Brian Hernandez Jr. | Horse Racing Free Tips

Curlin Colt Rallies ‘Fury’-ously To Win the Lexington

Fern Circle Stable & Three Chimneys Farm's King Fury (Curlin) took advantage of a fast early pace in Saturday's GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. over a sloppy Keeneland main track and closed off fastest of all to cause an 18-1 upset, earning 20 points towards a potential appearance in the GI Kentucky Derby in three weeks' time.

A maiden winner at first asking over a distance of ground at Churchill Sept. 3, King Fury could not overcome a wide trip when eighth of nine behind Essential Quality (Tapit) in the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity over this course and distance Oct. 3. The half-length winner of the Oct. 25 Street Sense S. beneath the Twin Spires, he could do no better than seventh when wheeled back on 12 days' rest in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile and added blinkers–to no avail–en route to a fifth in the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. at Churchill Nov. 28.

They lined up three across the strip entering the first turn, as the rail-drawn and well-backed Noble Reflection (Liam's Map) set a demanding tempo from Swiftsure (Uncle Mo), with the much-hyped Besos (Empire Maker) three deep. Favored Proxy (Tapit) lingered towards the rear of the field with just two behind, including King Fury–getting the blinkers off for this seasonal debut–who was guided down to the inside by Brian Hernandez, Jr. down the backstretch after climbing through the sloppy going rounding the first turn.

Traveling noticeably more comfortably at halfay, the $950,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga grad improved into fifth on the bridle approaching the turn, angled to the outside of Noble Reflection while full of run off the home corner and stayed on well enough to best Unbridled Honor (Honor Code)–who made a run from absolute last–by 2 1/2 lengths. Starrinmydreams (Super Saver) raced prominently throughout and rounded out a trifecta that returned better than 1200-1. Proxy ran on admirably for fourth. The McPeek-trained and Fern Circle-owned Senior Investment (Discreetly Mine) upset the 2017 Lexington at 11-1.

“I got to the five-eighths pole and went 'Man, they're in trouble from this point,' because he was just doing it the right way and traveling and taking us the whole way,” said Hernandez, Jr. “He was so powerful today that I knew I would just be able to pick my way through like we did. He was just there for me the whole way.”

The 20 points earned for the victory Saturday leave King Fury on the fence for the Derby, but McPeek is game to face the challenge, should the opportunity present itself.

“We'll check him after this race,” he said. “I think he's going to handle a mile and a quarter without any trouble. Whether he gets in, it's out of our control. We'll see how he bounces out. We think a mile a quarter would be great. We'll look at the opposition. The [May 15 GI] Preakness S. is a great race too. It could be either-or, but it would definitely one or the other.”

Pedigree Notes:

King Fury is the first–and, sadly, only–produce for his dam, named a 'TDN Rising Star' following a smashing debut for Commonwealth New Era Racing and trainer Todd Beattie before winning Keeneland's GII Lexus Raven Run S. in track-record time of 1:21.32. Acquired by Coolmore for $2.35 million at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton November Sale, Taris was a bang-up second after setting a furious early pace in the GI La Brea S. in her first run for trainer Simon Callaghan. She would go on to win four of her next seven starts, capped by a victory in the 2016 GI Humana Distaff S. She was later acquired privately for breeding purposes and Scott Heider's Heider Family Stable took full ownership of the mare upon dissolution of the partnership. Taris died shortly after foaling King Fury.

Taris's success at the races helped to make members of her immediate female family extremely popular at public auction. Her dam, who sold for $24,000 in foal to Flatter at the 2012 Keeneland November Sale, was bred to Tapit in the aftermath of Taris's 3-year-old season and was sold to Stonestreet for $1.5 million at KEENOV in 2015. That produce, a colt, fetched $900,000 as a Keeneland September yearling in 2017. Taris's full-sister Stoweshoe, a winner in West Virginia-bred stakes company at Mountaineer Park, was sold for $330,000 at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton February Sale. Her 4-year-old son Desert Peace (Curlin), a $1.3-million KEESEP yearling of 2018, was a handicap winner at Meydan Mar. 11, while Stonestreet homebred Cantata (Medaglia d'Oro) annexed a Fair Grounds turf allowance Mar. 12.

King Fury becomes the 39th graded winner for his sire, himself the slop-loving winner of the 2007 GI Breeders' Cup Classic. While King Fury is the first produce of a daughter Flatter to produce a graded winner to Curlin, the stallion has eight such winners from A.P. Indy-line dams, including 'TDN Rising Star' and recent GI Central Bank Ashland winner Malathaat and Stonestreet's fellow Oaks contender and GSW Clariere.

Saturday, Keeneland
STONESTREET LEXINGTON S.-GIII, $200,000, Keeneland, 4-10, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:43.50, sy.
1–KING FURY, 118, c, 3, by Curlin
1st Dam: Taris (GISW, $1,086,260), by Flatter
2nd Dam: Comedy, by Theatrical (Ire)
3rd Dam: Don't Be Silly, by Lord At War (Arg)
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($950,000 Ylg '19 FTSAUG). O-Fern
Circle Stables & Three Chimneys Farm, LLC; B-Heider Family
Stables, LLC (KY); T-Kenneth G. McPeek; J-Brian Joseph
Hernandez, Jr. $120,000. Lifetime Record: 6-3-0-0, $262,739.
Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus* Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Unbridled Honor, 118, c, 3, Honor Code–Silvery Starlet, by
Unbridled's Song. O/B-Whisper Hill Farm, LLC (KY); T-Todd A.
Pletcher. $40,000.
3–Starrininmydreams, 118, c, 3, Super Saver–Boy Crazy, by Sky
Mesa. O-Stewart Racing Stable & WinStar Farm LLC; B-Dallas
Stewart & WinStar Farm, LLC (KY); T-Dallas Stewart. $20,000.
Margins: 2 3/4, 2 1/4, 1. Odds: 18.20, 20.10, 8.10.
Also Ran: Proxy, Noble Reflection, It's My House, Swiftsure, Hockey Dad, Bezos. Scratched: Ultimate Badger.Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Hernandez Jr. Takes Two Stakes, Earning Him Jockey Of The Week Title

After two stakes victories at Fair Grounds on “The Road to the Derby Kickoff Day,” Brian Hernandez Jr. was voted Jockey of the Week for January 11 through January 17. The award, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, is for jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 950 active riders in the United States as well as retired and permanently disabled jockeys.

Trainer Chris Block gave Hernandez, Jr. a leg up on Charlie's Penny in the Silverbulletday Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. Dismissed at odds of 9.20-1, Charlie's Penny sat a clear stalking trip behind the pacesetter Littlestitious, then rallied on the turn for home and went on score an authoritative 3-1/4-length win.

“She was able to get herself in a nice position quickly,” Hernandez Jr. said. Going around the first turn and then once she got outside she travelled nicely with her ears up the whole way. She was there for me. I just had to be a good passenger.”

Riding for trainer Dallas Stewart in the Grade 3 Louisiana Stakes for 4-year-olds and up, Hernandez Jr. had the mount on Title Ready. A clear fourth in the early going, Title Ready rallied on the turn for home, then closed strongly to take the lead and drew away to win by 1-1/4 lengths.

“You know coming out of two Grade 1's, he's not chasing Authentic and those horses around there today,” Hernandez Jr. explained. “We thought that if he broke good and got himself in the race, it would benefit him.”

The Louisiana native is the son of retired jockey Brian Joseph Hernandez. Hernandez Jr. was awarded the Eclipse Award as Outstanding Apprentice in 2004 and is a multiple graded stakes winning jockey. He rides the Kentucky circuit and Fair Grounds in the winter. His younger brother, Colby, is also a jockey.

Weekly stats for Hernandez, Jr. were 23-5-6-1. He led all jockeys by total purse earnings of $326,840.

Hernandez Jr. out-polled fellow riders Antonio Gallardo who won two stakes races at Tampa Bay, Irad Ortiz, Jr. who led all jockeys by wins with 10, Umberto Rispoli who won two stakes at Santa Anita and Sheldon Russell who won three stakes races at Laurel.

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Envoutante Draws Clear From Bonny South To Win Falls City

Three Chimneys Farm and Walking L Thoroughbreds' 3-year-old filly Envoutante led every step of the way in a powerful six-length win over 4-5 favorite Bonny South in Thursday's 105th running of the $200,000 Falls City (Grade 2), the traditional Thanksgiving Day fixture for fillies and mares at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

Trained by Kenny McPeek and ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., Envoutante ran 1 1/8 miles over a fast track in 1:49.11 – the fastest Falls City since Silent Eskimo's stakes record of 1:48.85 in 1999.

Breaking from the rail in the field of eight fillies and mares, Envoutante went right to the front and dictated a modest pace of :24.25, :48.95 and 1:13.21 while maintaining a half-length advantage over Our Super Freak, who was followed early on by Market Rumor, Bonny South, Smooth With a Kick, Cash Out, Another Broad and Over Thinking. Leaving the far turn, Envoutante was met by the pressers but she had plenty left and widened her advantage to easily draw away in the stretch.

“It was my first time on her for a race but I've worked her and worked against her before, too, with (Preakness Stakes winner) Swiss Skydiver,” said Hernandez, who also won the 2015 Falls City aboard Ahh Chocolate. “She really kicked away from the field today and was very dominant. At the three-eighths pole I got her into the bit again and she just kicked away. Riding for Kenny is easy and he didn't really give a lot of instructions. When the gates opened, she put herself into a great spot.”

Envoutante was the 5-2 second betting choice and paid $7.20, $3.20 and $3. Fair Grounds Oaks (GII) winner Bonny South, ridden by Florent Geroux, returned $2.60 and $2.20. Another Broad was another 3 ½ lengths back in third under Ricardo Santana Jr. and paid $5.60.

Our Super Freak, Smooth Wick a Kick, Over Thinking, Market Rumor and Cash Out completed the order of finish. High Regard was a late scratch.

Envoutante won the $100,000 Remington Park Oaks (G3) in her previous start on Sept. 27 and placed third behind Speech and Venetian Harbor in the $400,000 Ashland (G1) in July. The Falls City was her first race against elders.

“She was 1-for-1 at Churchill coming into this race,” said McPeek, who collected his first Falls City win. “We were very confident by the way she was working in the mornings and hoping she was going to put it together in the afternoon. She's worked against Swiss Skydiver and has really done well in her training. She's done a lot of traveling this year and got her graded stakes win in the Remington Oaks so winning another one was very special.”

With the Falls City win, Envoutante improved her record to 9-4-1-2. Thursday's $120,280 first prize jumped her earnings to $336,028.

Envoutante is a dark bay or brown daughter of Uncle Mo out of the Bluegrass Cat mare Enchante. She was bred in Kentucky by Jumping Jack Racing LLC.

Racing at Churchill Downs continues Friday with the popular day-after Thanksgiving card highlighted by the 146^th running of the $500,000 Clark (GI) for older horses.

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King Fury Proves Best in Street Sense S.

Blue-blooded King Fury bounced back from an uninspiringly flat performance in the GI Breeders Futurity at Keeneland earlier this month to win Sunday’s Street Sense S. at Churchill Downs. Favored at 4-5 to make amends, the chestnut was a two-wide fourth going into the first turn and remained comfortably off the rail heading into the far turn. Starting to make up ground approaching the quarter pole, the $950,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling purchase wrested the lead from GISP Super Stock in the stretch and drew clear late to score by a half length over the favorite. A debut winner at Churchill Downs Sept. 3, the colt is the first foal out of Grade I winner and millionaire Taris (Flatter), who brought $2.35 million at the F-T Fall Mixed sale in 2014.

STREET SENSE OVERNIGHT S., $98,000, Churchill Downs, 10-25, 2yo, 1 1/16m, 1:44.30, ft.
1–KING FURY, 118, c, 2, by Curlin
1st Dam: Taris, by Flatter
2nd Dam: Comedy, by Theatrical (Ire)
3rd Dam: Don’t Be Silly, by Lord At War (Arg)
($950,000 Ylg ’19 FTSAUG). 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Fern Circle Stables & Three Chimneys Farm, LLC; B-Heider Family
Stables, LLC (KY); T-Kenneth G. McPeek; J-Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. $59,835. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $116,979.
2–Super Stock, 122, c, 2, Dialed In–Super Girlie, by Closing Argument. ($70,000 Ylg ’19 KEESEP). O-Woolsey, Erv and
Asmussen, Keith; B-Pedro & P.J. Gonzalez (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $19,450.
3–Oncoming Train, 118, c, 2, Mineshaft–Fascino, by Harlan’s Holiday. ($50,000 Ylg ’19 FTKJUL; $100,000 2yo ’20 OBSAPR).
O-Doubledown Stables, Inc.; B-Curtis C. Green (KY); T-James P. DiVito. $9,725.
Margins: HF, 3 3/4, HF. Odds: 2.70, 0.90, 5.30.
Also Ran: Arabian Prince, Franz Josef, Crime Spree. Scratched: Eucharist.

Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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