The 2024 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will include 23 stakes races with purses totaling $10.1 million, the highest purse levels and number of stakes offered since the launch of the multi-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival in 2014.

NYRA has increased the purse of the Belmont S. from $1.5 million to $2 million in 2024, which is the first significant increase since 2014. The 2024 Belmont Stakes will be contested at 1 1/4 miles in 2024 rather than the traditional 1 1/2 miles due to the configuration of Saratoga's main track.

In addition, NYRA has increased the purse of the GI Resorts World Casino Manhattan from $750,000 to $1 million and boosted the GI New York from $600,000 to $750,000. As a result, the total purses offered at the 2024 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will exceed $10 million for the first time.

NYRA has also boosted the purse of the GIII Poker from $200,000 to $350,000 and added $100,000 to the purses of the GI Woody Stephens, the GI Jaipur and the GII True North. Accordingly, the Woody Stephens and Jaipur will offer a purse of $500,000, with the True North rising to $350,000.

Differences between the circumference of Saratoga Race Course and Belmont Park will require slight distance adjustments to a number of races scheduled for the 2024 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. On the main track, four races previously run at a one-turn 1 1/16 miles on the main track (Acorn, Ogden Phipps, Commentator and Critical Eye) will be run at 1 1/8 miles around two turns.

On the turf, the Manhattan and New York will be contested at 1 3/16 miles rather than the customary 10 furlongs. The Jaipur and $200,000 GII Intercontinental, which saw un upgrade from Grade III status last year, will each be run at 5 1/2 furlongs rather than the customary six furlongs.

The Festival opens with four stakes on Thursday, June 6 led by the $250,000 GII Belmont Gold Cup for older horses traveling two miles on the turf. The June 6 program will include the Listed $150,000 Jersey Girl for sophomore fillies sprinting six furlongs; the Listed $150,000 Tremont for juveniles sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs and the $150,000 Astoria at 5 1/2 furlongs for juvenile fillies.

Friday, June 7 will feature three Grade I events among four stakes topped by the New York for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up; the $500,000 Acorn for sophomore fillies and the $500,000 Just a Game at one mile on the turf for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up. The GII Intercontinental for older fillies and mares rounds out the stakes action on the second day of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.

A blockbuster Belmont Stakes Day at Saratoga awaits on Saturday, June 8 with a program to include six Grade I events among nine stakes races in total, culminating with the Belmont S. and featuring three Breeders' Cup “Win And You're In” qualifiers: the $1-million GI Metropolitan H. for 3-year-olds and up going one mile out of the Wilson Chute [Dirt Mile]; the $500,000 GI Ogden Phipps for older fillies and mares [Distaff]; and the $500,000 GI Jaipur for 3-year-olds and up [Turf Sprint]. In addition, the prestigious and historic Grade I races on Belmont Stakes Day will include the $1-million Resorts World Casino Manhattan for older horses, and the seven-furlong $500,000 Woody Stephens for sophomores.

Belmont Stakes Day at Saratoga will be bolstered by the GII True North for older horses sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs; the GIII Poker for older horses at one mile on the turf and the $350,000 GII Suburban for older horses at 10 furlongs.

The 2024 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga will conclude on Sunday, June 9 when New York-breds take center stage for a special New York Showcase Day featuring six stakes exclusively for New York-breds.

For the complete Belmont Stakes Racing Festival stakes schedule, visit BelmontStakes.com/schedule.

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This was the second Spinster title for Juddmonte, which began sponsoring the prestigious race in 2005. Emollient (Empire Maker) carried the famed green and pink to victory here in 2013.

Backed at even-money to repeat rival Nest (Curlin)'s 4-5 odds, the Brad Cox trainee took clear command from the outset, doled out splits of :24.49, :48.31 and 1:12.24 and never faced an ounce of pressure all the way to the wire, which she crossed 4 1/4 lengths to the good. Le Da Vida (Chi) (Gemologist) was second, while Bellamore (Empire Maker) rounded out the trifecta. Nest could only muster a mild late bid and settled for fourth. The final time was 1:49.82.

“Actually, it was not easy looking at the race on paper with Nest being in there, a very good filly,” said winning rider Florent Geroux. “But my filly just keeps on improving and we know the distance is not a problem. She just keeps improving, and Brad and his team had her at her prime again today. She's just getting better and better, and I can't wait to ride her again.”

After methodically moving through her allowance conditions at Turfway Park at the start of the year, Idiomatic made her stakes debut a winning one in that venue's Latonia S. in March. She was a well-beaten second in Belmont's GII Ruffian S. in May before putting them back-to-back in the GIII Shawnee S. at Churchill in June and GII Delaware H. the following month. Idiomatic was last seen defeating the accomplished pair of Secret Oath (Arrogate) and Nest in a sloppy renewal of Saratoga's GI Personal Ensign S. Aug. 25.

This was Brad Cox's first Spinster victory. Of winning it for the famed operation whose name it carries, he said, “It's very special, and I want to thank [owner Fahad bin] Mr. Khalid and his family and obviously the Juddmonte team here in America. This is a big win for this filly, it's her second Grade I. She's had a fantastic year. [This race is] a 'Win and You're In' [for] the Breeders' Cup so we're excited about that. I've run four or five fillies in the past in [this race] and haven't had much luck, so she was able to break through for us today.”

Cox said of Idiomatic, “She's a tremendous talent, very physical, really. When I was saddling her in the paddock, I was, like, 'Wow, she's the biggest horse I've ever trained.' She's a monster. She has a tremendous stride and covers so much ground. She's really a freak–I mean, she really is a tremendous talent, and we're very fortunate to have her.”

Sunday, Keeneland
JUDDMONTE SPINSTER S.-GI, $580,250, Keeneland, 10-8, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/8m, 1:49.82, ft.
1–IDIOMATIC, 124, f, 4, by Curlin
               1st Dam: Lockdown (SW & MGISP, $445,900),
                              by First Defence
               2nd Dam: Rising Tornado, by Storm Cat
               3rd Dam: Silver Star (GB), by Zafonic
O/B-Juddmonte Farms Inc (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Florent
Geroux. $367,350. Lifetime Record: 11-8-1-2, $1,416,840.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Le Da Vida (Chi), 124, m, 6, by Gemologist
               1st Dam: Viene Cantando (Chi) (MG1SW-Chi,
                               $119,875), by Gstaad
               2nd Dam: Cantan Las Flores (Chi), by Dynamix
               3rd Dam: Lanza Flores (Chi), by Gallantsky
O-Masaiva Inc.; B-Haras Santa Olga (CHI); T-Ignacio Correas, IV.
$98,750.
3–Bellamore, 124, m, 5, by Empire Maker
               1st Dam: Smart N Soft, by Smart Strike
               2nd Dam: Softly, by Binalong
               3rd Dam: Coragil, by Metfield
($170,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP; $350,000 2yo '20 OBSAPR).
O-Kaleem Shah, Inc.; B-Gainesway Thoroughbreds Ltd. (KY);
T-Carlos Santamaria. $59,250.
Margins: 4 1/4, 2HF, 4HF. Odds: 1.06, 12.90, 25.51.
Also Ran: Nest, Sixtythreecaliber, Malloy. Scratched: Misty Veil.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

Pedigree Notes:
Idiomatic is the second-straight Spinster winner by super sire Curlin (last year's winner Malathaat took the Distaff next out en route to her second-straight Eclipse), and one of his 22 highest-level winners.

Idiomatic is a fourth-generation Juddmonte-bred and hails from the direct female line of Broodmare of the Year Best in Show (Traffic Judge), whose daughters have been brilliant producers and are responsible for a plethora of top horses over the last 50 or so years. One of those top horses was Juddmonte homebred, 'TDN Rising Star', and champion Close Hatches (First Defence), a full-sister to Idiomatic's stakes-winning and multiple Grade I-placed dam, Lockdown, who was fourth in the 2017 Juddmonte as a sophomore. Close Hatches is the dam of Tacitus (Tapit), whose big wins included the 2019 GII Wood Memorial S. and whose placings included the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Belmont S.

Broodmare sire First Defence, another Juddmonte homebred descending from the operation's wonderful Broodmare of the Year Toussuad (El Gran Senor), has 14 stakes winners out of his daughters. He is also the broodmare sire of 2021 GI Hollywood Derby hero Beyond Brilliant (Twirling Candy). First Defence now stands in Saudi Arabia.

Lockdown died in 2022 after producing just three foals. She has an unraced 3-year-old filly named Abditory (Medaglia d'Oro) and a yearling filly by Into Mischief.

Watch the full replay as Juddmonte's IDIOMATIC wins the @JuddmonteFarms Spinster (G1) in decisive fashion! pic.twitter.com/pAqmZx7ntx

— Keeneland Racing (@keenelandracing) October 8, 2023

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“Cloud nine, now that would describe it,” said Agnew. “Especially with a homebred like this, it is a great thrill and Mark [Glatt]'s done a great job with the filly. The man that was on the farm said, 'This is one I think you ought to keep and I think he was right.' I think the way Gun Runner has proven a great sire to both fillies and colts was a big reason I decided to keep her and race her. On to the Breeders' Cup. We hope that she comes out well and we are looking forward to it.”

Chatalas broke from the inside in the Chandelier with running on her mind. She immediately secured the front and was quickly joined by Bob Baffert's GIII Sorrento S. third-place finisher Dua (Arrogate), but Antonio Fresu up on the winner was relaxed and riding high in the saddle. The pair moved comfortably through early fractions of :23.69 and :47.97, continuing to hold Dua at bay by a half-length. Fresu threw a few crosses coming off the turn, encouraged Chatalas a few times with the stick, and the race was quickly put to bed. The bay left Dua behind as she strode powerfully to the wire. Meanwhile, Todd Pletcher maiden shipper Scalable (Speightstown) commenced a rally and caught Dua but there was no catching Chatalas, who had plenty left to hold off the late challenge.

“We've always thought the further she went the better she would be,” said Glatt. “A little disappointed with the Debutante performance, but I look back on it and she was fairly close to :44 fractions and that's just not her. We knew she would have pretty good speed going two turns and she did kind of everything her own way. She broke sharp and had a relatively comfortable lead. Fresu rode her great.”

Chatalas debuted July 30 with a victory at Del Mar sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs. Her 74 Beyer Speed Figure that day was second-best in this field behind Laurent (Practical Joke)'s 78 when second in the same Debutante Chatalas in which finished fourth. Laurent was the favorite Saturday in the Chandelier, but chased wide and finished ninth.

CHATALAS ($8.20) from gate to wire under @Antonio1Fresu in the $200,000 Chandelier Stakes (G2) @LanesEndFarms @BreedersCup Challenge Series Race at @santaanitapark. Trainer Mark Glatt's got a nice Gun Runner (@Three_Chimneys) filly for the BC Juvenile Fillies! pic.twitter.com/XaAaiPlA45

— TVG (@TVG) October 7, 2023

Pedigree Notes:

Not bad for an afternoon's work. Three Chimneys super sire Gun Runner had four graded stakes entries Friday. Two won and all four hit the board. About 45 minutes before Chatalas won the Chandelier, his Wicked Halo was a nose second in the GII Thoroughbred Club of America S. at Keeneland. Earlier in the afternoon, his Life Talk had been third in the GI Frizette S. at Belmont at Aqueduct, and moments after the Chandelier, his 'TDN Rising Star' Locked won the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland. Such is a Saturday afternoon in the rarefied air of Gun Runner's world. Interestingly, Locked, Life Talk, and Wicked Halo all hail from A.P. Indy broodmare sire lines, but Chatalas is out of an Indian Charlie mare. Chatalas is the 101st stakes winner out of a daughter of Indian Charlie and is one of 23 black-type winners by Gun Runner. A member of his third crop, Chatalas is one of 17 graded winners for Gun Runner.

Indian Safari, the dam of Chatalas, has a yearling filly by Bernardini who was a $225,000 purchase by Repole Stable out of the recent Keeneland September yearling sale. Her 2023 Liam's Map filly was foaled Apr. 12 and she was bred back to that sire for next term. Fleetwood Bloodstock purchased Indian Safari on behalf of Agnew for $130,000 while carrying her first foal, a Union Rags filly, at the 2015 Keeneland November sale.

Saturday, Santa Anita
CHANDELIER S.-GII, $202,000, Santa Anita, 10-7, 2yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:44.28, ft.
1–CHATALAS, 122, f, 2, by Gun Runner
                1st Dam: Indian Safari, by Indian Charlie
                2nd Dam: Hopes and Dreams, by More Than Ready
                3rd Dam: Nokia, by Theatrical (Ire)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O-Rancho
Temescal Thoroughbred Partners and Dan J. Agnew; B-Dan
Agnew (KY); T-Mark Glatt; J-Antonio Fresu. $120,000. Lifetime
Record: 3-2-0-0, $187,200.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Scalable, 122, f, 2, Speightstown–Passion Flower, by Tapit.
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($200,000 Ylg '22
KEESEP). O-Repole Stable; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred
Holdings LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $40,000.
3–Dua, 122, f, 2, Arrogate–Attempt to Name, by Consolidator.
($400,000 Ylg '22 FTKJUL). O-Zedan Racing Stables, Inc.;
B-Wynnstay INC, Donna Moore & Jim Richardson (KY);
T-Bob Baffert. $24,000.
Margins: 1HF, NK, 3/4. Odds: 3.10, 8.90, 5.20.
Also Ran: Pacific Rose, Gate to Paradise, Autumn Chill, Motet, Pink Whitney, Laurent. Scratched: Next Right Thing.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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“I was kind of surprised, I thought everyone would try to go,” Reddam said. “The track has been pretty speed favoring all day and he just broke so smoothly that he was on top in three jumps and that worked out. We are in for the Breeders' Cup Classic.”

Favored at 2-1 to snap a five-race skid dating back to a victory in the GII Del Mar Derby on the turf last September, the homebred–third to Defunded (Dialed In) in this event before filling the same spot in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile–bounced beautifully from gate three and set a lively pace over the rain-affected main track. The Bob Baffert duo of Defunded and GI Preakness S. hero National Treasure (Quality Road) tried to make a race of it as they swung into the stretch, but Slow Down Andy had something left and proved an easy winner by 2 1/2 lengths.

Defunded lasted for second ahead of Senor Buscador (Mineshaft), who attacked the wire for third.

Slow Down Andy, winner of the 2021 GII Los Alamitos Futurity and 2022 GIII Sunland Park Derby, made three previous starts this season, including a second-place finish in the GII San Diego H. July 29 and a third-place finish in the GI FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic S. last time Sept. 2.

Trainer Doug O'Neill was winning the race for the first time since the legendary Lava Man (Slew City Slew) took it when contested as the Goodwood H. in 2006. Baffert had trained the last three winners of the Awesome Again and eight overall.

“First of all, he is a super easy horse to train and I have to thank the people at OBR,” O'Neill said.

“Zillah does a lot of work along with Ocean Breeze, Carlos and Casey they do such a wonderful job. If they are all like him, it is about as easy as a job as you can get. He just goes out there and gives 100 percent every morning exercising. Tony Romero gets on him, he used to get on the great Lava Man and he says this horse is very special. Just to get a Grade I for Paul, Zillah, and for Andy and OBR it is really special.”

Pedigree Notes:

Slow Down Andy becomes the fourth winner at the top level for Nyquist, who was also campaigned by these same connections to memorable wins in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile and GI Kentucky Derby. Slow Down Andy is the lone graded winner produced by broodmare sire Square Eddie.

Reddam homebred Edwina E, winless in two career attempts, has also produced the late MSW Team Merchants (Nyquist) and a Nyquist filly of this year. She was bred to Nyquist for 2024.

Saturday, Santa Anita
AWESOME AGAIN S.-GI, $302,000, Santa Anita, 9-30, 3yo/up, 1 1/8m, 1:47.62, wf.
1–SLOW DOWN ANDY, 122, c, 4, by Nyquist
                1st Dam: Edwina E, by Square Eddie
                2nd Dam: Electric Daze, by Gilded Time
                3rd Dam: Electric Fable, by Quiet American
1ST GRADE I WIN. O/B-Reddam Racing, LLC (CA); T-Doug F.
O'Neill; J-Mario Gutierrez. $180,000. Lifetime Record:
14-5-4-3, $1,276,600. *Full to Team Merchants, MSW,
$250,490. Werk Nick Rating: A++.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Defunded, 126, g, 5, Dialed In–Wind Caper, by Touch Gold.
($210,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Michael E. Pegram, Karl Watson
and Paul Weitman; B-Athens Woods LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert.
$60,000.
3–Senor Buscador, 124, h, 5, Mineshaft–Rose's Desert, by
Desert God. 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O-Joe R. Peacock, Jr.; B-Joe R
Peacock Sr. & Joe R Peacock Jr. (KY); T-Todd W. Fincher.
$36,000.
Margins: 2 1/4, 1, 1HF. Odds: 2.00, 3.90, 8.40.
Also Ran: National Treasure, Skinner, Bye Bye Bobby, Celestial Moon, Piroli, Stilleto Boy.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

SLOW DOWN ANDY is going to the @BreedersCup Classic! @_MGutierrez_ sent him gate to wire for the victory in the (GI) Awesome Again at @SantaAnitaPark. The son of Nyquist is trained by @DougONeill1 and owned by Reddam Racing. Congratulations to all the connections! pic.twitter.com/ZnwFxMmLop

— TVG (@TVG) October 1, 2023

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The 3-5 favorite set a pressured pace, albeit through very manageable early fractions of :23.69 and :47.10 going a one-turn mile beneath the Twin Spires. He let it out a notch as they straightened for home and held Justify (Scat Daddy)'s half-brother and 'Rising Star' Stage Raider (Pioneerof the Nile) safe by a length. Three Technique (Mr Speaker) completed the 'Rising Star' trifecta.

Zozos, a strong second at just third asking in the 2022 GII Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby, reeled off three straight wins earlier this term, including the Knicks Go S. over this same track and trip May 6 and the Hanshin S. at Ellis Park July 2. He was a disappointing fourth as the heavy favorite going 1 1/16 miles around two turns in Monmouth's GIII Philip H. Iselin S. last time Aug. 19.

“I didn't think he would get away with that easy of an early lead,” winning trainer Brad Cox said. “I thought Florent (Geroux) did a good job to not let Caddo River (Hard Spun) get too close on his outside. He's run well this year and trained well out of his last race at Monmouth.”

Cox continued, “I think he's now a really good one-turn horse. We'll see who's going where in the Breeders' Cup and make a decision on his next start soon. I don't know what we'd do if we don't go to the Breeders' Cup, but we'll let this horse tell us what's next. It's a lot to ask of any horse to make the trip from Kentucky to California against some of the best horses in the world.”

Pedigree Notes:

Zozos becomes the 27th graded stakes winner for Munnings. Forestry is now the broodmare sire of 27 graded winners as well. The Butzows acquired the dam of Zozos for $57,000 at the 2011 Keeneland September and raced her to nine victories and eight minor placings from 32 starts for earnings north of $233,000. Papa's Forest had a colt by Candy Ride (Arg) in 2023 and was bred back to Jackie's Warrior.

Saturday, Churchill Downs
ACK ACK S.-GIII, $400,000, Churchill Downs, 9-30, 3yo/up, 1m, 1:35.32, ft.
1–ZOZOS, 121, c, 4, by Munnings
              1st Dam: Papa's Forest, by Forestry
              2nd Dam: Dixie Sue, by Dixieland Band
              3rd Dam: Barbara Sue, by Big Spruce
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O/B-Barry Butzow & Joni Butzow (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Florent Geroux. $242,280. Lifetime Record: 11-7-1-0, $882,688. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Stage Raider, 121, h, 5, Pioneerof the Nile–Stage Magic, by Ghostzapper. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($950,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-John D. Gunther; B-John D. Gunther (KY); T-Cherie DeVaux. $78,800.
3–Three Technique, 121, h, 6, Mr Speaker–Nite in Rome, by Harlan's Holiday. ($50,000 Wlg '17 KEENOV; $180,000 Ylg '18 FTKJUL; $47,000 RNA 4yo '21 KEENOV). O-Miller, David E., Grindley, Eric and Werner, John; B-Omega Farm LLC & Bally Breeders (KY); T-Jason G. Cook. $39,400.
Margins: 1, 1, 5 1/4. Odds: 0.77, 6.70, 4.25.
Also Ran: O Besos, Caddo River, Seize the Night, Skyro.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuelTV.

#5 ZOZOS wins the (G3) Ack Ack Stakes under @flothejock at @ChurchillDowns and earns his spot in the @BreedersCup Dirt Mile. This son of Munnings is trained by @bradcoxracing and owned and bred by Barry and Joni Butzow. #WAYI pic.twitter.com/r5nZeIAaVZ

— TVG (@TVG) September 30, 2023

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As is his custom, trainer Bob Baffert is armed with a slew of Classic prospects, however, he confirmed last week that one of the early Classic favorites–GI Pacific Classic scorer Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo)–would bypass this local Breeders' Cup Classic prep. Also missing this weekend's lineup, GI Haskell Invitational winner Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) is expected to train straight up to the Classic, as will GI Whitney S. victor White Abarrio (Race Day).

However, despite Arabian Knight's absence, Baffert, who has won this race five times since the re-naming of the Goodwood in 2012, once again looms large, unleashing a pair of Grade I winners–defending champ Defunded (Dialed In) and National Treasure (Quality Road), winner of this season's GI Preakness S.

Defunded has shown a strong affinity for The Great Race Place, having won there in five of nine starts, including victories in this season's GII Californian and GI Gold Cup. Fourth behind Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) in the GII San Diego H. at Del Mar, Defunded finished sixth behind stablemate Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo) in the 10-furlong Pacific Classic Sept. 2. The 5-year-old appears likely to be kept company on the front end early by Classic winner National Treasure who, along with MGISP Skinner (Curlin), is one of only two sophomores in the field. Runner up in the GI American Pharoah S. at this venue last fall, he rounded out the season with a third in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland in November. Third in the GIII Sham S. in January and fourth in the Apr. 8 GI Santa Anita Derby, the colt went to the front early and remained tough late to head the ultra-game Blazing Sevens (Good Magic) in the second jewel of the Triple Crown. Wilting to sixth while stretching to 12 furlongs for the GI Belmont June 10, the bay never got into the mix of things-in while in absence of blinkers–in the GI Travers S. over 10 furlongs Aug. 26. In a rider's edition of musical chairs, Juan Hernandez replaces Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez aboard the Classic winner, while Edwin Maldonado, gets the call on Defunded Saturday.

Sporting some solid credentials himself, Slow Down Andy (Nyquist) offered a good showing last time out when third, beaten 1 1/2 lengths by Arabian Knight and runner-up Geaux Rocket Ride, in the Pacific Classic and followed up with a second-place effort in the 8 1/2-furlong GII San Diego H. at Del Mar July 29. He was also sixth in the GI Met Mile earlier in June.

Victorious in last season's GIII Sunland Derby and the grassy GII Del Mar Derby, the Doug O'Neill trainee rounded out 2022 with a third behind Cody's Wish (Curlin) in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland Nov. 5.

Also attempting to get back into the winner's circle Saturday, Stilleto Boy (Shackleford) recorded his biggest career score in the GI Santa Anita H. over 1 1/4 miles in March before coming up a head short while cutting back to nine panels in the GII Oaklawn H. the following month. Tiring to sixth in a rerouted renewal of the GI Stephen Foster S., contested at Ellis July 1, the gelding was eased after a problematic start last time out in the Pacific Classic and will try to rebound in this cut back. Trained by Ed Moger, the $420,000 Fasig-Tipton Horses in Training graduate, a winner of last season's GII Californian over this track and trip, has hit the board in six of seven starts at Santa Anita.

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Sent off at odds of 8-1 while stretching out to the mile off a first-up graduation sprinting over the Ellis Park turf course July 16, the $240,000 Keeneland September acquisition was bumped at the break from an outside barrier and settled just behind midfield and in the slipstream of the well-backed Ozara (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), from the Summer S.-winning barn of Christophe Clement. Always traveling sweetly with that cover as Golden Canary (Medaglia d'Oro) continued to show the way through a half in :47.01, She Feels Pretty was up into fifth and under a nice John Velazquez hold at the three-eighths. Pulled off heels in upper stretch, She Feels Pretty descended on the leaders with about a furlong to travel and shot clear to score by daylight. The maiden Simply in Front (Summer Front) ran on for second ahead of a slow-starting and favored Dazzling Star (GB) (Blue Point {Ire}) in third. The final time was some 0.36 seconds faster than the Summer S. two races prior.

“I was very confident, I got to say she was feeling very confident,” said Velazquez, winning his first Natalma. “I made sure I put her in a good position behind Dylan Davis [rider of Ozara], a horse that could take me a little way down. When we turned for home, I moved her to the clear and her ears went up and I said, 'Wow, look at this.' I went after her and she instantly responded. The way she did it was very impressive.”

Pedigree Notes:

She Feels Pretty is the 12th worldwide stakes winner, seventh graded winner and second top-level scorer for Karakontie, upset winner of the 2014 GI Breeders' Cup Mile whose lone starter on championship weekend, Spanish Loveaffair, was sixth in the 2020 Juvenile Fillies Turf. She Feels Pretty is the 161st worldwide SW, 74th GSW and 20th Grade I/Group 1 winner out of a daughter of the late, great More Than Ready, and the first by a sire descending from an immediate Storm Cat line.

Arthur Hancock's Stone Farm raised and sold She Feels Pretty to the second Book 4 session of last year's Keeneland September Sale, where she caught the eye of Roy and Gretchen Jackson's high-class operation. Payson Stud acquired dam Summer Sweet for $550,000 as an early 2-year-old from the partial dispersal of the Estate of Sarah Leigh at Keeneland January in 2016, the most expensive horse of racing age during the sale. Payson also gave a sales-topping $700,000 for Summer Sweet's Grade I-placed half-sister Summer Solo (Arch), whose daughter Solo Album (Curlin) won this year's GIII Selene S. over the local synthetic track.

The filly's second dam was a listed winner in France for the late Gerald Leigh and Jonathan Pease–who coincidentally trained Karakontie for the Niarchos Family's Flaxman Holdings–and her other winners included SW Summer Breezing (Langfuhr) and Adirondack Summer (Thunder Gulch). This is also the family of Gerald Leigh's dual French Group 1 winner Act One (GB) (In the Wings {GB}).

The yearling relation to She Feels Pretty, a colt by Good Magic, was purchased for $600,000 by Boardshorts from the Stone Farm draft at Keeneland September this past Thursday. Summer Sweet foaled an American Pharoah filly Apr. 19 and was bred back to Olympiad.

Saturday, Woodbine
JOHNNIE WALKER NATALMA S.-GI, C$503,500, Woodbine, 9-16, 2yo, f, 1mT, 1:35.34, gd.
1–SHE FEELS PRETTY, 121, f, 2, by Karakontie (Jpn)
                1st Dam: Summer Sweet, by More Than Ready
                2nd Dam: Summer Solstice (Ire), by Caerleon
                3rd Dam: Summer Sonnet (GB), by Baillamont
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I
WIN. ($240,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-Lael Stables; B-Payson Stud
Inc (KY); T-Cherie DeVaux; J-John R. Velazquez. C$300,000.
Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $262,379. Werk Nick Rating: A+++.
*Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Simply in Front, 121, f, 2, by Summer Front
                1st Dam: Complicated, by Blame
                2nd Dam: Consequence, by El Prado (Ire)
                3rd Dam: Educated Risk, by Mr. Prospector
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK
TYPE. ($115,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-Colebrook Farms;
B-William Harrigan & Mike Pietrangelo (KY); T-Patrick Dixon.
C$100,000.
3–Dazzling Star (GB), 121, f, 2, by Blue Point (Ire)
                1st Dam: Dancing Sands (Ire) (SW-Ger, GSP-Ity, GSP-Fr,
                                 GSP-Tur, $128,976), by Dubawi (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Past the Post, by Danzig
                3rd Dam: Qui Royalty, by Native Royalty
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK
TYPE. O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charles Appleby. C$50,000.
Margins: 4 1/4, 2HF, 1 3/4. Odds: 8.00, 29.65, 1.40.
Also Ran: Ozara (Ire), Golden Canary, Ready to Jam, Rhapsody, Bolt Enoree, Dea Matrona (Fr), She's Fire, Ms. Tart, Brocknardini, Dancing Duchess. Scratched: Airosa, Go With Gusto.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

The post Lael, DeVaux Sittin’ ‘Pretty’ For Breeders’ Cup Following Natalma appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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As the saying goes, 'you miss 100% of the shots you don't take,' and it was with that mindset that Get Smokin (Get Stormy)–a Grade II and Grade III winner, but unproven over the 12-furlong trip of the GII FanDuel Kentucky Cup Turf–was even entered in the first place. But given a perfect ride from the front by Fernando de la Cruz on a day the rail was where you wanted to be at Kentucky Downs, the chestnut, off at 19-1, forgot to stop and proved 1 3/4 lengths superior over Spooky Channel (English Channel) when all was said and done. Santin (Medaglia d'Oro) raced prominently throughout and settled for third.

“I have often told [Ironhorse Racing Managing Partner] Harlan [Malter] that he is the craziest owner I train for. But this was not a crazy idea,” winning trainer Mark Casse said in the immediate aftermath of the upset.

The hard-fought winner of a Gulfstream allowance first off a September layoff back in April, Get Smokin was sixth in a graded-stakes quality renewal of the Opening Verse S. at Churchill May 4, then was run down late and finished runner-up in the GIII Arlington S. June 3 and in the July 1 Wise Dan S. at Ellis. Tried over 10 furlongs for the first time in the Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Cup Aug. 6, Get Smokin made the running, but was reeled in late and settled for fourth.

Though he had a bit of early company in the form of Santin in the final event of Saturday's stakes-laden program, Get Smokin took the field into the first turn and opened up four or five lengths on his rivals as they hit the backstretch. Despite the loose lead, Get Smokin switched off beautifully on the engine, getting the half in :49.61 and the opening six panels in a comfortable 1:14.18.

Even though the next couple of furlongs were covered in a testing :23.81, Get Smokin was still full of run down the side of the track, daring some proven stayers to come and get him. But catch him they could not, as he switched his leads at the quarter pole, flopped back and forth in the final furlong, but remained clear to the wire.

Malter was full of praise for de la Cruz, who won back-to-back runnings of the GII Woodford S. aboard Ironhorse's Bucchero (Kantharos) before also partnering with the horse in consecutive renewals of the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.

“We looked at this race,” Malter said. “We wanted to test out at Ellis [in the 1 1/4-mile prep]. Even though we ran fourth, we were happy. He ran a similar figure to what he was running at a mile and a sixteenth. We were all systems go. We kind of came up with the idea to have Fernando. We made a very specific plan, and it's amazing how well Fernando executed it.”

Pedigree Notes:

By Get Stormy, winner of the GI Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at nine furlongs on the turf, Get Smokin is out of a mare by noted sprint sire Smoke Glacken. There is a bit of stamina as you go down the page, as second dam Doc's Leading Lady–the dam of MSW Spanish Pipedream (Scat Daddy)–was a full-sister to Phi Beta Doc, who set a Saratoga course record when winning the 1999 GIII Saranac S. over a mile and three-sixteenths before annexing that year's 10-furlong Virginia Derby, also in course-record time. Third dam Smart Queen was a half-sister to 1977 GII Arkansas Derby hero Clev Er Tell (Tell).

Hookah Lady is the dam of a 2-year-old colt by Vino Rosso who was a $32,000 RNA as a KEENOV weanling, then sold for $35,000 at KEESEP last fall before blossoming into a $550,000 OBS March breezer. Smoldering Ash, a yearling full-sister to Get Smokin, went for $102,000 at this year's Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July Sale to NBS Stable's John Ballantyne, coincidentally the owner of Turf Cup runner-up Spooky Channel. The mare produced a Classic Empire colt this year and was bred back to Practical Joke.

Saturday, Kentucky Downs
FANDUEL KENTUCKY TURF CUP S.-GII, $1,675,429, Kentucky Downs, 9-9, 3yo/up, 1 1/2mT, 2:28.66, fm.
1–GET SMOKIN, 122, g, 6, by Get Stormy
                1st Dam: Hookah Lady, by Smoke Glacken
                2nd Dam: Doc's Leading Lady, by Doc's Leader
                3rd Dam: Smart Queen, by King Pellinore

($11,000 Ylg '18 FTKOCT). O-Ironhorse Racing Stable LLC, BlackRidge Stables LLC, T-N-T Equine Holdings, LLC and Saratoga Seven Racing Partners, LLC; B-Hurstland Farm, Inc. & James Greene Jr. (KY); T-Mark E. Casse; J-Fernando De La Cruz. $972,220. Lifetime Record: 27-6-7-2, $1,650,497. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Spooky Channel, 124, g, 8, English Channel–Spooky Kitten, by Kitten's Joy. ($10,000 Ylg '16 FTKOCT). O-NBS Stable; B-Calumet Farm (KY); T-Jason Barkley. $316,200.
3–Santin, 122, h, 5, Distorted Humor–Sentiero Italia, by Medaglia d'Oro. O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brendan P. Walsh. $158,100.
Margins: 1 3/4, HD, NO. Odds: 19.57, 17.54, 4.29.
Also Ran: Red Knight, Verstappen, Kitodan, Me and Mr. C, Therapist, Never Explain, Foreign Relations, Another Mystery, Nautilus (Brz). Scratched: Cellist, Highest Honors, Red Run, Sy Dog.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

GET SMOKIN ($41.14) smoked 'em in the $1.7 million @FanDuel Kentucky Turf Cup (G2) @LanesEndFarms #WinAndYoureIn @BreedersCup Challenge Series Race at @KYDownsRacing. Trained by @markecasse and ridden by Fernando De La Cruz. Congrats to owners Ironhorse Racing Stable! pic.twitter.com/oF6GOybm2E

— TVG (@TVG) September 9, 2023

The post Longshot Get Smokin Wires Kentucky Turf Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Final time for the six furlongs was 1:10.59. The Turf Sprint is a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” race, giving Gear Jockey an automatic berth into the Nov. 4 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita.

The winner was prominent throughout, stalking the :21.77 and :45.08 early fractions set by Bad Beat Brian. Gear Jockey didn't give the leader a comfortable time of it while pressuring from the outside. The duo remained one-two until late stretch with Bad Beat Brian digging in gamely, but Gear Jockey determinedly stuck his head in front as One Timer–who won the GII Franklin-Simpson S. over this course last year–closed down the middle and entered the scene from the outside. The largest margin between the first seven horses across the wire was a neck.

“He broke very sharp. He gave me the same race he gave me two years ago when he won here,” said winning rider Jose Lezcano. “To be honest with you, I knew it was going to be very close… I was very happy for the horse. He is a tough horse and he tries all the time. I am very happy for [trainer] Rusty [Arnold] and his whole team. They work very hard.”

Gear Jockey brings his best to Kentucky Downs, as he won this race in 2021 with a 105 Beyer Speed Figure, his top to date, but had neglected to find the winner's circle since until Saturday and makes it two-for-two over the Kentucky Downs lawn. He was coming off a sixth-place finish in the July 22 Van Clief S. at Colonial Downs–his first start since last November–behind Front Run the Fed (Fed Biz), who finished sixth in Saturday's Turf Sprint. While he hasn't shied away from top competition and has just the two Kentucky Downs graded stakes on his CV, Gear Jockey has faced and finished just behind some of the best grass sprinters of the last few years. His five graded placings include the 2019 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf and the 2022 GII Shakertown S.

“We're pretty happy,” said trainer Rusty Arnold. “He's a favorite. I thought he had lost his edge. He's had his issues and we thought we had him in pretty good shape. He loves this course. Two times he's won on it, so obviously he does. Great ride. Very happy.”

Clutch! #9 GEAR JOCKEY ($48.60) holds off a cavalry charge led by favored One Timer to upset the $1 million G2 Turf Sprint Stakes at @KYDownsRacing!

The @CalumetFarm homebred was piloted by Jose Lezcano and trained by Rusty Arnold. Congratulations to the connections! pic.twitter.com/V3yEKSR8qH

— TVG (@TVG) September 9, 2023

Pedigree Notes:

Thanks to the healthy purses at Kentucky Downs, Gear Jockey is the richest of Twirling Candy's 43 black-type winners, although the stallion's 18 graded winners also include GISWs Concrete Rose, Pinehurst, Gift Box, and Rombauer, as well as four additional Grade I winners. The son of Candy Ride (Arg) stands alongside his sire at Lane's End. Gear Jockey is also one of 90 stakes winners out of daughters of Tapit, whose 2023 successes as a broodmare sire have catapulted him into the leading damsire of the year. Gear Jockey joins luminaries such as Cody's Wish, Pretty Mischievous, and Arcangelo on the Gainesway sire's 'best-of' list as broodmare sire for 2023.

Calumet bought Switching Gears for $20,000 at the 2017 Keeneland January sale with Gear Jockey in utero. The mare is out of a half-sister to GISW and sire Stroll (Pulpit). Her most recent foal is a yearling colt by Bravazo. She was bred to Mandaloun for next term.

Saturday, Kentucky Downs
AINSWORTH TURF SPRINT S.-GII, $998,667, Kentucky Downs, 9-9, 3yo/up, 6fT, 1:10.59, fm.
1–GEAR JOCKEY, 121, h, 6, by Twirling Candy
                1st Dam: Switching Gears, by Tapit
                2nd Dam: Pace, by Indian Ridge (Ire)
                3rd Dam: Maid for Walking (GB), by Prince Sabo (GB)
O/B-Calumet Farm (KY); T-George R. Arnold, II; J-Jose Lezcano. $589,680. Lifetime Record: GISP, 24-5-2-6, $1,586,651. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–One Timer, 121, g, 4, Trappe Shot–Spanish Star, by Blame. ($21,000 Ylg '20 FTKOCT). O-Patricia's Hope LLC and Richard Ravin; B-St. Simon Place LLC (KY); T-Larry Rivelli. $192,800.
3–Bad Beat Brian, 121, g, 6, Jack Milton–Ultimate Class, by During. ($22,000 RNA Wlg '17 KEENOV; $16,000 RNA Ylg '18 KEESEP; $115,000 2yo '19 EASMAY). O-Marsico Brothers Racing LLC; B-Pope McLean, Pope McLean Jr., Marc McLean & Phil Hager (KY); T-Brittany A. Vanden Berg. $96,400.
Margins: HD, NK, NK. Odds: 23.30, 1.50, 11.84.
Also Ran: Olympic Runner, Cogburn, Front Run the Fed, Eamonn, Dr Zempf (GB), Dream Shake, Counterstrike, Noble Reflection. Scratched: Anaconda, Nobals.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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The 8-1 shot took the initiative in the 1 3/8-mile journey, led through easy fractions of :25.19 and :51.33 over the firm going, kicked for home as the one to catch and kept on finding to score by 1 1/4 lengths over heavily favored McKulick (GB) (Frankel {GB}).

Two for two as a juvenile for trainer Andreas Wohler in Germany, Parnac won one of five starts–a first-level allowance over the Aqueduct lawn Oct. 29–on these shores last term.

A narrow optional claiming winner downstate June 11, she entered off a third-place finish in Delaware's GIII Robert G. Dick Memorial S. July 1.

After that race's winner Sopran Basilea (Night of Thunder {Ire}) and runner-up Ever Summer (Summer Front) suffered fatal injuries over the Saratoga turf in their subsequent starts, Parnac was a precautionary scratch by NYRA officials out of an optional claimer at the Spa Aug. 11.

“I guess I have to be thankful to [NYRA President & CEO] David O'Rourke because we had to scratch Parnac from the three-other-than a few weeks ago,” winning trainer Christophe Clement said.

“We decided to run here, and it was the right decision. Sometimes, you have to take a shot. I thought it was a fair race, I'm delighted. Some people might say she stole the race, maybe she did steal the race, but you know what? She stole it in a nice way. She won pretty easily in the end.”

Clement added, “[GI] E.P. Taylor [Oct. 8 at Woodbine], Breeders' Cup, Long Island [at Aqueduct Racetrack]; we have a quite a few choices. Let's enjoy this for a few days.”

Pedigree Notes:

Parnac is the first U.S. stakes winner for the Aga Khan's Studs- based Zarak, a son of Dubawi (Ire) and G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and Prix de Diane heroine Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar).

She becomes the 10th graded/group winner worldwide for her sire. The winner's group-placed dam's most recent produce is the 2-year-old gelding Kingdom of Stars (Fr) (Cloth of Stars {Ire}), who is unraced in France.

PARNAC goes wire-to-wire under @DavisJockey in the Grade 2 Flower Bowl Stakes for @clementstable! #Saratoga pic.twitter.com/K6vFwoFoEt

— NYRA () (@TheNYRA) September 2, 2023

Saturday, Saratoga
FLOWER BOWL S.-GII, $465,000, Saratoga, 9-2, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 3/8mT, 2:18.60, fm.
1–PARNAC (FR), 118, f, 4, by Zarak (Fr)
          1st Dam: Passing Burg (Fr) (GSP-Fr), by Sageburg (Ire)
          2nd Dam: Passing Lady (Fr), by Anabaa
          3rd Dam: Lune de Mai (GB), by Kenmare (Fr)
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O-West Point Thoroughbreds and Dream With Me Stable; B-Jean-Pierre Dubois (FR); T-Christophe Clement; J-Dylan Davis. $275,000. Lifetime Record: 11-5-1-1, $467,517. Werk Nick Rating: D+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–McKulick (GB), 122, f, 4, Frankel (GB)–Astrelle (Ire), by Makfi (GB). (180,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.; B-Essafinaat UK Ltd (GB); T-Chad C. Brown. $100,000.
3–Amazing Grace (Ger), 120, m, 5, Protectionist (Ger)–Amabelle (Ger), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). (€850,000 4yo '22 ARQDEC). O-Moyglare Stud Farm, Ltd.; B-Chr. Berglar (GER); T-Christophe Clement. $60,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, NK, 1. Odds: 8.20, 0.40, 2.30.
Also Ran: Tamarama (GB).
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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