Tag: Breeders’ Cup

Headed by four Grade 1 winners and a trio of Grade 2 victors, an overflow field of 16 was entered Monday for Saturday's $1.7-million FanDuel Kentucky Turf Cup (G2). The 1 1/2-mile event is a “Win and You're In” Breeders' Cup Challenge Series race for the $4-million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf in November at Santa Anita.4

The Kentucky Turf Cup anchors a 12-race program that also includes four Grade 2 stakes and two Grade 3s. The special first post is 11:30 a.m. (CT). FanDuel TV will televise all the races live from the FanDuel Meet at Kentucky Downs.

Twelve horses can start in the marquee race, with another four entries on the “also-eligible” list needing scratches in order to run.

Mike Maker, Kentucky Downs' all-time winningest trainer, entered four horses in pursuit of a record sixth victory in the Kentucky Turf Cup. That includes last year's winner Red Knight, who returns at age 9 as a Grade 1 winner after taking Belmont Park's Man o' War in May. Maker also is running Therapist, who at age 8 earned his first Grade 1 victory when he took Monmouth Park's United Nations in his last start, a race in which Red Knight was a late-running third.

The only horse entered who isn't a graded stakes winner is the Maker-trained Me and Mr. C, who got into the overflow field by virtual of capturing the 1 1/4-mile Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Cup at Ellis Park. Even so, Me and Mr. C is a five-time stakes winner. Maker's fourth entrant, Grade 2-placed Red Run, needs four scratches to get into the starting gate.

Trainer Brendan Walsh entered two-time Grade 1 winner Santin and Keeneland's Elkhorn (G2) winner Verstappen. Santin, winner of last year's Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (G1) and the Arlington Million (G1) staged at Churchill Downs, comes into the Kentucky Turf Cup off a second-place finish in the 2023 Arlington Million, which was relocated to Colonial Downs in Virginia.

Paulo Lobo, who teamed with jockey Joe Talamo to win the Kentucky Turf Cup two years ago with the Argentine-bred Imperador, returns to the 1 1/2-mile stakes with Nautilus, a Grade 1 winner last year in his native Brazil. Nautilus won an off-the-turf Ellis Park allowance race by a nose in his last start.

Other graded-stakes winners include Spooky Channel and Never Explain. Trainer Chris Block brings Another Mystery back for another crack at the Kentucky Turf Cup after the horse finished third last year by a nose and a neck. Kitodan, winner of last year's Dueling Grounds Derby (G3), will run back in the Turf Cup after finishing seventh in the meet's opening-day FanDuel Tapit Stakes.

The horse to catch could be the Mark Casse-trained Get Smoking, who finished second by a neck in the Grade 2 Wise Dan at Ellis Park and then was fourth by a total of a length in the Ellis Park prep for the Kentucky Turf Cup.

A Kentucky-bred winner of the Kentucky Turf Cup will bring home $1 million; a non-Kentucky-bred winner will still earn about $800,000.

The field for the Kentucky Turf Cup, including post position, (weight), trainer/jockey:

PP (weight) horse trainer/jockey

1 Foreign Relations (124) Conor Murphy/John Velazquez

2 Red Knight (124) Mike Maker/Tyler Gaffalione

3 Verstappen (124) Brendan Walsh/Declan Cannon

4 Santin (122) Brendan Walsh/Florent Geroux

5 Get Smokin (122) Mark Casse/Fernando De La Cruz

6 Me and Mr. C (124) Mike Maker/Gerardo Corrales

7 Kitodan (122) Eric Foster/Irad Ortiz

8 Never Explain (124) Shug McGaughey/Joel Rosario

9 Nautilus (122) Paulo Lobo/Joe Talamo

10 Another Mystery (122) Chris Block/Brian Hernandez

11 Therapist (124) Mike Maker/Javier Castellano

12 Spooky Channel (124) Jason Barkley/James Graham

13 AE Sy Dog (122) Graham Motion/Jareth Loveberry

14 AE Cellist (122) Rusty Arnold/Martin Garcia

15 AE Highest Honors (122) Chad Brown/Irad Ortiz

16 AE Red Run (122) Mike Maker/Vincent Cheminaud

The post Red Knight Shoots For KY Turf Cup Repeat As Maker Seeks Record Sixth Win appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Trainer Gary Contessa, who sent out 21-1 maiden Becky's Joker to capture the Schuylerville (G3) on opening day at Saratoga, successfully bookended the meet Monday when Bell Gable Stable's Nutella Fella rallied to a 54-1 upset under Junior Alvarado to capture closing day's 300,000 Hopeful (G1), a seven-furlong sprint for juveniles.

The Runhappy colt, previously trained by Richard Sillaman, was fractious at the gate and broke a length behind the field in his last-out debut score under Kevin Gomez traveling 5 1/2-furlongs on July 26 at Delaware Park.

The $12,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase by Anthony Farrior was transferred to Contessa and breezed extensively at Saratoga in preparation for the Hopeful, including a five-eighths effort in 1:01.85 August 19 over the Oklahoma training track, a seven-eighths effort in 1:29.66 last Sunday over the main track and a three-eighths effort in :34.80 Thursday on the Oklahoma.

Contessa credited NYRA's head starter Hector Soler and his team, in part, for the victory along with a smart steer by Alvarado, whose agent Mike Sellitto spotted the horse at the Spa and picked up the call.

“The New York gate crew made this happen as much as I did,” Contessa said. “He was an absolute maniac in the gate at Delaware Park and Hector and the gate crew on the training track side worked with him every day and absolutely straightened him out, and I have a lot of thanks for that gate crew.

“I was hoping for that [performance]. He trained like it,” Contessa added. “Mike, Junior Alvarado's agent, watched him work, ran over to my barn and said, 'Junior's got to ride this horse.' I said, 'OK,' and I let him work him a few times and the rest is history.”

Nutella Fella broke last-of-10 and trailed the field as Just Steel outdueled Sanford (G3) winner Yo Yo Candy and the Bob Baffert-trained Mission Beach to mark the opening quarter-mile in :22.19  and a half-mile in :44.89 over the fast main track.

Mission Beach took command through the turn with Just Steel giving way and the Florent Geroux-piloted Timberlake advancing with purpose. Meanwhile, Nutella Fella advanced inside of longshot Baytown Chatterbox before tipping outside and then back in again while passing rivals and making up ground with every stride.

Timberlake, sent to post as the 2-1 mutuel favorite, looked for racing room as the field straightened away and found it splitting the front-running Mission Beach, who had a head advantage at the stretch call, and the maiden Be You. But Nutella Fella vaulted beyond them all with a seven-wide wide run, overtaking Pirate, Be You, and Timberlake in the final eighth of a mile to post a 1 1/2-length win in a final time of 1:24.41.

Timberlake completed the exacta by a neck over Pirate, who broke inward at the start, with Be You, Mission Beach, Gold Sweep, Just Steel, Baytown Chatterbox, Valentine Candy, and Yo Yo Candy completing the order of finish. The Baffert-trained Muth was scratched and will be re-routed to the American Pharoah (G1) on October 7 at Santa Anita Park.

The victory marked the third stakes win of the meet for Alvarado, who took the Curlin [Scotland] and P.G. Johnson [Magic Cross] for trainer Bill Mott. Alvarado said the swift pace benefitted Nutella Fella.

“I watched his last race and knew he had a problem in the gate. He broke a little flat footed out of there. Even though the plan was to come from behind, I still would have loved to break a little better, just to be a little more close to the pace,” Alvarado said. “But they were going very fast. When I worked him, he worked beautifully with me. He went six furlongs and he galloped out very strong. I was hoping they would come back to me a little bit because I knew he had the stamina to get the distance today. He really ran great.

“When I started asking him through the traffic, we were passing horses on the outside and the inside,” Alvarado added. “He was already in a run and I didn't want to bother him at that point. I just kept riding him and he kept finding more for me.”

The Brad Cox-trained Timberlake, a $350,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, earned an 85 Beyer Speed Figure for his second-out graduation on July 21 at Ellis Park.

Geroux said Timberlake was in a good position turning for home, sitting behind the fading speed of the Joel Rosario-piloted Just Steel.

“I thought I got a good setup, you know I was right behind Joel, waited for my turn, split horses, I got through, just made the lead for like maybe barely a sixteenth of a mile, but the other horse ran me down right away,” Geroux said.

Contessa said Nutella Fella will remain in Saratoga and train into the $500,000 Champagne (G1) on October 7 at Belmont at the Big A, which offers a “Win and You're In” berth to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) on Nov. 3 at Santa Anita Park.

“Champagne to Breeders' Cup, unless he throws us a curve,” Contessa said. “He's going to stay up here the next six weeks with me and we'll be racing in the Champagne from here.”

Bred in Kentucky by Ashview Farm, Nutella Fella is out of the Candy Ride mare Krissy's Candy, who is a half-sister to the graded stakes-placed duo Danny Boy and Meal Penalty. He banked $165,000 in victory and returned $111 for a $2 win bet.

The post Nutella Fella Powers From Last To Spring 54-1 Hopeful Upset appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Bill Simon's WSS Racing saw Brightwork put in a sparkling performance in Sunday's $300,000 Spinaway (G1) to remain undefeated through four career starts, pouncing from off the pace under Irad Ortiz Jr. to turn back post-time favorite Ways and Means in the seven-furlong sprint for juvenile fillies at Saratoga Race Course.

Brightwork, who entered from a successful graded stakes debut in the Adirondack (G3) on August 6 here, provided trainer John Ortiz with the first Grade 1 victory of his career that began in 2016. In addition to her two graded scores, the talented daughter of Outwork was a winner on debut in April at Keeneland and followed with a strong half-length victory in the Debutante on July 2 at Ellis Park.

“Tears, happiness, joy. I'm ecstatic and proud,” said Ortiz. “These are all the emotions I can think of right now. I thank my Dad and thank God. My family has supported me. My uncles are here, my cousins are here. Jared [Hughes, bloodstock agent] is like my older brother, Bill Simon and his family. This is such a big deal. We're like one big, giant family and I couldn't be more blessed right now.”

Simon, who also won his first Grade 1 as an owner, echoed Ortiz's sentiments.

“There are really no words to describe it,” said Simon. “I'm so proud of Johnny and what he's done with the horse; Jared, who picked him out; Daniel Ortiz, Johnny's brother, has been living up here with Brightwork for the summer and they deserve all the credit. It's just a phenomenal feeling.”

Brightwork emerged from post 8 with 2-5 mutuel favorite Ways and Means to her inside and Lemorian – a gate-to-wire winner last out at Horseshoe Indianapolis – to her outside. Lemorian broke sharpest of all, but relinquished the advantage to the Junior Alvarado-piloted Sugar Hi as she rushed up to lead with Lemorian and Lady Moscato close to her early foot.

“The horse beside me, last time she broke from the one-hole at Indiana but she outbreak everybody and I know she's going to be quick,” Irad Ortiz said. “So, I say, maybe I let her go and stalk there and maybe I can bide my time and I know the horse I have to beat is the horse inside of me. That's what I tried to do and it worked out perfect.”

Ways and Means, with Flavien Prat up, tracked just behind Brightwork down the backstretch, but had to steady slightly as she attempted to maneuver to the outside, clipped heels with that rival and lost a touch of ground with the first quarter-mile in :22.40 over the fast main track.

“She was getting out bad and as soon as that horse outside of me [Brightwork] cleared, I mean as soon as he went in front of me, she just ducked out and I clipped heels,” said Prat. “It's just she was trying to get away from the inside.”

Irad Ortiz kept Brightwork widest of all approaching the turn with Ways and Means following her run before Prat angled his charge to the outside of Brightwork to loom large midway through the turn through a half-mile in 45.09. Sugar Hi maintained her rail-skimming position and attempted to hold her advantage as Lemorian backpedaled between foes, but Brightwork ranged up to stick her head in front at the top of the lane.

Brightwork, under left-handed encouragement from Ortiz drew clear of Sugar Hi and the advancing Wonder Ride approaching the eighth pole, leaving her with just Ways and Means to deal with after three-quarters in 1:09.80. A determined Ways and Means gave chase through the stretch and inched closer with every stride as the pair drew clear of Wonder Ride, but Brightwork would not let Ways and Means tarnish her perfect record and reached the wire first by a half-length in a final time of 1:23.17.

Ways and Means finished 6 1/4 lengths ahead of Wonder Ride with Alys Beach rallying from well off the pace to complete the superfecta another 1 3/4 lengths back. Closing Act, Sugar Hi, Lady Moscato and Lemorian completed the order of finish. Becky's Joker was scratched.

Miz Sense unseated jockey Manny Franco at the gate and was declared a non-starter by the board of stewards. Both Franco and Miz Sense walked off under their own power.

John Ortiz said he left race tactics in the capable hands of Irad Ortiz, the leading rider at the Spa meet.

“Irad came out and looked at me. We had one second to give instructions,” the trainer said. “He looked at me and said, 'What's up?' and I said, 'Just win!' He said, 'The filly on the outside has speed, I think I'll let her break and go and we'll sit off.' He was going to dictate when the race was going to start and he did. She got the job done.”

With a bonus towards the Breeders' Cup now in his pocket as part of the Breeders' Cup Dirt Dozen series, John Ortiz said he will consider options for a bridge race for Brightwork ahead of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) on November 3 at Santa Anita Park. Potential stepping stones towards that goal could come in the Alcibiades (G1) on October 6 at Keeneland, or the Chandelier (G2) the following day at Santa Anita.

“We could either go to the Alcibiades, the race in California, or just go straight to the Breeders' Cup,” said John Ortiz. “We'll let her dictate where she wants to go. You have to think about shipping to California and she has to acclimate to it. It's a difficult trip to California but it's been done before and this is where we're going.”

Bred in Kentucky by Wynnstay, Inc. and H. Allen Poindexter, Brightwork was produced by the Malibu Moon mare Clarendon Fancy. She banked $165,000 in victory, improving her lifetime earnings to $444,051. She returned $8 for a $2 win ticket.

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