‘She’s Gotten Better And Better’: Civil Union Preps For Filly & Mare Turf

Allen Stable's homebred Civil Union worked a half-mile in 51 seconds flat in company with older allowance horse Sentry on the inner turf Sunday at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., in preparation for Saturday's Grade 1, $2-million Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky.

“The company carried her along,” said Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey. “She worked good. She's gotten better and better and stronger and stronger.”

The 5-year-old War Front mare extended her streak to four wins with a head score last out in the Grade 1, $250,000 Flower Bowl Invitational. The turf specialist arrived at the 10-furlong Widener turf test on a winning run-of-form that launched in a June 21 allowance tilt at Belmont and continued through scores in the 12-furlong River Memories on July 12 at Belmont and the 11-furlong Grade 2 Glens Falls at Saratoga.

Racing from sixth position early under Joel Rosario in the Flower Bowl, Civil Union advanced gamely to notch a narrow head score over Filly and Mare Turf-rivals My Sister Nat and Nay Lady Nay.

McGaughey said Civil Union, who ran second in a turf allowance in October 2018, in her lone Keeneland start, has the ability to be tactical if needed.

“In the Flower Bowl she was back a little further than usual,” said McGaughey. “If she gets a decent post and breaks good and depending what some of the others do, I know Joel will have her where he wants her to be. She's pretty versatile. She can settle in behind or if she needs to be up close she can be up close.”

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One Last Dance for Rushing Fall and Her e5 Family

One year after their very first Breeders’ Cup win with New Money Honey (Medaglia d’Oro) in 2016, Bob and Kristine Edwards of e5 Racing Thoroughbreds found themselves in the winner’s circle once again for the same race, with the same trainer-jockey duo, when Rushing Fall claimed the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

As it turned out it was hardly beginner’s luck, as Rushing Fall’s victory was a good omen for the family’s second Breeders’ Cup contender that year, and it proved to be just the start of an unforgettable four-year campaign for the daughter of More Than Ready.

“It was an amazing feeling,” Bob Edwards said of watching the ‘TDN Rising Star‘ cross the wire at Del Mar. “The emotions, the goosebumps, everything is really exciting. It took us 25 minutes to get through the crowd and walk down to the winner’s circle since everybody was excited for us and congratulating us. Poor Javier [Castellano] was circling and circling.”

Edwards said that after posing for the photo, trainer Chad Brown had told the family to watch the Juvenile closer to the winner’s circle the next day. It proved to be sound advice when Good Magic (Curlin), a colt they campaigned in partnership with Stonestreet Stables, became their second Breeders’ Cup winner of the weekend.

Edwards’s daughter Casi, e5’s Equine Manager, was not able to attend their first Breeders’ Cup victory with New Money Honey in 2016, but she made sure to be present for their Breeders’ Cup double the next year.

“I had never been to the Breeders’ Cup because New Money Honey ran when I was in college,” she said. “It was incredible. Everything worked out perfectly. The thrill to win two races in a row seemed unheard of and it was so much fun.”

After a five-month layoff following Rushing Fall’s undefeated juvenile season, the $320,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling returned with a vengeance at three, adding two more Grade II victories to her record before capping off the season with a win in the GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S.  Then at four, she added two more Grade I wins in the Jenny Wiley S. followed by a near record-breaking performance in the Just a Game S., where she covered the mile in 1:31.67.

After a close second behind the prior year’s Eclipse Champion Turf Female and stablemate Sistercharlie (Ire) {Myboycharlie (Ire)} in the GI Diana S. and then running out of the money for the first time in her career in the GI First Lady S., many assumed she would be whisked off to the breeding shed the next spring.

“After the [First Lady] at Keeneland, the media came up and asked what our plan was,” Edwards recalled. “I said, ‘We’re going to run her again,’ and they were kind of like, ‘Why?’ I told them we like horse racing, and that’s why we’re in this. In the Diana, she ran arguably her best fractions and her best race ever. It takes a lot out of you to run big races and then regroup and go back again.”

Rushing Fall was brought back this year at five and is now enjoying her second undefeated season that began with a wire-to-wire victory in the GIII Beaugay S. before she returned to Grade I company.

“This season she raised the bar,” Edwards said. “We went into the second race of the season with a repeat in the Jenny Wiley where she broke the track record. And then going to Saratoga and winning the Diana was really special. There’s a lot of pressure in that. The field was stacked with really good horses. My heart was pumping out of my chest. Everything you want out of horse ownership was right in that moment.”

Rushing Fall will soon return to Keeneland, where she ranks second behind Wise Dan for the most Keeneland graded stakes wins. She will be asked to go farther than ever before in the 1 3/16-mile Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf, but Edwards said he has full confidence in the $2.5 million dollar earner.

“She’s a different horse this year,” he said. “Even Javier said that and he knows better than I do. He said she’s calmer. She’s really focused. She just seems like she’s that gifted athlete where she knows where her place is, she knows the competition–she sizes them up and walks through the paddock with her ears up and nose flared a bit. It’s really special to see that out of your horse.”

Following the Breeders’ Cup, Rushing Fall will make the quick trip down the road to the Fasig-Tipton ‘Night of Stars’ sale. The 5-year-old bay will sell as Hip 205 with the Indian Creek consignment.

Fasig-Tipton’s Boyd Browning said, “She’s one of only three mares to win Grade I stakes races at two, three, four and five. She has pretty good company with Beholder and Lady Eli. It’s a rare accomplishment, and it just shows you how wonderful and brilliant Rushing Fall has been so far.”

Bred by Fred W. Hertrich III and John D. Fielding, Rushing Fall was first spotted by agent Mike Ryan at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale.

“She was a stunning yearling,” Edwards said of his purchase. “She had a real presence about her, even as a yearling. Mike loved the horse.”

“I know Mike was really excited the night that he bought her,” Browning echoed. “She’s got attitude, but it’s attitude with class.”

Before Rushing Fall returns to the Fasig-Tipton sales ring, the Edwards family will enjoy one last dance with their leading mare.

“Everyone has their own race routine,” Casi Edwards said. “Since we’ve become part of racing, my dad has gotten very superstitious. My mom has a lucky purse that she always has to find an outfit to go with the purse. Coming into race day, everyone’s always really nervous, but Rushing Fall always shows up. When she steps onto the track, you can see it in her. She’s game and she’s ready to do her job. She’s an incredible racehorse and we’re very lucky to have her in our family.”

“She’s obviously the best horse we ever had, and maybe the best horse we’ll ever have,” Bob Edwards said. “It’s tough to see her career end, but you’ve got to let her be a mom at this point. She’s won so many good races that I think I couldn’t do her justice by keeping her. I think it’s time for her to move on to a breeding operation that will set her up for the future. But these horses are an extension of your family after a while, and I think anybody that’s going to be trying to purchase her knows she’s a special horse.”

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Tough Trio for Brown in Flower Bowl

As has become the custom in New York’s top turf races, Chad Brown offers a three-pronged attack in Saturday’s GI Flower Bowl S., a ‘Win and You’re In’ event for the GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Keeneland next month. Leading the fray is dual Grade I-winner Cambier Parc (Medaglia d’Oro), victorious in four graded stakes last season–the GI Queen Elizabeth Cup, GI Del Mar Oaks, GIII Wonder Again S. and GIII Herecomesthebride S. Sent off the even-money favorite in her sole start of 2020 in the Sept. 12 GII Canadian S. at Woodbine, the OXO Equine runner finished runner-up behind Rideforthecause (Candy Ride {Arg}). Jockey John Velazquez, aboard for both Grade I wins in 2019, is reunited with the 4-year-old here. Brown is also represented by Nay Lady Nay (Ire) No Nay Never), winner of two of three starts this term, including Monmouth’s nine-furlong GIII Matchmaker S. in July. The 4-year-old, who returned to score in Laurel’s All Along S. Sept. 7, will be joined by Irad Ortiz Jr. for the first time Saturday.

Flying high following a victory in last weekend’s G1 Qatar Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe with Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), Peter Brant is represented by the French hero’s half-sister My Sister Nat (Fr) (Acclamation {GB}). Winner of the G3 Bertrand de Tarragon at Longchamp during her sophomore season, the bay was winless in a quartet of starts at four, however, did hit the board in three of them, including a second in Aqueduct’s 11-furlong GIII Long Island S. Nov. 30. Runner-up behind Mean Mary (Scat Daddy) in Belmont’s GII New York S. June 27, the French-bred annexed the 12-furlong GIII Waya S. at the Spa Aug. 8. Most recently, she finished second to Civil Union (War Front) in the Sept. 5 GII Glens Falls S.

Riding a three-race win streak, Civil Union, a former Brown trainee, joined the Shug McGaughey barn last fall, debuting for the trainer with a third in a 9 1/2-furlong Gulfstream allowance in January. Breaking through with an allowance score over this course and trip June 21, the Joe Allen homebred added the July 12 River Memories S. over 12 furlongs before her victory upstate. Joel Rosario, in the irons for her latest win, gets back on board this time.

“I think she’s a nice filly and she’s learned to put it all together,” McGaughey said. “We’ve been able to space her races in a good way and we’ll see if she moves it up the next notch. She’ll run as far as you want to run her.”

He added, “Most of the War Fronts like the firm turf. I think she likes this big race track at Belmont, too. She liked Saratoga and ran good there, but I think everything is coming together with her and I’m hoping it comes together Saturday.”

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Mucho Unusual Gives Jockey Juan Hernandez First Grade 1 In Rodeo Drive

Scoring his third victory of the afternoon, jockey Juan Hernandez guided George Krikorian's homebred Mucho Unusual to the front after the opening quarter mile, then lulled the competition to sleep, taking Saturday's Breeders' Cup Win and You're In Rodeo Drive Stakes on turf by 1 1/4 lengths for his first career Grade 1 triumph.

The victory ensured Mucho Unusual a fees-paid spot in the starting gate for the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Keeneland on Nov. 7.

Trained by Tim Yakteen, Mucho Unusual, a California-bred 4-year-old filly by Mucho Macho Man out of Not Unusual, by Unusual Heat, was winning for the fifth time in 16 career starts. This was her first G1 victory, her biggest previous win coming in the G2 San Clemente Stakes in 2019, when she also finished a close second in the G1 American Oaks.

Mucho Unusual paid $8.80 after covering 1 1/4 miles on firm turf in 2:00.19.

Maxim Rate finished second, with 7-5 favorite Lady Prancealot third, Tonahutu fourth and Pretty Point fifth in the field of six fillies and mares.

Tonahutu broke on top in the short run down the hillside turf course, but Hernandez put Mucho Unusual on the lead crossing the dirt and onto the main turf course. Mucho Unusual hung up fractions of :24.29, :49.52 and 1:14.07 for the first six furlongs, with Tonahutu and Maxim Rate her closest pursuers.

Approaching the stretch, after a mile in 1:37.28, Mucho Unusual still maintained an uncontested lead and she was never seriously threatened down the stretch as Lady Prancealot attempted to make a wide, belated bid from far back.

 

Mucho Unusual was coming off a half-length defeat when third in the Solana Beach Stakes at Del Mar, a race restricted to Cal-breds. Prior to that, Yakteen sent the filly to Keeneland, where she finished eighth in the G1 Jenny Wiley.

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