Tag: Churchill Downs

The Sun Shines Bright On Kentucky Derby Day In Louisville: Scratches, Odds And Statistics

For the first time since 2015, there will be no rain falling on the Twin Spires of Churchill Downs for a Kentucky Derby held on its traditional date in Louisville, Ky., on the first Saturday in May.

The 2020 Run for the Roses was contested under clear skies and a fast track on Sept. 5, with no fans in the grandstand due to the coronavirus pandemic that caused track officials to delay the race. A limited number of tickets are being sold for this year's renewal.

Dawn broke cool but clear, with temperatures expected to reach 73 degrees by the 6:57 p.m. ET post time for the 147th running of the Derby. Forecast calls for sunny skies throughout the day, the first mostly sunny Derby day in May since 2005.

First post for the 14-race card is 10:30 a.m. ET. The Derby is the 12th race.

There was one scratch announced on Friday for the Derby, with Kenny McPeek having to withdraw King Fury (No. 16) due to a fever and elevated white blood cell count. This year's Derby, thus, will run with 19 starters.

Other scratches on the Derby day card announced at 8 a.m. Saturday: race 2, the also eligibles (Nos. 13 through 16); race 3, Harvard (No. 1); race 4, the also eligibles (13-16); race 8, the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile Stakes, Ultimate Badger (No. 2); race 10, the Grade 1 Churchill Downs Stakes, Attachment Rate (No. 6), who ran in Friday's Alysheba Stakes, finishing sixth; race 12, the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, King Fury (No. 16); race 13, Triple Tap (No. 6, a half brother to American Pharoah), Santa Cruiser (No. 10), Shadow Matter No. 1A).

NBCSN will air Derby coverage from noon until 2:30 p.m. ET, with the NBC network picking up coverage from 2:30-7:30 p.m. Coverage is also available to stream live on NBCSports.com and on the NBC Sports app.

This will be the second year Churchill Downs officials are using a new starting gate that can accommodate up to 20 horses. Prior to 2020, an auxiliary gate was used to start 20-horse Derby fields, with 14 runners in the main gate and up to six in the auxiliary gate.

The winningest post position since a starting gate was first used in 1930 is No. 5, with 10 victories from 91 starts, the most recent being Always Dreaming in 2017. Next is post one, with eight wins from 91 starts, the most recent being Ferdinand in 1986.

Win bet odds for the Kentucky Derby (as of 9 a.m. ET) are:

1. Known Agenda, 16-1
2. Like the King, 54-1
3. Brooklyn Strong, 54-1
4. Keepmeinmind, 53-1
5. Sainthood, 42-1
6. O Besos, 44-1
7. Mandalounn, 40-1
8. Medina Spirit, 15-1
9. Hot Rod Charlie, 7-1
10. Midnight Bourbon, 15-1
11. Dynamic One, 45-1
12. Helium, 51-1
13. Hidden Stash, 39-1
14. Essential Quality, 6-5
15. Rock Your World, 9-2
16. King Fury SCRATCHED
17. Highly Motivated, 16-1
18. Super Stock, 46-1
19. Soup and Sandwich, 30-1
20. Bourbonic, 33-1.

Essential Quality was installed the 2-1 morning line favorite, but his odds plunged on Friday after James “Mattress Mack” McIngvale, a well-known horse owner and furniture store owner from Houston, Texas, made a $500,000 win bet on the gray colt by Tapit. McIngvale said he will be betting between $2 million and $4 million as insurance against a promotion he's doing that will refund mattress purchases if the Derby favorite wins.

Favorites won six consecutive Derbies, from 2013-18, with 4-1 favorite Improbable running fourth in 2019 and 7-10 favorite Tiz the Law second in the delayed Derby of 2020.

Brad Cox, the Eclipse Award-winning trainer of 2020, will be saddling his first Derby starters in Essential Quality and Mandaloun. Cox is a Louisville native who grew up in the shadow of the Twin Spires.

Trainer Bob Baffert will sent out Medina Spirit in an attempt for a seventh Kentucky Derby victory from 34 starts. That would make the Hall of Fame conditioner the winningest trainer in Derby history. Baffert is currently tied with another Hall of Famer, Ben Jones, who won six Derbies from 11 starters. (Read more about “Plain Ben” Jones here.)

At the other end of the spectrum is Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, who has the unfortunate distinction of saddling the most Kentucky Derby starters – 21 – without a victory. He will be represented by Midnight Bourbon and Souper Stock.

John Velazquez is the winningest Derby jockey among this year's riders, with three from 22 mounts. He'll ride Medina Spirit. Javier Castellano, who rides Highly Motivated for trainer Chad Brown, has the most Derby mounts without a victory among active riders. Dating back to 2005, Castellano carries an 0-for-14 record into this year's Derby dating

Sixteen of the 19 runners were bred in Kentucky, with the other three Florida-breds.

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Kentucky Oaks Wagering Rebounds With Third-Highest Handle In History

The 147th running of the $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (Grade 1) at Churchill Downs Racetrack in Louisville, Ky., saw Malathaat capture the Lillies in a field of 13 under sunny skies and fast track conditions in front of 41,472 spectators spread across the expansive and spacious grounds of the racetrack.

Wagering from all-sources on the full Kentucky Oaks race card totaled $54.3 million, up 76% compared to the 2020 Kentucky Oaks, which was held in September with only essential personnel in attendance. All-sources wagering on the Kentucky Oaks race was $17.4 million up 74% from last year's Kentucky Oaks race.

The total wagered on the 13-race card was almost 10% lower than the record Oaks day handle in 2019, when $60.2 million was wagered on 13 races. This year's handle was the third-highest in the history of the Oaks despite the limited on-track attendance due to COVID-19.

Malathaat, owned by Shadwell Stable and bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC, rallied from a stalking position and held off a determined filly, Search Results, to win the Longines Kentucky Oaks by a neck at odds of 5-2 in a final time of 1.48.99. This win marks the 4th Kentucky Oaks victory for trainer Todd Pletcher and the 2nd for jockey John Velazquez. Malathaat is a daughter of Curlin out of Dreaming of Julia and now has lifetime earnings of over $1.2 million.

“Today we celebrate Malathaat and her connections, but also the fans who joined us to enjoy this beautiful day of racing,” said Churchill Downs President Mike Anderson. “The success of the 147th Kentucky Oaks is a tribute to the team at Churchill Downs, our community partners, sponsors and participants who worked tirelessly to ensure that we could safely and responsibly welcome back the fans that are an essential part of this great tradition.”

Churchill Downs Inc. continued the tradition of using Oaks day as a platform for the company's charitable initiatives. This year's virtual Kentucky Oaks Survivors Parade presented by Kroger with supporting partner Ford, honored survivors of breast and ovarian cancer along with honorees who are actively receiving treatment with a moving video montage accompanied by a live performance by vocalist Shea Leparoux, wife of seven-time Breeders Cup Championship jockey Julien Leparoux. The tribute was concluded with an honorary lap around the racetrack by the Norton Healthcare Mobile Prevention Unit. CDI has contributed over $1 million to charitable partnerships dedicated to the early detection and prevention of breast and ovarian cancer. The five-year charitable partnership with Louisville-based Norton Healthcare extended this year to also celebrate Norton employees who volunteered to staff a public vaccine clinic at Churchill Downs in late March and early April.

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Got Stormy Favored in Distaff Turf Mile

Fan favorite Got Stormy (Get Stormy) is the 8-5 morning-line favorite while facing six rivals in the GII Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile S. at Churchill Downs Saturday. The chestnut mare concluded her 2020 campaign with a fifth-place effort in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland last November, just a day before selling for $2.75 million to Spendthrift at the Fasig-Tipton November sale. Now co-owned with Myracehorse.com, the 6-year-old returned to just get her nose on top of the reopposing Zofelle (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) in the one-mile GIII Honey Fox S. at Gulfstream Feb. 27 last time out.

Owned by Heider Family Stables, Zofelle was third over the Churchill turf in the GIII Mint Julep S. last May and won her first graded race when scoring a two-length victory in the Jan. 23 GIII Marshua's River S.

Peter Brant's Blowout (GB) (Dansili {GB}) has proved herself gritty in defeat following narrow runner-up efforts behind stablemate Viadera (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) after setting rapid splits in the Sept. 26 GIII Noble Damsel S. at Belmont and the Nov. 29 GI Matriarch S. at Del Mar last time out.

The post Got Stormy Favored in Distaff Turf Mile appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Malathaat Guts Out Emotional Victory In Kentucky Oaks

It was an emotional Friday under the Twin Spires for members of the global racing and breeding operation Shadwell Stable. The organization's founder, Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, died on March 24, 2021, just five weeks before the running of the 2021 Kentucky Oaks.

The rangy bay filly with a wide star on her head may have understood the extra significance of the day. Malathaat, a daughter of Curlin out of Grade 1 winner Dreaming of Julia, was undefeated entering the fillies' classic for trainer Todd Pletcher.

This afternoon at Churchill Downs, Malathaat (5-2) faced a field of 12 other sophomore fillies all vying for the coveted garland of lilies. At the head of the lane, there were three across the track putting on a show for 41,472 fans at Churchill Downs.: Malathaat on the outside, frontrunner Travel Column (7-2) at the rail, and the also undefeated Search Results (5-1) between them.

Try as they might, neither of those rivals could get by Malathaat and John Velazquez. Not on this day. They brought home a first U.S. Classic victory for Shadwell, carrying the white and blue colors across the line a neck in front of Search Results. Malathaat completed nine furlongs over the fast main track in 1:48.99.

“It's just fantastic for our whole operation, such a big lift,” said Rick Nichols, Vice President and General Manager of Shadwell Stable. “I know in my heart he saw her win. He loved racing too much to miss this one.”

After the wire, Search Results' jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. reached over to congratulate Velazquez with a pat on the back.

Irad Ortiz, right, congratulates John Velazquez, left, after his Kentucky Oaks win aboard Malathaat.

Malathaat's triumph marks the fourth Kentucky Oaks win for Hall of Fame nominee Todd Pletcher, and the second for Velazquez. Velazquez and Pletcher teamed to win the Oaks in 2004 with Ashado, as well as the 2017 Kentucky Derby with Always Dreaming. Pletcher's other Oaks victories came with Princess of Sylmar in 2013 and Rags to Riches in 2007.

The victory puts Pletcher and Velazquez in position to make history Saturday in the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). No trainer since Ben Jones in 1952 has won the Oaks and Derby in the same year. Jones also did it in 1949 and Dick Thompson did it in 1933.

Seven riders have won the Oaks and Derby in the same year with the most recent being Calvin Borel in 2009.

Bumped from each side at the start, Malathaat looked as though she'd be shuffled back to the rear of the field. Instead, her Hall of Fame jockey sent her through a narrow hole to be three-wide in sixth position around the clubhouse turn.

Up front, Travel Column set a mild pace of :23.60 and :47.47, a half-length ahead of Moraz and Search Results. Pauline's Pearl got a cozy spot against the rail in fourth, while Malathaat was able to secure the outside position in fifth for the run up the backstretch. After six furlongs in 1:11.31, both Search Results and Malathaat were winding up and bearing down on Travel Column.

Search Results and Travel Column appeared to bump one another at the head of the lane, while Malathaat stayed in the clear in about the four-path. Despite her wide trip early in the race, Velazquez allowed Malathaat to drift in as Search Results did, the pair ending up against the rail with Malathaat on the outside. In the final eighth of a mile, Malathaat was all heart to fend off Search Results in the shadow of the wire.

“She got away from there just a bit slow, but Johnny (Velazquez) moved her up and got her in a much better position,” Pletcher said. “He had to lose some ground and go wide to do it, but it was the right thing to do. She wants a target to run at and she got one here. Delighted with the outcome.”

Malathaat was a neck in front of Search Results at the finish. It was three lengths back to Will's Secret in third, just a nose in front of late-running Clairiere. The remaining order of finish was: Travel Column, Millefeuille, Maracuja, Pauline's Pearl, Coach, Crazy Beautiful, Moraz, Pass the Champagne, and Competitive Speed. Ava's Grace was scratched earlier in the week.

Chad Brown, trainer of runner-up Search Results, said: “I'm so proud of the filly and the way she ran. She put it all out there on the track for us and you can't ask for anything more than that. She ran her eyeballs out, she really did. She battled all the way to the end and we got beat by a really good filly. She delivered and hopefully we'll get one of these one day.”

The winner was bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbreds, who campaigned her dam, Dreaming of Julia (A.P. Indy), with Pletcher to earnings of $874,500. Malathaat is the second foal out of the mare, and commanded a final bid of $1.05 million from Shadwell at the Keeneland September Yearling sale.

She broke her maiden at first asking, won a listed stakes race at Aqueduct, and then the G2 Demoiselle to cap her juvenile season. Malathaat returned off a four-month layoff to post a gutsy win in the G1 Ashland, and now the Kentucky Oaks victory has the filly's record standing at 5-for-5, with earnings of over $1.1 million.

Malathaat (Curlin) wins the Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs on 4.30.21. John Velazquez up, Todd Pletcher trainer, Shadwell Stables owner.

Shadwell's legacy began in 1980, when Sheikh Hamdan founded his racing and breeding operation.

It peaked in the U.S. with an Eclipse Award as outstanding owner in 2007. That season was led by Hall of Famer Invasor, who won the Dubai World Cup and Grade 1 Donn Handicap that season.

However, the Shadwell operation's U.S. interests will probably be best remembered for its 2006 campaign, when Invasor secured Horse of the Year honors with victories in the Breeders' Cup Classic, Whitney Handicap, and Pimlico Special. That season also saw Sheikh Hamdan win his first U.S. classic when Jazil executed his signature closing move to win the Belmont Stakes.

While Shadwell's operation was successful in the U.S., its true power lied in Europe, and especially in the U.K. The stable was represented by two winners of the English 2000 Guineas (Nashwan in 1989 and Haafhd in 2004), and two Epsom Derby winners (Nashwan in the same year and Erhaab in 1994).

Sheikh Hamdan also had five winners of the English 1000 Guineas and three Epsom Oaks winners. He was also a regular presence at the prestigious Royal Ascot meet, where he earned the meet's leading owner title in 2020 with six winners.

Shadwell has earned Great Britain's leading owner title on five occasions, most recently in 2020. Shadwell won the Irish Derby in 1990 with Salsabil, the Irish 2000 Guineas with Awtaad in 2016, and five runnings of the Irish 1000 Guineas from 1985 to 2010.

In his native U.A.E., Sheikh Hamdan won the signature Dubai World Cup on two occasions, first winning it with Almutawakel in 1999, then taking it again with Invasor in 2007.

Shadwell also had an extensive Southern Hemisphere operation, particularly in Australia, where Sheikh Hamdan won the Melbourne Cup on two occasions: At Talaq in 1986, and Jeune in 1994.

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