Florent Geroux | Horse Racing Free Tips

Fulsome Edges O Besos, Helium In Matt Winn For Third Consecutive Victory

Last early, Juddmonte Farms' homebred Into Mischief colt Fulsome took command with an eighth of a mile to run and pulled away by 3 3/4 lengths under jockey Florent Geroux to win Saturday's Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes for 3-year-olds at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky,

Trained by Brad Cox, Fulsome ran 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:42.88 and paid $5.40 to win as the 8-5 favorite in his third consecutive victory. Second betting choice at 9-5, O Besos, coming off a fifth-place finish in the G1 Kentucky Derby, was second, with the Derby's eighth-place finisher, Helium, third at 5-2 odds.

Southern Passage, Ready to Pounce, Game Day Play and Sittin On Go completed the order of finish. Hello Hot Rod was scratched.

Helium, winner of the G2 Tampa Bay Derby in March, set the fractions, going :23.75, :48.69 and 1:13.26 for the first six furlongs under Julien Leparoux. Longshot Game Day Play applied pressure under David Cohen, with O Besos making a move on the leaders on the turn for home.

Fulsome began moving up approaching the far turn, rallied wide into the stretch and won geared down at the end after passing the mile marker in 1:36.78.

“I was pretty confident he could take some dirt in his face and got him to relax early,” said Geroux. “I was just hoping they were going fast up front after the slow break. He was able to go past those horses easily to win.”

This was the third consecutive victory for Fulsome, who made his first four starts on turf, winning just once in a maiden race at Fair Grounds on Jan. 16, 2021. He made his dirt debut at Keeneland on April 10 in a race that was taken off the turf because of rain. He drew off that day to win by 3 1/2 lengths in the slop and and came three weeks later to win the $300,000 Oaklawn Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths at Oaklawn Park.

“He had two solid works here at Churchill after winning the Oaklawn Stakes,” said Cox. “We were very confident in him by the way he was training. He got off a step slow but he really finished up fast today and was impressive doing so.”

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Sconsin Rallies From Off The Pace To Capture Winning Colors

Taking advantage of fast early fractions, Tyler Gaffalione allowed Lloyd Madison Farms IV LLC's Kentucky homebred Sconsin to settle off the early pace, then swung out at the top of the stretch to pass the early leaders and draw off to a 3 1/4-length victory in the Grade 3, $150,000 Winning Colors Stakes on Saturday evening at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

A 4-year-old daughter of Include, Sconsin covered six furlongs on a fast track in 1:08.80 and paid $4.20 as the second choice among the five older fillies and mares contesting the Winning Colors. Pacesetter Rising Seas held second by a half length over 3-5 favorite Frank's Rockette, who got away slowly and then rushed up to contest the pace. Headland, who stumbled badly coming out of the gate, finished fourth, with Tipsy Gal fifth. Bayerness scratched.

The victory was the fourth in 12 starts for Sconsin, whose only previous stakes victory also came at Churchill Downs in the G2 Eight Belles Stakes last Sept. 4. She was coming off a second-place finish to champion female sprinter Gamine in the G1 Derby City Distaff on Kentucky Derby day, May 1.

Rising Seas and Corey Lanerie jumped out to the early lead after the slow start by multiple graded stakes winner Frank's Rockette, who was ridden by Florent Geroux. Rising Seas went the opening quarter mile in :21.72 and was under pressure from Frank's Rockette around the far turn through a half mile in :44.55. Tipsy Gal was three wide and also putting pressure on the top two while Sconsin sat fourth, saving ground behind the top three until Gaffalione swung her to the outside at the top of the stretch.

After passing the furlong pole in :56.48, Sconsin quickly pulled away to the victory.

The Winning Colors Stakes, named for the D. Wayne Lukas-trained filly who won the 1988 Kentucky Derby under jockey Gary Stevens, was inaugurated in 2004.

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Geroux Riding Momentum From Derby Week Success At Churchill Downs

Jockey Florent Geroux is enjoying his early success at the Churchill Downs spring meet in Louisville, Ky., and entered Saturday's 11-race card one win behind Tyler Gaffalione for the top honors in the jockey standings.

The 34-year-old native of France recorded 17 wins from 64 mounts with purse earnings just shy of $2.2 million.

“We had a very successful Kentucky Derby week to begin the meet and we kept the momentum from there,” Geroux said. “We're riding for some great owners and trainers and, most importantly, some live horses.”

Geroux's early success at the meet helped him rise to third in overall North American purse earnings with $7,880,342. He sits just behind Irad Ortiz Jr. and Joel Rosario.

Represented by Doug Bredar, Geroux was tabbed to ride eight horses Saturday night including the morning line favorites in both stakes events: Frank's Rockette (6-5) in the $150,000 Winning Colors (G3) and Delta's Kingdom (5-2) in the $110,000 Keertana Overnight Stakes.

Geroux is seeking his first leading rider title at Churchill Downs.

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At Age Seven, Arklow Picks Up Graded Win In Louisville

Grade 1 winner Arkow has aged well. The 7-year-old horse, who made his first start of the year, won Saturday's 84th running of the G3 Louisville Stakes at Churchill Downs by one length over Red Knight in 2:27.13 – a stakes record for the 1 ½-mile turf marathon.

Ridden by Florent Geroux, Arklow was rated in 10th during the early stages of the three-turn race as Admiralty Pier dictated the pace and led the field of 14 older horses through splits of :23.70, :48.64, 1:14.24 and 1:39.78. Nearing the final turn, Arklow made a bold four-wide move to draw into contention. He grabbed the lead at the head of the stretch and turned back the late threat from Ked Knight.

Brad Cox trained the winner for Jerry Crawford's Donegal Racing, Joseph Bulger and Lynn Coneway's Estate of Peter Coneway.

The win was worth $84,630 and improved Arklow's career earnings to $2,750,746 with a record of 9-7-2 in 32 starts. It was his sixth career graded stakes victory. He won the G2 Hollywood Turf Cup at Del Mar in his previous start on Nov. 27.

Arklow returned $4.60, $3.80 and $3 as the 4-5 betting choice. Red Knight, under James Graham, paid $7 and $5. Strong Tide, ridden by Marcelino Pedroza Jr., was another three-quarters of a length back in third and paid $8.60 to show. Ajourneytofreedom was another length back in fourth and was followed by Bakers Bay, Imperador (ARG), Fantasioso (ARG), Spooky Channel, Artemus Eagle, Jais's Solitude, Crafty Daddy, Admiralty Pier, Fighting Seabee and Monarchs Glen (GB).

Arklow is a son of Arch out of the Empire Maker mare Unbridled Empire, was bred in Kentucky by John R. Penn and Frank Penn.

Racing at Churchill Downs continues Sunday with a nine-race card that begins at 12:45 p.m. (all times Eastern).

LOUISVILLE QUOTES, courtesy Churchill Downs press office

Florent Geroux, jockey of ARKLOW (winner): “He's such a warrior. He knows what he's doing and such a professional. When he comes into the paddock every race he's all business and shows a ton of versatility on the racetrack. I had him really relaxed and in a good spot early. With about five furlongs to go he started tugging hard and I had to go. I didn't necessarily plan moving that early but he was ready to go. Brad and his team did a great job with him to get him ready to go this distance in his first start off the layoff. I'm very thankful to the owners as well for letting me get on him. He's an incredible horse.”

Brad Cox, trainer of ARKLOW (winner): “He's such a professional. We had this race in mind for a while to get his campaign started and he ran a great effort to start his year.”

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