Churchill Downs | Horse Racing Free Tips

Smiles, Everyone…Smiles

Smile Happy (Runhappy) built on a monster 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy debut victory on closing day at Keeneland Oct. 29 with an equally eye-catching score in Saturday's GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. Saturday at Churchill Downs, establishing himself as one of the early favorites for the GI Kentucky Derby about six months down the road.

Welcome to Fantasy Island, Lucky Seven Stable.

A generous 24-5 third favorite despite the domination of that towering 5 1/2-length graduation, Smile Happy landed in about fifth spot, just ahead of centerfield, as Street Sense S. hero Howling Time (Not This Time) found his way to the front and galloped them along at a sensible pace. Guided out into the clear to punch the breeze four wide and covering favored Classic Causeway (Giant's Causeway) down the backstretch, Smile Happy traveled ominously well within the grasp of Corey Lanerie and was poised to pounce despite a wide passage around the second turn. Advancing on his own courage as the field neared the entrance to the stretch, Smile Happy circled up four deep, hit the front a furlong and a half from home under a left-handed stick and stayed on powerfully for the win. White Abbario (Race Day) was a game, but no-menace third.

“You'd think this horse ran 10 times already with how mature he acts,” Lanerie said. “He's very rateable and easy to ride. I felt very confident with him at the half-mile pole. I could tell I had a lot of horse beneath me. I got him into the right spot and he really kicked clear in the stretch. He's got a bright future.”

Smile Happy capped a four-timer on the afternoon for trainer Ken McPeek, who said that Smile Happy would follow the Florida route back to Churchill next spring.

“We'll probably take it easy with him in December and January and start deciding his future in February.” said McPeek, who also won the 2001 Kentucky Jockey Club with Repent (Louis Quatorze) and was forced to scratch morning-line favorite Tiz the Bomb (Hit It a Bomb) Saturday morning. “At this stage we have a lot of options on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. It's a good problem to have.”

Pedigree Notes:

Smile Happy is the sixth black-type winner and second graded winner for the resurgent Runhappy, who also has GSW and GI Breeders' Cup Sprint third and fellow 'Rising Star' Following Sea flying the flag. The latter heads to next weekend's GI Cigar Mile H. at Aqueduct.

One of 49 winners for his sire this year, Smile Happy is out of a half-sister to SW Miracle Mets (Metfield) and is his dam's most recent produce.

Saturday, Churchill Downs
KENTUCKY JOCKEY CLUB S.-GII, $400,000, Churchill Downs, 11-27, 2yo, 1 1/16m, 1:43.94, ft.
1–SMILE HAPPY, 122, c, 2, by Runhappy
1st Dam: Pleasant Smile, by Pleasant Tap
2nd Dam: Relax and Smile, by Relaunch
3rd Dam: Bunch of Smiles, by Graustark
'TDN Rising Star' 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED
STAKES WIN. ($175,000 Wlg '19 KEENOV; $185,000 Ylg '20
FTKSEL). O-Lucky Seven Stable (Mackin); B-Moreau
Bloodstock Int'l Inc. & White Bloodstock LLC (KY); T-Kenneth
McPeek; J-Corey J. Lanerie. $234,410. Lifetime Record:
2-2-0-0, $284,810. Werk Nick Rating: First SW on this cross.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Classic Causeway, 122, c, 2, Giant's Causeway–Private
World, by Thunder Gulch. O-Kentucky West Racing LLC &
Clarke M. Cooper; B-Kentucky West Racing LLC & Clarke M.
Cooper Family Living Trust (KY); T-Brian A. Lynch. $76,100.
3–White Abarrio, 122, c, 2, Race Day–Catching Diamonds, by
Into Mischief. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE.
($7,500 Ylg '20 OBSWIN; $40,000 2yo '21 OBSMAR). O-C2
Racing Stable LLC & La Milagrosa Stable, LLC; B-Spendthrift
Farm, LLC (KY); T-Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. $38,050.
Margins: 3 1/4, 2 3/4, HF. Odds: 4.80, 1.40, 6.70.
Also Ran: Ben Diesel, Howling Time, Vivar, Call Me Midnight, Red Knobs, Guntown, Texas Red Hot, Ready Pursuit. Scratched: Mannix (Ire), Rich Strike, Tiz the Bomb.
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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Medaglia d’Oro Filly Gets the ‘Gold’ at Churchill

On this day 12 months ago, Robertino Diodoro saddled Cypress Creek Equine and partners' Keepmeinmind (Laoban) to a popular maiden-breaking victory in the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. en route to a trip down the Triple Crown trail. Saturday afternoon beneath the Twin Spires, the same connections' Dream Lith (Medaglia d'Oro) officially served notice that she is on a GI Longines Kentucky Oaks trajectory, overcoming a tricky trip to post a narrow success in the GII Golden Rod S.

When favored Rags To Riches S. winner Sandstone (Street Sense) failed to break cleanly, the blinkered Yuugiri (Shackleford) took full advantage, sprinting to the front and easing down the pace through an opening quarter in :24.04. Dream Lith settled well off the inside with cover in the slipstream of Secret Oath (Arrogate) while racing at the back of the leading group. By the time the field had reached the midway point, Sandstone had recovered to be in a stalking position and there were no real changes in the plot until Ramon Vasquez asked Dream Lith to improve four wide approaching the three-eighths.

Sandstone tried to take the race to the pacesetter with 2 1/2 furlongs to travel, but Yuugiri met that bid and took them into the lane, as Dream Lith continued with a menacing run four deep. Having shrugged off Sandstone in upper stretch, Yuugiri fought on bravely inside, but Dream Lith managed to sustain her momentum and edged clear late. Making her first start around two turns, 'TDN Rising Star' Famed (Uncle Mo), the half-sister to champion Essential Quality (Tapit), raced freely and in tight for the opening six panels and could not quite sprint with the leaders in the final stages.

Dream Lith belied debut odds of 36-1 to graduate at first asking at Saratoga Aug. 8, but endured a nightmarish trip and split the field in the GI Spinaway S. Sept. 5, finishing a dozen-plus lengths in back of likely champion Echo Zulu (Gun Runner). The beautifully bred dark bay was exiting an even fifth (dead-heat) in the GI Darley Alcibiades S. at Keeneland Oct. 8 and was adding blinkers for the first time in the Golden Rod.

Pedigree Notes:

The 158th worldwide black-type winner and 85th graded/group winner for Medaglia d'Oro, Dream Lith is also the 101st stakes winner and 53rd GSW out of a daughter of the late Street Cry (Ire).

Southern Equine and Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings paid $6 million for 2004 GI Ashland S. winner Madcap Escapade at the 2006 Keeneland November Sale in foal to Pulpit and the resulting produce became Mi Sueno, who was knocked down for $1.7 million at KEENOV in 2007 and carried the Southern Equine silks to victory in the 2009 GI Del Mar Debutante and GIII Sorrento S. Mi Sueno was sold to Katsumi Yoshida in foal to Frankel (GB) for $1.9 million at Fasig-Tipton November in 2013 and is the dam of four winners from six to race in Japan, including the filly she was carrying at the time of her sale, Group 3 winner Mi Suerte (Jpn).

Elle Sueno is the dam of a yearling full-sister to Dream Lith, a weanling half-sister by Justify and was most recently bred to Laoban.

Saturday, Churchill Downs
GOLDEN ROD S.-GII, $400,000, Churchill Downs, 11-27, 2yo, f,
1 1/16m, 1:44.72, ft.
1–DREAM LITH, 122, f, 2, by Medaglia d'Oro
1st Dam: Elle Sueno, by Street Cry (Ire)
2nd Dam: Mi Sueno, by Pulpit
3rd Dam: Madcap Escapade, by Hennessy
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN.
($590,000 RNA Wlg '19 FTKNOV). O-Cypress Creek Equine & Arnold
Bennewith; B-Southern Equine Stables, LLC (KY); T-Robertino
Diodoro; J-Ramon A. Vazquez. $240,455. Lifetime Record:
4-2-0-0, $313,455. Werk Nick Rating: A+.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Yuugiri, 122, f, 2, Shackleford–Yuzuru, by Medaglia d'Oro.
1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O/B-Sekie Yoshihara & Tsunebumi
Yoshihara (KY); T-Rodolphe Brisset. $78,050.
3–Sandstone, 122, f, 2, Street Sense–Seattle Shimmer, by
Seattle Slew. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($165,000 Ylg '20
KEESEP). O-Susan Moulton; B-Mark & Cindy Stansell (KY);
T-Kenneth G. McPeek. $39,025.
Margins: 1, 3 1/4, 3 1/4. Odds: 9.10, 8.30, 0.80.
Also Ran: Famed, Secret Oath, Code for Success, Cancel This, Hal's Dream.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

The post Medaglia d’Oro Filly Gets the ‘Gold’ at Churchill appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Sunday’s Insights: Pricey Arrogate Colt Debuts at Del Mar

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency

GUN RUNNER FILLIES DEBUT AT CHURCHILL

7th-CD, $120k, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 3:57 p.m.
Freshman sire Gun Runner is represented by a pair of debuting fillies in this six-furlong affair. Richard Baltas saddles PEACE PEDDLER (GUN RUNNER), a $200,000 KEESEP yearling purchase, for Calvin Nguyen. The bay filly is a daughter of Canadian champion Embur's Song (Unbridled's Song). Steve Asmussen sends out Stonestreet homebred Ari Oakley (Gun Runner), a daughter of Belle of Perintown (Dehere) and half-sister to graded winner Strike It Rich (Unbridled's Song) and graded placed Tomlin (Distorted Humor) and Beau Liam (Liam's Map). TJCIS PPs

PRICEY ARROGATE COLT OPENS CAREER AT DEL MAR

4th-DMR, $70k, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 4:31 p.m.
GOT THUNDER (ARROGATE), who sold for $750,000 following a :10 flat work at the OBS April sale, debuts for West Point Thoroughbreds and Mike Talla and trainer John Sadler. The colt is a half-brother to multiple Grade I winner Heart to Heart (English Channel) and to multiple graded placed Lady Traveler (Quality Road). Sadler also saddles firster Moment of Peace (Tapit) for M Racing Group. The $230,000 KEEJAN yearling is a full-brother to graded winner Subconscious. Bob Baffert sends out the debuting Newgrange (Violence), a $125,000 KEESEP yearling, for the SF/Starlight/Madaket partnership. TJCIS PPs

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Uncle Mo Filly Has Her ‘Rising Star’ Moment

Cocktail Moments (f, 2, Uncle Mo–River Maid, by Where's the Ring) turned in a powerful, come-from-behind victory for 'TDN Rising Star' honors on debut at Churchill Downs Saturday afternoon. The dark bay didn't offer many clues on her worktab and completed preparations for Kenny McPeek with a three-furlong spin in :37 1/5 (5/14) beneath the Twin Spires Nov. 24. Overlooked at odds of 26-1, the Dixiana Farms colorbearer, drawn wide in post 11, was outsprinted in 10th through an opening quarter in :22.37. She began to roll as they rounded the far turn, tipped out widest of all in about the six path leaving the quarter pole and rocketed home down the center to graduate by an eye-catching 9 1/4 lengths. Delightof the Nile (Pioneerof the Nile) was second. Cocktail Moments is the ninth 'TDN Rising Star' for leading sire Uncle Mo. Cocktail Moments is the first foal out of Canadian champion female sprinter River Maid. She had a colt by Medaglia d'Oro this year and was bred back to leading sire Tapit. River Maid brought $450,000 from Mark Stansell at the 2017 KEENOV sale.

4th-Churchill Downs, $122,857, Msw, 11-27, 2yo, f, 7f, 1:23.28, ft, 9 1/4 lengths.
COCKTAIL MOMENTS, f, 2, by Uncle Mo
1st Dam: River Maid (Ch. Female Sprinter-Can, GSW, $442,909), by Where's the Ring)
2nd Dam: Rivermaid Dancing, by Riverman
3rd Dam: Perky Dancer, by Green Dancer
Sales history: $135,000 Wlg '19 KEENOV; $190,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP; $245,000 RNA 2yo '21 OBSMAR. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $69,460. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.
O-Dixiana Farms LLC; B-Mark Stansell (KY); T-Kenneth G. McPeek.

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