TRF Anniversary Golf Scramble Set for April 18

The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) will host a charity golf event at the Nevel Meade Golf Course in Prospect, KY, on Apr. 18 in celebration the organization's 40th anniversary. The event will begin with 12:30 p.m. registration and lunch, followed by a shotgun start at 2:00 p.m.

Included in the registration fee are greens fees, cart, lunch, range balls, a sleeve of TRF logo golf balls, an embroidered green golf shirt with TRF logo, a TRF baseball hat and more. Prizes will be given for the 1st-, 2nd- and last-place foursomes along with the longest drive and closest to the pin. Raffle tickets will be sold for the Justin Thomas line drive, mulligans, and a variety of fun and popular pet, golf and dining-themed raffle baskets. A silent auction of unique horse-racing themed items including a jockey-signed Woodford Reserve bourbon barrel and a morning on the backstretch with Dale Romans will help raise funds to support the TRF herd of 425 retired Thoroughbreds.

Racing celebrity golfers include jockeys Brian Hernandez Jr, David Cohen, Joel Rosario and Joe Rocco Jr. among others.

Limited golfer registrations remain available, so to register visit the TRF website.

The post TRF Anniversary Golf Scramble Set for April 18 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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David Cohen Hoping For Return Trip To Kentucky Derby With Dash Attack

A year after riding in his first Kentucky Derby, David Cohen could smell the roses again in 2022 with unbeaten Dash Attack, the 7-2 second choice in the program for the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds Saturday at Oaklawn.

Cohen guided Dash Attack (2 for 2) to victories in his Dec. 5 career debut and the $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 1, the latter Oaklawn's first of four Kentucky Derby points races.

Cohen had never been on Dash Attack before the chestnut son of Munnings closed with a rush to capture his career debut at Oaklawn for trainer Kenny McPeek. The Smarty Jones came roughly 9 ½ years after Cohen and McPeek teamed to win the $1 million Travers Stakes (G1) for 3-year-olds at Saratoga with Golden Ticket.

“That's what David meant in the interview (following the Smarty Jones) – to circle back with Kenny – it's great,” said Cohen's longtime agent, Bill Castle. “After winning with Golden Ticket, to try and repeat like that, 'Wow!'”

Dash Attack is among 12 horses entered in the Southwest, which goes as the ninth of 11 races Saturday. Racing begins at 12 p.m. (Central), with probable post time for the Southwest 4:22 p.m.

The projected Southwest field from the rail out:

  1. Ben Diesel, Jon Court to ride, 117 pounds, 10-1 on the morning line
  2. Dash Attack, David Cohen, 122, 7-1
  3. Don'tcrossthedevil, Ramon Vazquez, 117, 30-1
  4. Kavod, Francisco Arrieta, 117, 12-1
  5. Costa Terra, Tiago Pereira, 117, 12-1
  6. Osbourne, David Cabrera, 117, 8-1
  7. Ignitis, Luis Contreras, 117, 10-1
  8. Barber Road, Ricardo Santana Jr., 117, 5-1
  9. Classic Moment, Martin Garcia, 117, 12-1
  10. Newgrange, John Velazquez, 122, 2-1
  11. Call Me Jamal, Geovanni Franco, 117, 30-1
  12. Vivar, Florent Geroux, 119, 12-1

Dash Attack collected 10 points for his Smarty Jones victory and ranks ninth on the official Kentucky Derby leaderboard released Sunday by Churchill Downs.

The Kentucky Derby is limited to 20 starters, with starting preference given to horses with the highest point totals earned in designated races like the Smarty Jones and the Southwest, which also offers 17 to the four finishers (10-4-2-1).

Castle said McPeek asked him before the Oaklawn meeting began Dec. 3 if Cohen would be interested riding a “talented unraced baby” the trainer had, aka Dash Attack, in his career debut. McPeek didn't have to ask twice, Castle said.

“Just thrilled to be on him,” Castle said. “Just fortunate.”

Both of Dash Attack's victories have come at 1 mile over an off track. He was a 1 ¼-length winner of his career debut at odds of 10-1, then won the Smarty Jones by two lengths at odds of 7-1.

“Kenny told me he had some issues with the horse physically early on and that's why he was a late bloomer and was probably about 80 percent fit going into the first race,” Cohen said. “Naturally, first time out, two turns, off track, sitting in the pocket, you expect a horse to get better for the next time out. We were hoping that he didn't regress of that effort, but he came out of that race very well.”

The Smarty Jones marked Cohen's 20th career victory for McPeek, according to statistical provider Equineline. More than half (13) came in 2012, including the Travers.

“It's a blessing,” Cohen said, referring to Dash Attack. “Kenny and I, we've linked up in the past for some big wins, the Travers being one of them. To have this year come around and have a horse this early, it's a blessing.”

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Cohen, 37, finished seventh aboard Keepmeinmind in last year's Kentucky Derby for trainer Robertino Diodoro, the jockey's major client. His Kentucky Derby debut came a little more than seven years after a severe leg injury (he was kicked by a horse in the paddock before a Feb. 1, 2014, race at Aqueduct) and the subsequent deaths of deaths of his father (cancer) and sister (head injury) threatened to derail the jockey's once-promising career.

Cohen rode his first winner in 2004 and ranked sixth nationally in victories (288) and 24th in purse earnings ($7,357,326) – both career highs – in 2009 competing in New York and the Mid-Atlantic, according to Equibase, racing's official data gathering organization. Golden Ticket, a 33-1 long shot, dead-heated with favored Alpha in the prestigious Travers, billed the “Midsummer Derby.”

“In those years, Kenny was a tremendous supporter, from Golden Ticket to graded stakes horses like that,” Castle said. “We're fortunate to have fallen into Kenny's barn right now.”

After not riding in 2015 and 2016, Cohen returned to the saddle in late 2017 and rode 37 winners in his Oaklawn debut in 2018 to finish third in the standings. Cohen rode 75 winners the following year at Oaklawn to end Ricardo Santana Jr.'s six-year hold on the title. Now, he's winning races for McPeek again.

“He's always done a good job for me,” McPeek said. “He's going to stay on this horse until he gets beat, I suppose. He's a good rider. I think he's equally excited.”

Dash Attack completed major preparations for the Southwest with a 5-furlong maintenance workout in 1:01.40 Monday morning under Cohen. The track was fast.

“Just let him stretch his legs and finish up,” McPeek said. “Pretty basic stuff for us.”

The Southwest is part of a stakes tripleheader Saturday.

The $200,000 Martha Washington for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles has drawn a field of six, including multiple stakes winner Optionality and powerful Dec. 31 allowance winner Secret Oath. Nine horses are entered in the $150,000 King Cotton for older sprinters, including Grade 1 winner Collusion Illusion, track record holders Hollis and Nashville and defending champion Boldor.

Newgrange and Collusion Illusion were scheduled to arrive Wednesday following a flight from Southern California, where both horses are based.

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Smarty Jones Winner Dash Attack Strengthens McPeek’s 3-Year-Old Arsenal

Kenny McPeek has a problem, but it's a good problem for a trainer on New Year's Day. McPeek enters 2022 with several live Kentucky Derby prospects to maneuver, including Oaklawn-based Dash Attack, who celebrated his birthday at the Hot Springs, Ark., track with a victory in Saturday's $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes for 3-year-olds to remain unbeaten in two career starts.

Dash Attack's victory came a little over a month after stablemate Smile Happy won the $400,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) for 2-year-olds at Churchill Downs to remain unbeaten in two lifetime starts. McPeek's arsenal of newly turned 3-year-olds also features Rattle N Roll, winner of the $500,000 Breeders' Futurity (G1) Oct. 9 at Keeneland, and Tiz the Bomb, who broke his maiden by 14 ¼ lengths on dirt at a mile last summer at Ellis Park before becoming a Grade 2 winner on grass.

“I'm in a pretty enviable position right now,” McPeek said.

Ridden by David Cohen, Dash Attack ($17.40) was a two-length winner of the Smarty Jones, which marked Oaklawn's first of four Kentucky Derby points races. Barber Road finished second, a length clear of Ignitis. It was a nose farther back to Kavod in fourth.

Dash Attack collected 10 qualifying points for the victory and ranks eighth on the latest official Kentucky Derby leaderboard compiled by Churchill Downs. Rattle N Roll (10) and Smile Happy (10) are second and fifth, respectively. The Kentucky Derby is limited to 20 starters, with points earned in designated races like the one-mile Smarty Jones used to determine starting preference.

Oaklawn's Kentucky Derby points series continues with the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Jan. 29. McPeek said early last month that Smile Happy was under consideration for the Southwest, but that was shortly before Dash Attack won his Dec. 5 career debut at Oaklawn. Now, the Munnings colt is armed with two victories at a mile, one coming in a Kentucky Derby points race.

Smile Happy, meanwhile, is with McPeek's Florida division and returned to the work tab Saturday morning at Gulfstream Park, where he covered three furlongs in :38.46. Tiz the Bomb went 3 furlongs in :37.84 Saturday morning at Gulfstream Park.

“Nothing is set in stone with this, with any of them, as you know,” McPeek said by phone from Florida following the Smarty Jones. “Right now, Smile Happy is still just getting ready. He just had a little three-eighths, out an eighth, today. The next couple of weeks we'll step him up. We'll figure it out. If they go together, they go together and if they don't, they don't.”

McPeek already owns victories in two legs of the Triple Crown – Sarava (2002 Belmont) and Swiss Skydiver (2020 Preakness) – but he's still seeking his first Kentucky Derby victory. His best finish with six starters to date is Tejano Run, the 1995 runner-up.

McPeek's strong hand of early 2022 Kentucky Derby candidates only got stronger with Saturday's performance by Dash Attack, who was facing winners for the first time.

“He definitely jumped into the conversation,” McPeek said. “Smile Happy's a very good horse. Most years you would want to have all these horses separated in different years. I've always watched guys like, whether it was Wayne Lukas years back, and there's others, obviously, Bob Baffert, and others. You look up and all of a sudden you've got that group of horses and they're all coming together. Look, a lot can happen. We're just going to try and keep it steady and not overthink it and let the horses take us where they're going to take us.”

Dash Attack races for his breeders, Richard Greenberg (Catalyst Stable) and McPeek's wife, Sherri (Magdalena Racing), along with Kevin Pollard and Patty Slevin. Dash Attack was raised at Kenny McPeek's Magdalena Farm in Kentucky.

McPeek said “little issues early in his 2-year-old year” delayed Dash Attack's racing debut. The colt has maintained a steady work pattern the last month, recording seven published breezes since Nov. 3, the last two coming in December at Oaklawn.

“He just was immature,” McPeek said. “We actually sent him to the farm a couple of times because I felt like he wasn't ready. He's just a little bit later bloomer, but he's always been a big, strong, gorgeous horse to look at and be around. I think our patience has paid well. If we had pressed him earlier in the year, he certainly wouldn't be doing what he's doing now.”

Although by Munnings, a multiple Grade 2-winning sprinter, McPeek said he believed Dash Attack was a two-turn horse. McPeek also trained Dash Attack's dam, Cerce Cay, who broke her maiden at 1 1/8 miles on the turf in 2012 at Churchill Downs.

“She had quite a bit of talent,” McPeek said. “The other interesting thing about this horse is that we raised this horse. We partnered in on his mare. We're involved in breeding with Rick Greenberg, so we bred him and raised him at Magdalena. Where he came from is pretty special. Most of my m.o. is that I buy horses at auction. In his case, he came from Magdalena Farm.”

Dash Attack received a preliminary Beyer Speed Figure of 82 for his victory in the Smarty Jones, which drew a record 13 starters. His winning time over a sloppy track was 1:39.44. Dash Attack, who is named after the 4-year-old grandson of Greenberg's fiancée, Linda Hamilton, has earned $205,440.

John Ortiz, who trains Barber Road, said immediately following the Smarty Jones that he plans to keep the Race Day colt in Oaklawn's Kentucky Derby prep series.

Oaklawn's final two Kentucky Derby points races are the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 26 and the $1.25 million Arkansas Derby (G1) at 1 1/8 miles April 2.

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Dash Attack ‘Sling Shots’ To Victory In Oaklawn’s Smarty Jones

Impressive Dec. 5 maiden winner Dash Attack made the successful step up to stakes competition with a powerful victory in Saturday's $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn in Hot Springs, Ark. In the process, the colt, who races for Catalyst Stable, Magdalena Racing, Kevin Pollard and Patty Slevin, earned 10 important points toward Kentucky Derby eligibility.

Dash Attack broke a step behind the field from his rail post, but that allowed him to settle into seventh place. Ruggs led the field through an opening quarter mile in :23.03 before relenting the lead to Ben Diesel before a half mile in :46.38. Jockey David Cohen moved the winner out of traffic and they came four-wide into the lane after six furlongs in 1:12.34 before drawing off to win by two lengths over Barber Road, who also closed fast to earn four points for second. Final time for the one-mile race was 1:39.44 over a sloppy track.

“He broke a little flat-footed today, but was able to work out a pretty good trip,” Cohen said. “I had to move a little earlier than I would have liked. I like to be a little more patient with the horse, but given the short stretch, it was the time to go and I saw one opportunity to get out (of traffic). I pointed him in that direction and got that so-called sling shot effort. He really turned up his game and turned on the power.”

Ignitus finished third by a head in front of Advent Stakes-winner Kavod. Ignitus earned two points toward Kentucky Derby eligibility, while Kavod earned one.

Dash Attack, a Munnings colt trained by Kenny McPeek, is now a perfect two for two and has earned  $205,440. He returned $17.40, $8.60 and $5.60 at odds of 7-1.

“I'm just really pleased with the job David (Cohen) and my team did over there,” McPeek said, when reached by telephone in Florida. “Just an impressive run by that colt. Look, he's still just figuring it out, this horse. I knew he would come from off the pace. I saw that he got off a little awkward. I just didn't want David to rush things and it looked to me like he started to, but then as the race unfolded, he kind of ended up in a pocket for a while. But good horses overcome things and he's done that, for sure.”

Live racing resumes Sunday with a 12:30 p.m. Central first post. The next race in Oaklawn's 3-year-old series is the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) on Saturday, Jan. 29.

Updated Kentucky Derby Leaderboard

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