Tag: Breeders’ Cup

Bass Racing homebred Annapolis, a 3-year-old son of War Front, earned an expenses-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Mile with his win over elder rivals in Saturday's Grade 1, $1 million Turf Mile at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Ky. It was the third win of the day for jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr., and second for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

Settled inside in third early, Annapolis angled out around the far turn and grabbed the lead into the lane. He continued to pull away from the rest of the field, including five individual Grade 1 winners, to win by 1 1/2 lengths at post-time odds of 6-1. Annapolis' final time for a mile over the firm turf was 1:33.29, a new stakes record. It was also Annapolis' first Grade 1 victory.

“It's pretty impossible to put this (victory) into words,” said Perry Bass, who co-owns the horse with his mother, Ramona Bass. “A huge thanks to the team who raised him from Day 1 and brought him along this far – the trainer (Todd Pletcher), (jockey) Irad (Ortiz Jr.) – we could go on and on.

“(This win is) the pinnacle. (My mother and I) talk about (the racehorses) daily. We fret daily. The lows are the worst, and the highs … I've never experienced a high like this.”

Bred in Kentucky by his owners, Annapolis is out of the Unbridled's Song mare My Miss Sophia, a Grade 2 winner on the dirt and Grade 1-placed on both the dirt and the turf, including a runner-up finish in the Kentucky Oaks. My Miss Sophia was sold with Annapolis in utero at the 2018 Keeneland November sale, commanding a final bid of $4 million from the Bass family.

Annapolis won both his starts as a juvenile, concluding his season with a win in the G2 Pilgrim. This year, the colt kicked off his campaign with a runner-up finish over very soft turf in the G2 Penn Mile, then came back to win the listed Manila Stakes before a second place finish to Nations Pride in the G1 Saratoga Derby. Annapolis won the G3 Saranac last month, and continued that winning streak against a solid field in the G1 Turf Mile. Overall, the colt's resume stands at five wins and two seconds from seven starts for earnings of $1,166,100.

“Very impressive,” Ortiz said of Saturday's run from Annapolis. “It's not easy to win against these horses. We had Santin, we had Masen (GB), we had so many good horses in this race, the O'Brien horse (Order of Australia). He's only a 3-year-old but he's doing so good right now. I think he has ability. He's a nice horse.”

Ivar, winner of this race in 2020, closed from well off the pace to get second, finishing a nose in front of Order of Australia, winner of the 2020 Breeders' Cup Mile. The remaining order of finish was as follows: Set Piece, Casa Creed, Masen, Classic Causeway, Atone, Santin, Grey's Fable, and Somelikeithotbrown.

The post ‘I’ve Never Experienced A High Like This’: Sophomore Annapolis Defeats Elder Rivals In ‘Win And You’re In’ Turf Mile appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's Grade 1 Hopeful winner Forte made a big move around the far turn and looked set to sweep by his rivals in Saturday's Grade 1, $600,000 Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland. When he strode alongside the leading Loggins, however, Forte seemed to drift in toward that rival. Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. had to work overtime to keep Forte from pinning Loggins against the rail, even hauling on his right rein about 100 yards out from the wire, but Forte was able to hang on and win the stretch battle by a neck.

After the race, Loggins' jockey Florent Geroux lodged an objection for interference in the final furlong. After deliberating, the stewards disallowed the objection and the result was allowed to stand.

“At the turn, he was still figuring it out,” Ortiz explained. “He's a young horse, and I had to start working really hard on him. He started doing it little by little, but by the time I got there and hit the lead he started acting a little green and laying in a little bit. I had to take a big hold of him the whole stretch. He didn't even let me ride him that well. The whole time I had to hold him and, that horse inside of me, take care of him at the same time as I win the race.”

The 2-year-old son of Violence completed 1 1/16 miles over the fast main track in 1:44.74, giving his Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher a third victory in the race. Forte's victory also earned the colt an expenses-paid berth to next month's Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

Bred in Kentucky by South Gate Farm, Forte is out of the five-time stakes winning Blame mare Queen Caroline. He was an $80,000 weanling at the Keeneland November sale, and commanded a final bid of $110,000 at the next year's Keeneland September sale. The colt's record now stands at three wins from four starts, including two Grade 1's, for earnings of $555,150.

Loggins (Ghostzapper), trained by Brad Cox, was 6 3/4 lengths clear of the third-place finisher Red Route One.

“It was a good race,” Geroux said of Loggins' effort. “I got squeezed a little at the eighth pole. (Forte) came in a little bit on me and my horse was shifting, and I think it cost me the win.”

“He ran a good race,” Cox echoed. “I am proud of him. He's a good colt. He ran a winning race – just came up a little short. He battled back.”

The remaining order of finish was as follows: Instant Coffee, Newgate, Lost Art, Two Phil's, Honed, Funtastic Again, Frosted Departure, Powerful, Bourbon Bash, Carmel Road, and Good Heart.

The post ‘He Didn’t Even Let Me Ride Him That Well’: Forte Survives Stretch Battle, Objection To Win Breeders’ Futurity appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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KatieRich Stables' Kentucky homebred American Apple stunned her 10 rivals with a well-timed off-the-pace victory to provide trainer Daniel Leitch his first stakes win in Saturday's $150,000 Matron (G3), a six-furlong outer turf sprint for juvenile fillies, at the Belmont at the Big A fall meet..

A bay daughter of American Pharoah, American Apple made her first start against winners after scoring a nose victory last out in a September 14 maiden special weight sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs at Kentucky Downs. There, she stalked in third and unleashed her run down the stretch to nab the victory at the wire. She delivered a similar performance in the Matron under patient handling by Eric Cancel to rally from 1 1/2 lengths off the pace and secure the neck victory over the late-closing Redifined.

“I brought her up Wednesday and it seemed like she shipped up fine,” said Leitch, who is based at Keeneland. “We took her to the track on Friday and she was feeling good. It seemed like she shipped up fine and we figured she would run big today. She had been eating up and doing everything right since we got here.”

American Apple, away well from post 3, sat comfortably as Fleetfooted rushed up to lead the field through an opening quarter-mile in :22.55 over the good turf. Sweet Harmony held second position while Redifined awaited her cue from jockey Javier Castellano in ninth.

Approaching the turn, American Apple made her bid towards the dueling pair of Fleetfooted and Sweet Harmony while post-time favorite Danse Macabre shifted out a path along the rail to try and find racing room around American Apple. After the half-mile in 46.06, American Apple drifted out a bit from the rail and brushed with Sweet Harmony, leaving behind Danse Macabre to fight on for show honors. With a stubborn Fleetfooted tiring and American Apple overtaking the lead in midstretch, Redifined closed furiously down the center of the racetrack under right-handed urging from Castellano, but could not catch a game American Apple, who crossed the wire first in a final time of 1:09.59.

It was another 1 1/2 lengths back to Danse Macabre in third with Dontlookbackatall rounding out the superfecta. Completing the order of finish were the slow-starting pair of Personal Pursuit and Sweetlou'sgotaces, How Lovely, Little Linzee, Fleetfooted, Sweet Harmony and Atomic Girl. Determined Jester, who is entered in tomorrow's Grade 3 Futurity, and main-track only entrant Apple Picker were scratched.

The 28-year-old Leitch, who won with his first starter last September at Horseshoe Indianapolis, said he was pleased to see American Apple find room along the rail.

“I figured the two horse [Danse Macabre] would be right there the whole time,” said Leitch. “I told Eric to sit off the two and just make a run at her, just like she did at Kentucky Downs. Thank God Eric went on with him and just sat behind. I was kind of nervous when he went on the inside because I was hoping there was a hole. Thank God a hole opened up. Everything worked out.”

The Matron was the 51st start for Leitch, who worked for trainers Ray Handal and Mark Hubley before going out on his own.

“I started training last September. I was doing sales prep, foal watch, breaking the babies and I slowly wanted to get on the track,” said Leitch. “I worked for Ray for a little bit and then I started working for Mark for four years and then I got my chance. I won my first start with a filly named Midway's Angel at that got me off to a good start. Ever since that, we've just been rolling.”

Cancel said American Apple was content to stalk the pace.

“The filly broke very well from the gate and I saw that she didn't want to be in front, so I let the other two go and covered her up. Once I had an opening at the quarter-pole to go, I asked her and she did the job.

“It didn't matter if it would have been a little bit quicker, she could be there,” Cancel added. “She just wants to be covered up. Once I did that, she was just waiting for me to ask her to do her job.”

Larry Doyle of KatieRich Stables said the risk of running American Apple in a tough spot paid off.

“We didn't think we were 30-1, but we thought there were seven speed horses in there,” said Doyle. “We knew what we had and it was going to be a tough race. We were only here because there was nowhere else to run. If there were an easier spot, that's where we would have been.”

Doyle added that American Apple could contest the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint (G1) on November 4 at Keeneland, but could also look at the $120,000 Stewart Manor on November 5 at the Big A.

Out of the KatieRich-campaigned graded stakes-placed Clever Trick mare Miss Mary Apples, American Apple is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-winning millionaire Lady Apple. Returning $97 for a $2 win wager, American Apple banked $82,500 in victory to increase her total purse earnings to $185,700.

Castellano said runner-up Redifined was there for him when he called on her.

“I had a beautiful trip. I'm very satisfied with the way my filly did it today,” said the Hall of Fame rider. “I didn't see a lot of speed in the race but I can't complain, my horse came from behind and finished well.”

The post ‘Thank God A Hole Opened Up’: American Apple Pulls 47-1 Matron Upset, Possible For Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Trainer Todd Fincher was undeterred when his top New Mexico-bred filly was unable to win Del Mar's Grade 2 Rancho Bernardo, run down late and beaten a half-length by Edgeway. Fincher brought Slammed back in another graded stakes race, entering her in Keeneland's Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes this Saturday, and this time the 4-year-old daughter of Marking was able to deliver the victory by a dominating 6 1/2 lengths.

“Really, my only concern was getting away from the gate good and clean,” Fincher explained. “Last time she slipped behind and it cost her, so when I saw those turquoise blinkers jump out of the gate I was very happy. I looked up after the first quarter and it went in 22 and 3, I said, 'If she gets beat we have no excuse,' because the fractions weren't too bad—she can go much faster. So, very happy. And you saw what she did down the lane. She had a lot left. She's an awesome horse.”

Sent off as the favorite, Slammed and jockey Florent Geroux completed six furlongs over Keeneland's fast main track in 1:10.03. The win earned the filly an expenses-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint next month at the Lexington, Ky. oval.

“It was good (away from the gate), just like she did in the morning, very professional,” said Geroux. “She knows what to do out there. I'm very pleased for the opportunity from (trainer) Mr. (Todd) Fincher and the owners and my agent for getting me the mount. I was just the lucky recipient today on her. Very excited about her. She relaxed very nicely (in the middle of the race). You can tell on television, when their ears start going back and forth, it's usually a good sign that the horse is taking their time and having fun out there. As soon as I chirped to her a little bit at the three-sixteenths (pole), I had plenty of horse left and I just tried to keep her focus all the way to the wire. But that was really a result of strong urging.”

Slammed is owned by Brad and Suzanne King and Barbara Coleman, and was bred by Brad King and Todd Fincher out of another top New Mexico-bred stakes star, the 7-for-8-winning Hennesey Smash (Roll Hennesey Roll). Overall, Slammed's record stands at nine wins from 12 starts for earnings of $557,030.

Happy Soul and John Velazquez held on to finish second, a half-length ahead of Joyful Cadence. The remaining order of finish was as follows: Li'l Tootsie, Club Car, Sconsin, Liberty M D, and Palm Cottage.

The post New Mexico-Bred Slammed Goes All The Way In ‘Win And You’re In’ TCA appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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