Churchill Downs | Horse Racing Free Tips

TIEA Award To Honor Richardson

In conjunction with the sixth annual Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards presented by Godolphin, this year's Community Award has been renamed the Dr. J. David “Doc” Richardson Community Award presented by Churchill Downs.

The announcement was made following the sixth race Saturday at Churchill Downs as the track hosted a Celebration of Life for Richardson, the distinguished Louisville surgeon who was an owner, breeder and widely respected leader in the horse racing industry. He died Sept. 7 in Saratoga Springs, NY, from complications due to a breakthrough COVID infection at the age of 76.

The Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards, which will take place Oct. 15 at 11 a.m. in the Keeneland Entertainment Center, recognize and reward the outstanding talent, diligence and commitment of the farm and racing stable staff who are at the heart of the sport.

Dr. Richardson chaired the Community Award committee and helped select this year's winner and runner-up by the first panel which met in August: Nicholas Caras of the New York Racetrack Chaplaincy and Diana Pinones of the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, respectively. The winner will receive $7,500 and $2,500 to their charity of choice. The runner-up will be awarded with $2,500.

Ideal candidates for the Dr. J. David “Doc” Richardson Community Award should work either for or with a charitable organization, or as part of the charitable arm of the Thoroughbred business for which they work. Nominees for this award do not need to be directly employed in the Thoroughbred industry.

Qualities for nominees include

Commitment, dedication and enthusiasm

Propensity to work hard

Evidence of a desire to improve and progress skills and knowledge

Team spirit approach in the workplace

Willingness to learn with examples of involvement in industry events and activities

Eligible candidates include, but are not limited to, those employed in Thoroughbred aftercare; backstretch programs; education related initiatives; racetrack or farm chaplaincy; etc.

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Knicks Go Gallops In Lukas Classic, Sets New Stakes Record In Usual Front-Running Style

Knicks Go had things all his own way once again in the Grade 3 Lukas Classic at Churchill Downs on Oct. 2, paving the way for a trip to this year's Breeders' Cup Classic. Jockey Joel Rosario got the speedy gray out in front early and never looked back, setting a relaxed early pace and easily throwing off closing bids from Sprawl and Independence Hall to be geared down at the wire. The final time for the 1 1/8 miles was 1:47.85, a new stakes record and just missing the track record set in 1999 by Victory Gallop.

Independence Hall was second, followed by Shared Sense. Fractional times were :23.53, :47.27, and 1:10.90.

Brad Cox trains Knicks Go for the Korea Racing Authority, saddling him here in his third consecutive victory. Since switching from Ben Colebrook's barn in early 2020, Knicks Go has embraced an aggressive, pace-setting running style that has served him well. Earlier this year, he won the G3 Cornhusker, the G1 Whitney, and the G1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational. Cox also saddled Knicks Go for a win in last year's Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.

Knicks Go was bred in Maryland by Angie Moore and is by Paynter out of Outflanker mare Kosmo's Buddy. He was a $40,000 weanling at the Keeneland November Sale in 2016, where he was consigned by Bill Reightler and purchased by Northface Bloodstock. He sold at the Keeneland September Sale the following year for $87,000 from Woods Edge Farm to Korea Racing Authority.

Knicks Go was heavily favored at 1-9 and paid $2.20, $2.10, and $2.10. See the full chart here.

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Breeders’ Cup Hopefuls Breeze in Kentucky

A quartet of horses headed towards engagements at the Breeders' Cup World Championships at Del Mar Nov. 6 were out for serious workouts Saturday morning at both major Kentucky venues.

Champion Essential Quality (Tapit) worked five furlongs in the company of Ellis Park allowance winner Colonel Bowman (Curlin) just after the track opened for business shortly after 5:30 Saturday morning. The duo broke off at the half-mile pole, crossing the wire in :46.80 before completing the move around the clubhouse turn in :59.20. Essential Quality outgamed Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow) to take out the GI Runhappy Travers S. in his most recent start and is being trained up to the Classic, for which he figures no worse than the second choice.

“Essential is the type of horse that just keeps finding more in every race,” trainer Brad Cox said. “I thought his race in the Travers was a tremendous effort to run down [Midnight Bourbon]. He's a really nice horse in his own right.

He continued, “The distance in the Classic is not going to be an issue for him. He'll be fit and ready. There wasn't a race in between the Travers and the Classic that made a lot of sense for him to run in. We gave him two easy half-mile works prior to [Saturday] and we'll keep tightening the screws each week.”

The Cox-conditioned Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) turned in an easy half-mile in :50.40 Saturday morning, her first move since winning the GIII Locust Grove S. Sept. 17.

Bell's The One (Majesticperfection), a latest second to Sconsin (Include) in the Sept. 17 Open Mind S., also returned to the tab Saturday morning for trainer Neil Pessin. The 5-year-old, who will look to improve on her third-place effort to Gamine (Into Mischief) in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, went in the company of recent allowance runner-up Audrey's Time (Uncle Mo) and covered a half-mile in :48 (14/131), breaking off five lengths behind her stablemate before joining her on the wire.

Across Interstate 64 at Keeneland Saturday morning, pro-tem divisional leader Letruska (Super Saver) tuned up for the Oct. 10 GI Juddmonte Spinster S. by working five-eighths of a mile in :59 over a fast main track. She was clocked in splits of :22.60, :35.40 and :46.80 before energetically galloping out six furlongs in 1:11.

Golden Pal (Uncle Mo), winner of the 2020 GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, worked five furlongs in 1:01 over the firm turf course in preparation for next Saturday's GII Woodford S. His workmate was the fleet 2-year-old filly Averly Jane (Midshipman), who is ticketed for the Oct. 10 Listed Indian Summer S. en route to a possible appearance in the Juvenile Turf Sprint.

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Cody’s Wish Makes Dreams Come True For 15-Year-Old Namesake

It was the perfect start to racing Saturday at Churchill Downs where 3-year-old colt Cody's Wish recorded his first lifetime victory. Cody's Wish is named after 15-year-old Cody Dorman who suffers from the rare genetic disorder Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome.

“This went from a wish and turned into a dream come true,” said Kelly Dorman, father of Cody.

In 2018, Godolphin, who owns Cody's Wish, sponsored the Dorman family at Keeneland's Make-A-Wish day. Dorman developed a special bond with Cody's Wish when he was just a foal. Three years later, Cody's Wish recorded his first victory with the Dorman family in attendance.

“This was such a special win for everyone involved,” trainer Bill Mott's assistant Kenny McCarthy said. “We are certainly glad the family was able to be here for the special day.”

Cody's Wish defeated seven rivals by two lengths in Saturday's first race, a $120,000 maiden special weight contest. Ridden by Joel Rosario, Cody's Wish completed the one-mile distance in 1:33.88, just .62 seconds off the track record that was set by Fruit Ludt in 2014.

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