Patricia's Hope LLC and Phillip Sagan's Two Phil's (Hard Spun) stalked, pounced and pulled away to take Churchill's GIII Street Sense S. Sunday while flattering the form of a pair of GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile contenders. Fifth in his local unveiling June 23, the chestnut broke through next out at Colonial the following month. He resurfaced to crush by 9 3/4 lengths in Canterbury's Shakopee Juvenile S. Sept. 17, but could only manage seventh on the stretch out in Keeneland's GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity Oct. 8. 'TDN Rising Stars' Forte (Violence) and Loggins (Ghostzapper), who finished one-two in that event, are among the list of formidable colts set to take on expected favorite Cave Rock (Arrogate) in this coming Friday's Juvenile.
Off at 7-1 over a rain-soaked surface and as the money poured in on Jace's Road (Quality Road), Two Phil's broke cleanly and bounced off a rival in the first-turn scramble before being put in a perfect spot by Jareth Loveberry to draft behind a trio of leaders down the backside. He continued to cruise along comfortably through a half in :48.21, and mounted an outside bid around the home bend as 27-1 Hayes Strike (Connect) mirrored that move up the fence. Two Phil's strode to the front still under confident handling past the quarter pole, and was always in command from there despite struggling a bit with his lead changes. Hayes Strike checked in 5 1/4 lengths back to complete the exacta, with another clear margin back to slow-starting Fliparino (Honor Code) in third. Jace's Road dropped back on the far turn after attending the pace and finished well back. The winner's final time of 1:47.31 was a bit slower than the 1:46.90 in which impressive unbeaten female Hoosier Philly (Into Mischief) covered the same 1 1/16 miles of the Rags to Riches S., though plenty of additional precipitation had fallen in between the two races.
“He's shown a lot of maturity in his last couple of starts,” said Loveberry, who has been aboard Two Phil's in every start but his debut. “He's started learning a lot more and settling early into the race. He got a little bounced around today, but down the backside I got him to settle nicely and at the half-mile pole we were in a good position. I tipped him out a little bit and he showed me a lot of run. This is my first graded stakes win at Churchill Downs and I'm very excited and thankful to [trainer] Larry [Rivelli] and [Patricia's Hope principal] Vince [Foglia] for giving me this opportunity.”
Rivelli added, “He's been roughed around a couple times but Jareth has really figured him out. He gave him a great ride today and has worked with him in each start to get to mature. He's learned to relax and he's a solid, sound horse. He ran great today and we're thrilled with his potential.”
Sunday, Churchill Downs
STREET SENSE S.-GIII, $199,800, Churchill Downs, 10-30, 2yo, 1 1/16m, 1:47.31, sy.
1–TWO PHIL'S, 122, c, 2, by Hard Spun
1st Dam: Mia Torri (MSW & MGSP, $314,720), by General Quarters
2nd Dam: Flip the Stone, by Birdstone
3rd Dam: Flippy Diane, by Aaron's Concorde
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($150,000 RNA Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Patricia's Hope LLC and Phillip Sagan; B-Phillip Sagan (KY); T-Larry Rivelli; J-Jareth Loveberry. $118,350. Lifetime Record: 5-3-0-0, $195,450. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Hayes Strike, 122, c, 2, Connect–Plaid, by Deputy Commander. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O/B-Dixiana Farms LLC (KY); T-Kenneth G. McPeek. $38,500.
3–Fliparino, 122, c, 2, Honor Code–Swap Fliparoo, by Exchange Rate. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O/B-Calumet Farm (KY); T-George R. Arnold, II. $19,250.
Margins: 5 1/4, 3 3/4, 3/4. Odds: 7.62, 27.29, 8.65.
Also Ran: Top Recruit, Red Route One, Honed, Frosted Departure, Jace's Road, Boppy O, Western Ghent. Scratched: King Ice.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
Pedigree Notes:
Two Phil's becomes the 36th Northern Hemisphere graded/group winner for Darley stalwart Hard Spun, who was second in Street Sense's Gi Kentucky Derby win as part of that vintage 2007 crop. He is the first graded winner out of a mare by hard-knocking and versatile MGISW General Quarters.
The winner's dam was a MSW and MGSP sprinter for breeder and co-owner Philip Sagan and trainer Jorge Navarro. Two Phil's is her first foal. Her yearling colt by Omaha Beach RNA'd earlier in the week for $32,000 at Fasig-Tipton October. Next in the pipeline is a McKinzie colt. Mia Torri was bred back to Omaha Beach for 2023.
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