a breather around the turn and really went by them own her own. She's won impressively in two starts here. I think stretching out around two turns shouldn't be a problem in the future.”

V V's Dream (3-2-1-0—$297,605) paid $4.40 tp win as the 6-5 betting choice.

Hot Beach finished three-quarters of a length back in third.

Courbe, Riperton and Regal Rumor completed the order of finish. Empire Island, Peignoir and Raining Sugar were scratched.

The winner was bred by Mark Stansell.

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