Tag: Breeders’ Cup

Mark Grier's Air Recruit, third behind one of the top juveniles in the country three weeks ago, put his own talent on display and has his connections considering the Breeders' Cup with an impressive 5½-length victory in Saturday's $100,000 Laurel Futurity at Laurel Park.

The 97th running of the Futurity for 2-year-olds anchored four stakes worth $500,000 in purses on opening weekend of Laurel's calendar year-ending fall meet, following wins by Brocknardini in the $150,000 Selima, Yamato in the $100,000 Japan Turf Cup, and multiple graded stakes winner Interstatedaydream in the $100,000 Twixt.

Aboard for the third time in as many races for trainer Arnaud Delacour, jockey Charlie Marquez was able to get Air Recruit into a rhythm in his two-turn debut following back-to-back 5½-furlong turf sprints at Colonial Downs, winning his Aug. 5 unveiling before running up against multiple stakes winner No Nay Mets in the Sept 9 Rosie's.

“He went short the first two times out and the first time he really surprised us. We sat right behind the speed and came flying and was able to win,” Marquez said. “We put him back in the stake at Colonial and he ran a huge race. The [winner is a] very nice horse. We knew that he wanted to go longer so we stretched him out today and you guys saw what he did.”

It was 2-1 favorite Tropenhagen, a debut winner Sept. 3 at Monmouth Park, that took the early initiative in the Laurel Futurity and went the first quarter mile in :24.04 pressed by Wine Collector, exiting the With Anticipation (G3) at Saratoga. Dancing Mischief, who graduated in an off-the-turf maiden special weight Aug. 18 at Saratoga in his prior start was third, with Marquez and Air Recruit well-placed in fourth.

“I think Charlie did a great job because he was a little sharp coming from sprinting,” Delacour said. “He broke on top, but he did manage to get him to settle. He didn't really get in a fight with him. He just did a great job to make him drop the bit and after that he just waited and came around. That's the way I saw the race, and it was great. He should learn something from this.”

Tropenhagen continued to lead through a half-mile in :49.16 while Marquez and Air Recruit worked their way into second after six furlongs went in 1:14.43. After saving ground along the rail, Marquez tipped Air Recruit to the outside leaving the far turn and set him down for a drive that saw him open up on his rivals and win in 1:46.95 over a turf course rated as good.

“I knew [Tropenhagen] was going to be really fast out of there and I knew Air Recruit was going to have some early speed, but we broke and I was able to get him tucked in. He relaxed for me, and I was able to have a dream trip,” Marquez said. “He was going comfortably the whole way. The first five strides he was on the bit, but he was able to relax and he was playing with his ears down the backside. Once I got him outside it was game on.”

Massif edged 22-1 long shot Blue Creek by a nose for second, with Wine Collector another 1¼ lengths back in fourth. They were followed by Mortal Sin, Understudy Kitty, Sasse's Class, Skellig Island, Grand Kingdom, Dancing Mischief, Tropandhagen and Elevated Game. Edgartown, Blame the Tux and main-track-only entrants Thedingoateyobaby and Bolt of Aurum were scratched.

Air Recruit is a chestnut son of European Group 1 winner Air Force Blue out of the Arch mare Werewolf. Bred in Kentucky by Springhouse Farm, he fetched $105,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Select Yearling Sale, where Paramount Sale consigned him. He is based with Delacour at the Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, Md.

“He always showed a lot of speed,” Delacour said. “His first breeze from the gate he went like :47 [seconds] in hand, so we knew we had something. I didn't know about the distance, to be honest. That was kind of an experiment, but it was the right time to do it after two races. Hopefully it doesn't bother him.

“We'll look at our options,” he added. “Depending on how he comes back and stuff, if we can get in the Breeders' Cup it could be an option. He did it impressively enough that we could give him a shot – if we get in.”

Ready to Purrform won the 2021 Laurel Futurity and went on to capture the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (G2) at Saratoga in 2022. Last year's off-the-turf Laurel Futurity winner, Congruent, ran eighth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) and won the John Battaglia Memorial in March at Turfway Park.

The Laurel Futurity has a rich history dating back to 1921 inaugural winner Morvich, who would go on to win the 1922 Kentucky Derby. The Futurity has also been won by Triple Crown champions Affirmed, Citation, Count Fleet and Secretariat along with such horses as Barbaro, In Reality, Honest Pleasure, Quadrangle, Riva Ridge, Spectacular Bid and Tapit.

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Barry and Joni Butzow's homebred Zozos set a measured early pace and had plenty left down the stretch to turn back late runs from Stage Raider and Three Technique and win Saturday's 31st renewal of the $400,000 Ack Ack (G3) by one length at Churchill Down.

Zozos, a 4-year-old son of Munnings, ran one mile on a fast track in 1:35.32.

Florent Geroux rode the winner for trainer Brad Cox, who won the race for the second time in three years. Plainsman was victorious for Cox in 2021.

The Ack Ack is a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” event for the $1-million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1). By winning the race, Zozos will receive an entry-fees paid berth to the Nov. 4 race at Santa Anita along with a travel stipend.

Even through Zozos is guaranteed a berth in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, a trip to California is not definite.

“I think he's now a really good one-turn horse,” Cox said. “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.”

Seven of the last 10 Ack Ack winners – Pants On Fire (2013), Tapiture (2015), Tom's Ready (2016), Awesome Slew (2017), Seeking the Soul (2018), Mr. Money (2020) and Senor Buscador (2022) – used the race as a springboard to the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.

Breaking from post 5 in the field of seven older horses, Zozos went straight to the front and was able to set comfortable early fractions of :23.69, :47.10 and 1:11.41 despite being tracked early by Caddo River. Stage Raider chased from third along the inside and Three Technique was positioned near the rear.

Zozos kicked away from Caddo River at the head of the stretch as Stage Raider tipped out and Three Technique swung five-wide for their late runs, but Zozos had plenty of energy left to withstand their threats.

“He relaxed well on the front end and we were able to not go too fast early,” Geroux said. “I think he's a different horse going around one-turn like he did today.”

The first prize was $242,280 and increased Zozos' bankroll to $882,688 with a record of 7-1-0 from 11 starts. It was his third career stakes win but first against graded stakes company.

Zozos qualified to the 2022 Kentucky Derby (G1) where he finished 10th after running second in the Louisiana Derby (G2). Earlier this year, he won the $175,000 Knicks Go and $275,000 Hanshin at Ellis Park – both at one mile.

Zozos paid $3.54 as the odds-on 3-5 favorite. Stage Raider, the half-brother to 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify, finished a length in front of third-place finisher Three Technique.

O Besos was fourth and was followed by Caddo River, Seize the Night and Skyro.

Kentucky-bred Zozos is out of the Forestry mare Papa's Forest.

The race is named in honor of Cain Hoy Stable's 1971 Horse of the Year Ack Ack, who is enshrined in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. In his only Churchill Downs appearance, Ack Ack won the 1969 Derby Trial in 1:34.40 which was a track record for one mile that has since been eclipsed.

The post Zozos Romps Gate To Wire In Ack Ack, Earns Breeders’ Cup Berth appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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A fast early pace helped set up the closing kick of Clapton, who flew down the Churchill Downs stretch to narrowly edge Trademark by a head at the wire and win Saturday's 10th running of the $438,660 Lukas Classic (G2) for 3-year-olds and up.

Clapton, ridden by Cristian Torres and trained by Chad Summers, stopped the teletimer in 1:48.79. Summers won the Lukas Classic five years ago with the popular New York-bred Mind Your Biscuits.

“There were three races this weekend we could've ran in: the Woodward (G2) in New York, the Awesome Again (G1) in California and here in the Lukas Classic,” Summers said. “I tried to handicap them and see what race would fit this horse best. I figured there would be the most speed in this race. That benefitted our running style.”

A recent private purchase by Sheikh Rashid Bin Humaid al Nuaimi's RRR Racing, Clapton was sent to the post as the 8-1 fourth betting choice in the field of eight for the Lukas Classic.

In the early stages of the nine-furlong race, he had one horse beat as Five Star General and a tracking Americanrevolution rattled off swift early fractions of :23.12, :46.66 and 1:10.83. Clapton tipped out six-wide at the top of the stretch and began to close into Trademark, who took over from the tired front-runners with three-sixteenths of a mile to run. Clapton finally caught Trademark in the final jump.

“I was very happy with the way he was traveling,” said Torres, who won three races Saturday at Churchill Downs, including the Jefferson Cup with More Than Looks. “Around the half-mile pole I could tell I had a lot of horse beneath me. I tipped him outside at the quarter pole and he kept coming with his run. It's been a great day and a great meet here at Churchill. Winning these big races is a great feeling.”

Overall, Clapton has won six of 24 starts with four seconds and six thirds. The $240,560 first prize boosted his career earnings to $823,450.

The Lukas Classic was Clapton's second stakes win this year. In April, he prevailed in the Ghostzapper (G3) over 1 1/16 miles at Gulfstream Park. He finished fourth in his previous start, the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Saratoga on Sept. 2.

His next target will be discussed by Summers and the owner.

“I'm so grateful to the owner for allowing me the opportunity to train this horse,” Summers said. “The goal is getting to the Dubai World Cup (G1). If that means taking us to the Breeders' Cup that would be great. But, the goal is getting him over to Dubai in March.”

Clapton returned $18.32. Trademark held for second, finishing another three-quarters of a length in front of third-place finisher Blue Devil.

Rattle N Roll, the 6-5 favorite, was fourth and was followed by Happy American, Americanrevolution, Whelen Springs and Five Star General. Warrant was scratched.

Clapton, a chestnut son of Brethren out of the Afleet Alex mare Alexandra Rylee, was bred in Florida by Arindel.

The Lukas Classic honors the iconic 88-year-old Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. The four-time winner of the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks and conditioner of 26 Eclipse Award-winning champions has been based at Churchill Downs' Barn 44 since 1989.

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