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Imperador Gets First American Win In Calumet Turf Cup, Earns BC Turf Berth

Toward the back of the pack during the first half of the 1 1/2-mile Calumet Turf Cup, Imperador went wide on the last bend, closed fast, and held off Arklow late to win the Grade 1 stakes race at Kentucky Downs and earn a spot in the starting gate for the Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar in November.

In his sixth start in North America, Imperador with jockey Joseph Talamo broke cleanly from the rail post and settled in eighth as Epic Bromance and Big Dreaming traded the lead throughout the first mile of the Turf Cup. On the race's final bend, Channel Cat made a move for the lead, with Talamo taking Imperador to the outside of horses to find running room for their closing run.

Into the long stretch at the Franklin, Ky., track, Imperador challenged Channel Cat and Epic Bromance, ranging up on the outside as they shortened stride and fell back. As Imperador dueled with Glynn Country for the lead, favored Arklow was trapped behind a wall of horses, finally finding running room on the outside to make his bid. Imperador got clear of the field, holding off a surging Arklow to win by a neck. Glynn County was third. Ajourneytofreedom, Epic Bromance, Channel Cat, Breakpoint, Big Dreaming, Dynadrive, Artemus Eagle, Tide of the Sea, and Crossfirehurricane rounded out the order of finish.

The final time for the 1 1/2 mile was 2:25.70, a new track record. Find this race's chart here.

Imperador paid $19.20, $8.00, and $5.00. Arklow paid $4.00 and $2.80. Glynn County paid $3.80.

The Grade 1 Calumet Turf Cup is part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series. Winners of Challenge Series events receive a fees-paid, guaranteed spot in the corresponding race at the Breeders' Cup World Championships Nov. 6 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

Bred in Argentina by Haras Rio Dois Irmaos S. R. L., Imperador is out of Treasure Beach (GB) out of the Danehill mare Duchess Royale. The 5-year-old horse is owned by Bonne Chance Farm and Stud R.D.I. LLC and trained by Paulo Lobo. With his win in the Calumet Turf Cup, Imperador's 2021 record is one win in four starts, with his lifetime record improving to four wins in 14 starts.

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Maker Fully Loaded For Kentucky Downs Turf Cup

As usual, Mike Maker, the all-time leading trainer at Kentucky Downs, is very well-armed for the $1 million, Grade 2 Calumet Turf Cup Saturday.

Maker is scheduled to saddle five of the 12 horses in the 1 1/2-mile race. While it is already a personal best for him in the race, it is possible he could have half the field if Dynadrive draws in from the also-eligible list. This will be the eighth-straight year that Maker, 52, has had two or more starters in one of the track's premier races, which he has won a record four times. He has had at least one horse finish in the money seven straight years.

The Calumet Turf Cup, one of the five graded stakes on Saturday's program, is a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” race and will be broadcast live on NBC.

Maker has made it clear that he points for this race and will start as many runners as he can. He has built a solid reputation for developing horses – many of whom he has claimed – that can go long on the grass.

“I have a lot of horses that can go a mile and a half on the grass, there are limited opportunities and this purse is always lucrative,” he said.

Maker said he developed his ability with distance-loving turf horses earlier in his career when he worked for breeder-owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey.

“I had a lot of offspring by Kitten's Joy,” he said, naming the Ramsey's prominent turf stallion. “You have to play the hand you're dealt.”

According to Equibase stats, Maker has saddled a record 22 starters in the Turf Cup and his purse earnings of $2,225,240 is a record, nearly $1 million ahead of Brad Cox. He quietly served notice that he might do well in the race by finishing second with his first starter, Stream of Gold, in 2008. Since 2014 he has had at least two runners. Twice he has sent out four runners. In 2018, his horses finished second, third, fourth and fifth. His record in the race from the 22 starts is 4-2-4.

This year, Maker has Three Diamonds Farm's Tide of the Sea in post 4; Michael Ryan's Bluegrass Parkway in post 6; Paradise Farm's and David Staudacher's Ajourneytofreedom in 8; Three Diamonds' Glynn County in 9 and Michael Hui's 8-year-old Zulu Alpha, who won in 2019 and was third last year, in 11.

“Glynn County was a Kitten's Joy and only had a couple of starts when we got him,” Maker said. “He's a nice horse and I think you're going to hear a lot of him in the future. He ran well at Arlington (third in the G1 Mr. D). I think he's one of my better chances.

“Tide of the Sea is an English Channel who was bought out of the sale. Bluegrass Parkway was sent to me with these type of races in mind. The first we ran him I think was a mile and three-eighths race he won, a conditioned allowance race. Ajourneytofreedom was bred for these type of races and that's why we claimed him. Obviously, Zulu Alpha doesn't need any explanation.”

All five of Maker's runners are stakes veterans and Tide of the Sea and Zulu Alpha are graded stakes winners.

Zulu Alpha, a Grade 1 winner and $2.27 million-earner, has not hit the board in his two starts in 2021, but Maker said that is too small of a sample to judge him. In the Mr. D at Arlington Park on Aug. 14, he was a non-factor.

“It was slow paced and didn't suit him,” Maker said. “We're going to cross it out and bring him to the track he loves. I think it should be a strong pace Saturday with Tide of the Sea and Channel Cat.”

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Two Emmys Too Good For Domestic Spending In Mr. D At Arlington

In a day filled with laments for the last of Arlington's biggest race cards, the race formerly known as the Arlington Million, renamed the Mr. D. in honor of former track owner Richard Duchossois, saw a surprise ending for the day's slate of graded stakes, with longshot Two Emmys going wire to wire in the Grade 1 turf stakes.

Two Emmys, a gelding by English Channel, comes into the Mr. D. with wins at the allowance and claiming levels, his best graded stakes showing a second-place finish in the Grade 2 Muniz Memorial Classic Stakes at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La., and the Grade 3 Arlington Stakes at Arlington last month. In the Mr. D., Two Emmys, with jockey James Graham grabbed the lead early, with Bizzee Channel and Strong Tide behind him. Chad Brown trainee Domestic Spending, the race's favorite, lingered in fourth, with Flavien Prat aboard. Controlling the pace throughout the first half of the race, Two Emmys still held on to a one-length lead six furlongs in after setting fractions of :26.12 for the first quarter, :52.43 for the first half, and 1:16.64 for the three-quarters.

Into the final turn, Bizzee Channel challenged Two Emmys, with Prat on Domestic Spending gearing up for a move in the stretch. Bizzee Channel could not stay with the leader, falling back as Prat and Domestic Spending started their closing kick. Two Emmys had plenty left in reserve, holding off the closing Brown trainee to win by a half-length. Glynn County was third, with Space Traveller in fourth. Bizzee Channel, Armory, Zulu Alpha, and Strong Tide rounded out the order of finish.

The final time for the 1 1/4-mile Mr. D. Stakes was 2:03.34. Find this race's chart here.

Two Emmys paid $56.20, $9.80, and $5.80. Domestic Spending paid $2.40 and $2.10. Glynn County paid $8.00.

Bred in Kentucky by Tottenwood Thoroughbreds, Inc., Two Emmys is by English Channel, out of the Buddha mare Miss Emmy. Co-owned and trained by Hugh Robertson, the 5-year-old gelding is also owned by Wolfe Racing. Consigned by Vinery Thoroughbreds, Two Emmys was sold for $4,500 to Hugh Robertson and Wolfe Racing at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. With his win in the Mr. D. Stakes, Two Emmys has two wins in six starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of 4-7-0 in 16 starts and $545,708 in career earnings.

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