Churchill Downs | Horse Racing Free Tips

A Heater In the Turf Classic

Six months ago, Klaravich Stables' Domestic Spending (GB) (Kingman {GB}) was the leader of a very strong group of turf sophomores, having won the valuable Saratoga Derby over the summer before a year-ending defeat of Smooth Like Strait (Midnight Lute) in the GI Hollywood Derby.

But while that one was given his winter's rest, Robert and Lawana Low's Colonel Liam (Liam's Map), a progressive sort who finished within three-quarters of a length of Domestic Spending at the Spa last summer, had assumed 'King of the Hill' status, courtesy of a three-race skein that included the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf in January and the GII Muniz Memorial S. Mar. 20. Saturday's renewal of acquaintances in the GI Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic at Churchill Downs lived up to expectations, as they hit the wire together and the judges could not split them.

Colonel Liam, a touch keen passing under the wire for the first time, found the perfect spot in the box seat, as Smooth Like Strait enjoyed a cheap time of things on the engine, doling out fractions of :24.40 for the opening couple of furlongs and an easy :49.17 beneath Umberto Rispoli. The second that pace-pressing Cross Border (English Channel) came under a Ricardo Santana, Jr. ride leaving the three-eighths pole, Colonel Liam was asked for a bit of acceleration from Irad Ortiz, Jr. and was pulled out into the two path to deliver his challenge. Colonel Liam was roused to the front a furlong from home, but Domestic Spending, given a quiet time of it towards the back of the field for the opening six furlongs, followed his stablemate and defending champion Digital Age (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) into the lane, shot the gap between the latter and a weakening Cross Border, was steered out and around Colonel Liam as Smooth Like Strait hung to his right and hit the line on even terms.

Pedigree Notes:

Colonel Liam is the one of six graded winners and three Grade I winners for Liam's Map and is bred on the same cross as 'TDN Rising Star' Wicked Whisper. Colonel Liam is one of two winners from four to race for his dam, an unraced daughter of the Phillipses MGISW turf distaffer Wonder Again, whose full-brother Grass Wonder was the champion 2-year-old of his generation in Japan and later won the Takarazuka Kinen over 2200 meters (11 furlongs) and the 2500-meter (12.5-furlong) Arima Kinen on two occasions before embarking on a stud career. This is also the same female family responsible for GSW Hopeful Growth (Tapiture). Amazement is the dam of Colonel Liam's 3-year-old half-sister Lovely Dee (Shackleford), a juvenile colt by Tapiture and a yearling colt by the late Arrogate, like Liam's Map a son of Unbridled's Song. She most recently visited Copper Bullet (More Than Ready).

Domestic Spending is the lone produce for his stakes-winning dam (died 2017), a daughter of G3 Nell Gywn S. winner and MG1SP Cloud Castle (GB) (In the Wings {GB}), whose GSW Queen's Best (GB) (King's Best) produced GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner Queen's Trust (GB) (Dansili {GB}). Domestic Spending's third dam includes a plethora of high-class gallopers, including MG1SWs Warrsan (Ire) (Caerleon) and Luso (GB) (Salse) and MGSW & MG1SP Needle Gun (Ire) (Sure Blade).

Saturday, Churchill Downs
OLD FORESTER BOURBON TURF CLASSIC S.-GI, $1,000,000, Churchill Downs, 5-1, 4yo/up, 1 1/8mT, 1:47.99, fm.
(DH)-1–COLONEL LIAM, 124, c, 4, by Liam's Map
                1st Dam: Amazement, by Bernardini
                2nd Dam: Wonder Again, by Silver Hawk
                3rd Dam: Ameriflora, by Danzig
($50,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP; $1,200,000 2yo '19 OBSAPR).
O-Lawana L. & Robert E. Low; B-Phillips Racing Partnership
(KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $393,600. Lifetime
Record: 8-6-0-1, $1,264,565. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple
Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
(DH)-1–DOMESTIC SPENDING (GB), 124, g, 4, by Kingman (GB)
                1st Dam: Urban Castle (SW-Eng), by Street Cry (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Cloud Castle (GB), by In the Wings (GB)
                3rd Dam: Lucayan Princess (Ire), by High Line (GB)
(300,000gns Ylg '18 TATOCT). O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.;
B-Rabbah Bloodstock Limited (GB); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Flavien
Prat. $393,600. Lifetime Record: 6-5-0-1, $914,500. Werk Nick
Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
3–Smooth Like Strait, 120, c, 4, Midnight Lute–Smooth as
Usual, by Flower Alley. O-Cannon Thoroughbreds, LLC;
B-Cannon Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Michael W. McCarthy.
$96,000.
Margins: NK, NK, 1HF. Odds: 1.40, 5.90, 7.10.
Also Ran: Count Again, Digital Age (Ire), Ivar (Brz), Cross Border, Masteroffoxhounds, Ride a Comet.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. Click for Colonel Liam's free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Click for Domestic Spending's free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Flagstaff Determined Winner In Breathtaking Churchill Downs Stakes Finish

The Grade 1 Churchill Downs Stakes on the Kentucky Derby undercard had one of those finishes that made one observer remark that it was a shame anyone had to walk away the loser. With a few strides left, six horses blanketed the width of the dirt track, and in another few steps, three were separated by a few inches, but it was Flagstaff who would emerge the victor.

Jockey Luis Saez hustled the gelding strongly out of the gate and he was initially part of a blazing battle for the early lead alongside Get The Prize, Tap It To Win, Lexitonian, and Basin. Halfway through the backstretch he dropped back behind those and would have seemed poised to begin reversing through the rest of the field in the remaining furlongs. Instead, Saez regrouped and made a wide move on the turn, sweeping into at least the five path to circle the field.

Flagstaff was one of a flurry of horses in contention through the final furlong, from the pacesetters and stalkers trying to hang on to late closers. He briefly held the lead but was challenged by closers. At the wire, Whitmore was to his outside and Lexitonian to his inside as Flagstaff lengthened his stride just enough to stretch his neck out at the right moment and win by a head.

Lexitonian was second, followed by Whitmore and Hog Creek Hustle. The final time was 1:21.82 after early fractions of :21.97, :44.21 and 1:08.04.

John Sadler trains Flagstaff for owners Lane's End Racing and Hronis Racing. The 7-year-old came to this race off a decisive win in the G3 Commonwealth at Keeneland in early April. This is his first Grade 1 win, and he also won the G2 San Carlos at Santa Anita last year.

Flagstaff was bred in Kentucky by Summer Wind Farm and is the son of Speightstown and Indyan Giving, who is by A.P. Indy. He was sold for $475,000 as a yearling at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, where he was consigned by Lane's End and bought by Mayberry Farm.

Flagstaff went off at odds of 9-2 and paid $11.80 to win. Favored Tap It To Win finished second last. See the full chart here.

CHURCHILL DOWNS QUOTES, courtesy Churchill Downs press office

Luis Saez (Jockey, Flagstaff, winner) – “Getting settled off the pace was the key; they were going pretty fast up front. I tried to save ground into the turn and when there was a moment to go out so I had that good spot he came for me. I know Whitmore is a good horse but my horse really dug in. When I saw everybody coming past me I thought it was over but he never gave up and finally he gave me the last little bit and we got there. John told me to ride him with confidence and that he likes to fight and we broke and then you saw that at the end.”

John Sadler (Trainer, Flagstaff, winner) – “I'm thrilled. He's a real hard knocker; he always runs his race. He knocked it out today.”

Tyler Gaffalione (Jockey, Lexitonian, runner-up) – “He's a hard-trying horse. He's got a lot of natural speed and I just let him run his race. He fought hard to the wire. He gave me a good feeling at the eighth pole but we just didn't have enough today.”

The post Flagstaff Determined Winner In Breathtaking Churchill Downs Stakes Finish appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Flagstaff Takes Wild Finish In Churchill Downs

LOUISVILLE, KY – Flagstaff (Speightstown) kicked on gamely in a wild, blanket finish to lead home a one-two for his leading sire in the GI Churchill Downs S. Saturday. It was a head back to Lexitonian (Speightstown) in second; and another nose to champion sprinter Whitmore (Pleasantly Perfect) in third.

“I'm thrilled,” winning trainer John Sadler said. “He's a real hard knocker; he always runs his race. He knocked it out today.”

Flagstaff, a last out winner of Keeneland's GIII Commonwealth S. Apr. 3, his first win in 13 months, vied for early command along the inside in a five-horse scramble, headed by Bango (Congrats), but began to drop back to fifth following a sharp quarter in :21.97 and half mile in :44.21.

The Lane's End Racing and Hronis Racing colorbearer dialed it back up approaching the quarter pole once guided to the outside by Luis Saez with a six-wide blitz.

Bango proved a stubborn foe and held the call into the final eighth of a mile, but the others were about to swoop in. No fewer than six in with a chance and Whitmore looking like he was doing the best work of all, Flagstaff wanted it just a little more and eked out a narrow decision.

“Getting settled off the pace was the key; they were going pretty fast up front,” Saez said. “I tried to save ground into the turn and when there was a moment to go out, I had that good spot, he came for me. I know Whitmore is a good horse, but my horse really dug in. When I saw everybody coming past me, I thought it was over, but he never gave up and finally he gave me the last little bit and we got there. John told me to ride him with confidence, and that he likes to fight, and we broke and then you saw that at the end.”

Flagstaff kicked off his 7-year-old campaign with a pair of efforts at Oaklawn, finishing fourth in the slop in the King Cotton S. Feb. 6 and third in the Hot Springs S. Mar. 13, prior to his aforementioned 9-5 score in Lexington.

Flagstaff's resume also includes: wins in the 2019 Damascus S. and 2020 GII San Carlos S., and five graded placings, headed by a third-place finish in the 2019 GI Santa Anita Sprint Championship S.

Pedigree Notes:

Flagstaff is the 21st Grade I winner for leading sire Speightstown. He is one of 60 graded winners and 122 black-type scorers for his sire.

He is the 31st Grade I winner (one of 110 graded victors and 235 black-type winners) out of a daughter of the legendary A.P. Indy.

Flagstaff is a half-brother to champion juvenile and Lane's End stallion Game Winner (Candy Ride {Arg}). Their unraced dam Indyan Giving is a daughter of champion Fleet Indian (Indian Charlie), who was acquired by Summer Wind Farm after she RNA'd for $3.9 million at the 2007 Keeneland November Sale.

Flagstaff was Indyan Giving's first foal. She was bred to Empire Maker after delivering the aforementioned Eclipse winner, but died due to complications following colic surgery before she could produce that foal.

Saturday, Churchill Downs
CHURCHILL DOWNS S. PRESENTED BY FORD-GI, $500,000, Churchill Downs, 5-1, 4yo/up, 7f, 1:21.82, ft.
1–FLAGSTAFF, 118, g, 7, by Speightstown
1st Dam: Indyan Giving, by A.P. Indy
2nd Dam: Fleet Indian, by Indian Charlie
3rd Dam: Hustleeta, by Afleet
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($475,000 Ylg '15 FTSAUG). O-Lane's End
Racing & Hronis Racing LLC; B-Summer Wind Farm (KY); T-John
Sadler; J-Luis Saez. $288,300. Lifetime Record: 19-7-6-3,
$991,585. *1/2 to Game Winner (Candy Ride (ARG)), Ch.
2-year-old Colt, MGISW, $2,027,500. Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Lexitonian, 118, h, 5, Speightstown–Riviera Romper, by
Tapit. O/B-Calumet Farm (KY); T-Jack Sisterson. $93,000.
3–Whitmore, 123, g, 8, Pleasantly Perfect–Melody's Spirit, by
Scat Daddy. O-LaPenta, Robert V., Ron Moquett & Head of
Plains Partners LLC; B-John Liviakis (KY); T-Ron Moquett.
$46,500.
Margins: HD, NO, HF. Odds: 4.90, 46.10, 5.20.
Also Ran: Hog Creek Hustle, Phat Man, Bango, Mind Control, Basin, Endorsed, Shashashakemeup, Tap It to Win, Get the Prize. Scratched: Attachment Rate.
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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Du Jour Rides The Rail To Give Bafferts American Turf Victory

Owned in partnership by his wife, Jill Baffert, trainer Bob Baffert saddled the winner of Saturday's Grade 2 American Turf Stakes with 5-1 chance Du Jour. The 3-year-old son of Temple City stepped up to earn his first graded stakes win on Kentucky Derby day, riding the rail under Flavien Prat to hit the lead at the sixteenth pole and pulling away to win by 1 1/2 lengths on the wire. Du Jour, also owned by Debbie Lanni, wife of bloodstock agent Donato Lanni, ran 1 1/16 miles over Churchill Downs' firm turf course in 1:42.49.

Baffert told NBC that Donato Lanni had called him about the colt at the 2020 OBS April sale, telling him the son of Bernardini mare Guiltless was worth purchasing. Sold for $280,000 as a 2-year-old, Du Jour took three starts to break his maiden but hasn't lost since, racking up three wins in a row, including the American Turf.

“These turf horses are easier to train,” Baffert quipped. “You don't have to train them very hard. We tried to make a dirt horse out of him and he wasn't that good. Mike Smith rode him and said I think he likes the dirt. I'm really excited about it. And I'm just so happy for Jill. She has to deal with me as a trainer, and all the ups and downs. For that horse to win today, and to listen to her excitement, now she has something that's hers.”

Overall, the colt's record now stands at 3-1-1 from five starts for earnings of $375,220. Du Jour was bred in Kentucky by Woods Edge Farm, and was originally a $19,000 yearling purchase at the Keeneland September sale.

It is the second victory in the race for Baffert who won in 2003 with Senor Swinger.

Excellent Timing jumped well from the gates and immediately went for the lead, pulling away by several lengths through a first quarter in :22.86. He slowed down to mark the half in :47.31, allowing Next, Winfromwithin, and Dyn O Mite to close the gap on that frontrunner. Du Jour was just behind those in fifth early, a couple paths off the hedge.

Rounding the far turn, Du Jour had to wait for racing room while other rivals chose the overland route on the far outside. Winfromwithin had taken over the lead and had a slight advantage in the stretch, but Prat finally saw a hole at the rail and sent Du Jour on through.

Prat shifted Du Jour outside Winfromwithin at the eighth pole and was able to run that rival down, then hold off a late charge from late-running Lucky Charge. At the wire, Du Jour was 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Lucky Charge, while Winfromwithin held third. Hidden Enemy checked in fourth, followed by Palazzi, Royal Prince, Chess's Dream, Annex, Scarlett Sky, Holy Vow, Next, Dyn O Mite, Barrister Tom and Excellent Timing.

“The key was getting him to relax down inside,” Prat said. “I actually sent him quite a bit out of the gate and then it's always a question of if they can come back to you after that. It felt like they were going a good clip up front and that helped him to relax too. He traveled well and when I asked him to split horses, he did it nicely.”

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