Comely S. | Horse Racing Free Tips

GI Kentucky Derby upsetter Rich Strike (Keen Ice) hopes to strengthen his case for a year-end championship title as he takes on his elders in the GI Clark H. Friday at Churchill Downs.

Right now, the 3-year-old male divisional title could go any way. Taiba (Gun Runner) and Cyberknife (Gun Runner) each have a pair of Grade Is to their credit and Epicenter (Not This Time) won the GI Runhappy Travers S. In addition to finishing second in the first two legs of the Triple Crown.

Rich Strike only has one top-level score to his name, but it's a big one, taking home the roses at a whopping 80-1. Skipping the GI Preakness S., he failed to fire in the GI Belmont S. in June, but showed improvement when fourth in the Travers. The chestnut missed by just a head to the gutsy Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) in the GII Lukas Classic at this venue Oct. 1 and was fourth last out, behind third-place Taiba, in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic Nov. 5 at Keeneland. Rich Strike clearly loves Churchill Downs, having broken his maiden by 17 1/4 lengths in his other start at this venue, and could put himself in the dual Grade I winner category just in time.

The Derby winner won't have it easy, however. He faces a host of talented challengers, including GII Hagyard Fayette S. romper West Will Power (Bernardini). Runner-up Fulsome (Into Mischief), a four-time Grade III winner, and third-place Last Samurai (Malibu Moon) also return here. Also worth strong consideration is Godolphin homebred Proxy (Tapit), last seen closing to be third behind Classic runner-up Olympiad (Speightstown) in the GII Stephen Foster S. at this oval July 2.

Churchill's post-Thanksgiving card also features the GII Mrs. Revere S. for 3-year-old turf fillies. GII Rubicon Valley View S. runner-up California Angel (California Chrome) tops the field, but should the Bubble Rock (More Than Ready) who won the GIII Matron S. show up this time, she could be in trouble.

Aqueduct plays host to a pair of graded events, the GIII Long Island S. for female turf routers and the GIII Comely S. for sophomore fillies on the main track. The latter features the return of dual graded winner Kathleen O. (Upstart). Opening her account with a quartet of victories, including the GII Davona Dale S. and GII Gulfstream Park Oaks, the dark bay suffered her first career defeat when rallying for fifth in the GI Kentucky Oaks and has not been seen since.

Godolphin homebred Nostalgic (Medaglia d'Oro) won a graded event at this oval in the spring, the GIII Gazelle S., and missed by a neck last out here in the GIII Turnback the Alarm H. Nov. 4.

GI Cotillion S. runner-up Morning Matcha (Central Banker) and Seneca Overnight S. one-two Sixtythreecaliber (Gun Runner) and Falconet (Uncle Mo) also return in this competitive field.

Rounding out Friday's graded action is the GII Hollywood Turf Cup S. at Del Mar.

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Mrs. Danvers goes gate to wire to earn her black-type badge with a dominant score while trying two turns for the first time in the Comely Friday at the Big A. Seizing the early advantage, the gray loped through a :24.30 opening quarter and was confronted by longshot Project Whiskey, who pressed the pacesetter through a :48.69 half-mile. That rival burned out quickly and fell to the back as Mrs. Danvers continued strongly on the front end. The Joe Allen homebred opened up in the lane with ease under a hand ride from Jose Lezcano to win for fun.

“We were anxious to get her stretched out,” said winning trainer Shug McGaughey. “It’s just been kind of difficult to do so. This is what we felt like she wanted to do. Watching some of her allowance races, I wasn’t sure I was running her right. It looked like she was going to win and then she wouldn’t win. I think this is naturally what she wants to do is run this far. Being on the lead today definitely helped. I don’t think it’s something she needs, but going down the line she’ll be forwardly placed.”

The Hall of Famer continued, “Anytime you can get a win with a filly with a pedigree like that, especially for the breeder, [Joseph Allen], it means a lot. He believed in this filly.”

“She’s a nice filly,” said Lezcano. “Today, I let her break and run for the first quarter and she came back to me very nice. She was galloping along the whole way around. When I asked her to run, she jumped up in the bridle and took off.”

A second out graduate at Saratoga in 2019, Mrs. Danvers was not seen again for 10 months, finishing second in a Belmont allowance June 20. Completing the exacta again in the same condition at Belmont July 9, she was fifth to recent GI Breeders’ Cup F/M Sprint victress Gamine (Into Mischief) in Saratoga’s GI Test S. Aug. 8. Missing by a head back at Belmont Sept. 17, the homebred cleared her first-level allowance condition next out going a mile at Big Sandy Oct. 25.

Pedigree Notes:

Mrs. Danvers is the 139th black-type winner and 87th graded winner for her sire Tapit. She is also the 78th black-type scorer and 25th graded victor out of a daughter of Awesome Again. The winner’s dam Gracie Square is a half-sister to GISW and leading sire War Front (Danzig); MGSW & MGISP Teammate (A.P. Indy); MGSW Ecclesiastic (Pulpit); and recent GIII Red Smith S. winner North Dakota (Medaglia d’Oro). Gracie Square’s 3-year-old colt Nathan Detroit (Union Rags) won on debut at Ellis in July and was third next out in Keeneland’s GIII Bourbon S. Oct. 4 for McGaughey’s son Reeve McGaughey. The 10-year-old mare is also responsible for the juvenile filly Panama Hattie (Uncle Mo) and the yearling filly Starters Orders (Munnings). Gracie Square was bred back to Tapit this spring.

COMELY S.-GIII, $100,000, Aqueduct, 11-27, 3yo, f, 1 1/8m, 1:50.09, gd.
1–MRS. DANVERS, 118, f, 3, by Tapit
                1st Dam: Gracie Square, by Awesome Again
                2nd Dam: Starry Dreamer, by Rubiano
                3rd Dam: Lara’s Star, by Forli
   1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O-Allen
Stable, Inc.; B-Mr. Joseph Allen LLC (KY); T-Claude McGaughey;
J-Jose Lezcano. $55,000. Lifetime Record: 8-3-3-1, $211,800.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick
   Rating: A+.
2–Ice Princess, 122, f, 3, Palace Malice–Happy Clapper, by
Awesome Again. ($75,000 Ylg ’18 SARAUG). O-Flying P Stable,
A. Hill Stable and Gargan, Danny; B-Mina Equivest LLC (NY);

T-Danny Gargan. $20,000.
3–Thankful, 118, f, 3, American Pharoah–Beholden, by Cat
Thief. ($625,000 Ylg ’18 FTSAUG). O-Bass Stables, LLC;
B-Profoal Partners 3, LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $12,000.
Margins: 6 1/4, 4, 5HF. Odds: 3.75, 6.40, 4.90.
Also Ran: Toned Up, Gale, Miss Marissa, Project Whiskey, My Sweet Wife. Scratched: Makingcents, Pure Rhythm. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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