Tag: brad cox

West Will Power Holds Off Rattle N Roll in Stephen Foster

Gary and Mary West homebred West Will Power (h, 6, Bernardini–Wild Promises, by Wild Event) punched his ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Classic with a half-length victory over the streaking Rattle N Roll (Connect) in Saturday's 'Win and You're In' GI Stephen Foster S. at Ellis Park.

The 2-1 favorite sat a perfect, stalking trip beneath Flavien Prat in second through fractions of :23.74 and :46.97. He hit the front right outside of the quarter pole, set sail for home and stayed on to hold the fast-finishing Rattle N Roll safe. Longshot Happy American (Runhappy) was third.

The Stephen Foster, originally slated for Churchill Downs, is the first Grade I race in history to take place at Ellis Park.

“I think he can handle a mile-and-a-quarter in the Breeders' Cup Classic,” winning trainer Brad Cox said. “I was much more confident with him getting a target to track off in this race. We'll see how the figures come back, but I'm very proud of the way this horse has developed. It's a credit to the Wests and this horse to have the patience to improve with age. It's taken him a while to get to this level. It's really cool to go down in the history books by winning the first Grade I in the history of Ellis Park.”

West Will Power, second in last year's GI Clark S., posted a powerful victory with a career-high 109 Beyer Speed Figure in the GII New Orleans Classic S. Mar. 25. He entered off a third-place finish as the favorite in the GII Alysheba S. May 5.

“He was cruising all the way around there,” Prat said. “He just carried me home to the wire down the stretch. I was really impressed by the way he won this winter at Fair Grounds in the New Orleans Classic. It was a different setup last time out in the Alysheba. He came back here to Ellis and the race shape was much more to his style.”

Pedigree Notes:

West Will Power becomes the 17th Grade I winner for Bernardini. Grade III winner Wild Promises, a half-sister to MGSW Icy Atlantic (Stormy Atlantic) hailing from the extended female family of MGISW Jolie's Halo (Halo), had only one foal after West Will Power, an unraced 4-year-old filly named Cross Your Heart (Curlin). Wild Promises, a $200,000 KEENOV purchase by the Wests in 2012, brought $3,700 from Pam Schutz at the 2018 KEENOV sale.

Saturday, Ellis Park
STEPHEN FOSTER S.-GI, $1,000,000, Ellis, 7-1, 4yo/up, 1 1/8m, 1:47.93, ft.
1–WEST WILL POWER, 124, h, 6, by Bernardini
      1st Dam: Wild Promises (GSW, $699,610), by Wild Event
      2nd Dam: Frosty Promise, by Frosty the Snowman
      3rd Dam: Has Promise, by Skip Trial
1ST GRADE I WIN. O-Gary and Mary West; B-Gary & Mary West Stables Inc. (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Flavien Prat. $599,260. Lifetime Record: MGSW, 17-7-7-1, $1,745,390. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Rattle N Roll, 124, c, 4, Connect–Jazz Tune, by Johannesburg. ($55,000 Wlg '19 KEENOV; $210,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Lucky Seven Stable (Mackin); B-St. Simon Place (KY); T-Kenneth G. McPeek. $196,600.
3–Happy American, 124, g, 5, Runhappy–Queen of America, by Quiet American. 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($385,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Lothenbach Stables, Inc. (Bob Lothenbach); B-Claiborne Farm (KY); T-Neil L. Pessin. $97,300.
Margins: HF, 1HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 2.07, 6.90, 48.94.
Also Ran: Last Samurai, Smile Happy, Stilleto Boy, Speed Bias, Proxy. Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs.

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Graded Stakes Fireworks Set For Saturday

Ellis Park will host its first Grade I race in its 100-year history Saturday, but there are plenty of other graded stakes scheduled before the Fourth of July at Belmont Park, Delaware Park, Woodbine Racetrack and Gulfstream Park. Here's a rundown of what's on tap.

Showdown in Belmont's Dwyer

One of two graded stakes on Saturday in Elmont is the GIII Dwyer S. Going a mile, the race pits Fort Bragg (Tapit), who was forced to scratch from the GI Woody Stephens S. by trainer Bob Baffert when the 3-year-old colt came down with a fever, against the undefeated Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming), who is making his stakes debut for Brad Cox.

“This gives us options. We can see how we do here,” said Tom Ryan, managing partner of SF Racing. “There will be opportunities to stretch him out down the road if we feel that's the right thing. A race like the Allen Jerkens could be on the radar for him later in the summer if we felt like he needs a cutback.”

The other half of the co-feature is the GII John A. Nerud S. for older horses at seven furlongs, which includes Candy Man Rocket (Candy Ride {Arg}) the winner of the GIII Runhappy S. at Belmont May 13 for Bill Mott. “He's run some good races and if he gets a good trip, he usually runs pretty well,” the Hall of Fame trainer said. “I think he's fine on the lead or fine with a target. It just depends how the race sets up.”

Promiseher America Looks to Rebound

Trainer Ray Handal scooped up the first graded race of his career when 3-year-old Promiseher America (American Pharoah) won the GIII Gazelle S. at Aqueduct in early April. With a tough trip in the GI Kentucky Oaks, the chestnut filly will look to rebound in Saturday's GIII Delaware Oaks. She will face a pair of challengers in Juddmonte homebred Fireline (Arrogate) from the barn of Chad Brown and Siena and WinStar Farm's Miracle (Mendelssohn) trained by Todd Pletcher. Also part of this card is the GIII Robert G. Dick Memorial S. over the grass, which includes Ian Wilkes trainee Miss Yearwood (Will Take Charge)–winner last out of the Keertana S. at Churchill Downs.

Five at Woodbine

Canada Day on Saturday fits in well as Woodbine Entertainment hosts its own fireworks when it cards five graded races. The GIII Marine S. includes Chad Brown invader Turf King (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) whose main rival will be King's Plate hopeful Twin City (Klimt), while the GIII Selene S. witnesses the return of reigning Eclipse Award-winning juvenile filly Wonder Wheel (Into Mischief).

Wonder Wheel | Coady Photography

Not seen since she was ninth in the GI Kentucky Oaks, the Mark Casse trainee makes her first start at her trainer's home base. “I was really disappointed with her effort in the Ashland,” Casse said from his Ocala base. “And the Oaks was kind of a weird-run race. Then I wanted to get her up there and train her on the Tapeta. I just find that horses thrive at Woodbine, more than anywhere. I just kind of felt like we needed to get her back to square one, try to get her some confidence.”

Switching to the turf, trainer Larry Rivelli sends sprinter One Timer (Trappe Shot) north of the border for the GII Highlander S. as his 4-year-old gelding meets George Weaver shipper Outlaw Kid (Violence). Also on the grass, the GII Nassau S. includes Todd Pletcher trainee Scotish Star (Arg) (Key Deputy) who will look to upend current Canadian Horse of the Year Moira (Ghostzapper). Back on the Tapeta, the top three finishers from the June 4 running of the GII Eclipse S. at Woodbine–Treason (Constitution), Carrothers (Mshawish) and Tyson (Tapit)–will once again face one another in the GIII Dominion Day S.

Antonucci After More Graded Glory

Trainer Jena Antonucci made history when she won the GI Belmont S. last month and now she is looking for more graded hardware, this time at her southern digs in South Florida. Doc Amster (Midshipman) will compete in Gulfstream Park's GIII Smile Sprint Invitational S., but the 6-year-old will have to face down potential favorites in Dean Delivers (Cajun Breeze) for trainer Michael Yates and Todo Fino (Chi) (Verrazano) for Amador Sanchez.

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Thursday Insights: High-Priced Colts Do Battle At Ellis

2nd-ELP, $120K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 1:14 p.m.
Two high-priced maidens will kick off their careers at Ellis Park Thursday. BC Stables paid $1.35 million for DAILY GRIND (Medaglia d'Oro) at last year's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling sale. Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, the bay colt is out of SW Walk Close (Tapit), who also produced his full-brother Anneau d'Or, second-place finisher in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

Lambo (Uncle Mo), trained by Steve Asmussen, brought $950,000 from the Heiligbrodts and Jackpot Farm at OBS March after posting a :10 flat move during the under-tack show. He previously brought $360,000 as a KEENOV weanling and RNA'd for $575,000 as a FTSAUG yearling. His unraced dam Sunshiny Day (Bernardini) is out of champion 2-year-old filly & MGISW Storm Song (Summer Squall), who produced Another Storm (Gone West), dam of MG1SW Order Of St George (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). TJCIS PPS

1st-BEL, $90K, Msw, 3yo/up, 7f, 1:05 p.m.
COALVILLE (Into Mischief), a $675,000 KEESEP yearling purchase by William H. Lawrence, Jeff Drown, Don Rachel, Don Alberto Stable and Bridlewood Farm, makes his first start for Chad Brown with Jose Ortiz in the irons. The bay gelding, bred in Kentucky by Don Alberto Corp. and Bridlewood Farm, is out of GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Cathryn Sophia (Street Boss). TJCIS PPS

4th-ELP, $120K, Msw, 3yo/up, 1 1/16mT, 2:13 p.m.
DAI VERNON (Good Magic), a $500,000 KEESEP graduate, debuts for Besilu Stables and Brad Cox. His dam is a half-sister to GSW and late sire Laoban (Uncle Mo). This is also the female family of Canadian champion 2-year-old colt Mr. Hustle (Declaration of War) and MGISW I'm A Chatterbox (Munnings). TJCIS PPS

5th-BEL $90K, Msw, 2yo, 5fT, 3:10 p.m.
Repole Stable purchased NOTED (Cairo Prince) for $200,000 at last year's KEESEP sale. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the gray colt's dam counts GIII Peter Pan S. hero Mark Valeski (Proud Citizen) as a half brother. Also entered are a pair of Wesley Ward-trained firsters–Dark Vintage (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) (320,000gns TATOCT yearling) and Culprit (Justify) ($675,000 KEESEP yearling). The latter, favored at 5-2 on the morning line, has been working bullets on the grass over Saratoga's Oklahoma training track. TJCIS PPS

 

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Hoosier Philly Runs Away With Monomoy Girl S. Win

Not seen in the winner's circle since the GII Golden Rod S. at Churchill Downs last fall, Hoosier Philly (Into Mischief) won impressively as the 6-5 second choice in the Monomoy Girl S. at Ellis Park on Saturday afternoon.

A perfect three-for-three to start her juvenile career, the Tom Amoss trainee went into the break over the winter as one of the leading candidates to win the GI Kentucky Oaks. Finishing third in New Orleans in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. and a well-beaten fourth in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks in the spring, Hoosier Filly skipped the signature 3-year-old filly race and took a month and a half off following throat surgery before running second in the GII Black-Eyed Susan S. May 19 at Pimlico.

Breaking alertly here, the gray filly shot to the lead, controlled the more-than-honest fractions of :25.23 for the first quarter-mile and :48.86 for the first half-mile, and rounding the far turn, began to extend her margin. Despite a late challenge from favorite Wet Paint (Blame), Hoosier Filly cruised to a 3-length victory.

“She got away with a very easy opening quarter-mile but quickened up well in the lane when Edgar asked her,” said trainer Tom Amoss. “I'm so thrilled for the owners. Bill and Mary Stone are from across the river in Evansville, Indiana and Rod Ratcliff held a big role at several racetracks in Indiana. It was great to see her return to the winner's circle and thrilled everyone could be here celebrating with us today.”

The winner's dam is out of SW Princess Arabella (Any Given Saturday), who is also responsible for MGSP Ulele (Candy Ride {Arg}). Hoosier Philly is her dam's first offspring, but she has an unraced 2-year-old half-sister named Ava's Look (Mastery) and a yearling half-brother by Justify. Dam Tapella dropped a filly by Munnings May 21.

MONOMOY GIRL OVERNIGHT S., $172,400, Ellis, 6-17,
3yo, f, 1m, 1:36.39, ft.
1–HOOSIER PHILLY, 122, f, 3, by Into Mischief
                1st Dam: Tapella, by Tapit
                2nd Dam: Princess Arabella, by Any Given Saturday
                3rd Dam: Tortuga Lady, by Thunder Gulch
($510,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Gold Standard Racing Stable, LLC; B-Candy Meadows LLC (KY); T-Thomas M. Amoss; J-Edgar Morales. $105,900. Lifetime Record: GSW, 7-4-1-1, $644,510.
2–Wet Paint, 122, f, 3, Blame–Sky Painter, by Street Cry (Ire). O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $36,300.
3–Flamand, 118, f, 3, Creative Cause–Covey Trace, by Stevie Wonderboy. ($15,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Dean Caras; B-Brereton C. Jones (KY); T-Elias Lopez. $17,500.
Margins: 3HF, 5 1/4, HF. Odds: 1.25, 0.65, 28.22.
Also Ran: Champagne Calling, Sabra Tuff. Scratched: Never Tell Patti.
Click for the Equibase.com chart.

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