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Eres Tu Helps Toledo Complete Christmastide Stakes Day Hat Trick In Allaire Du Pont At Laurel

Edward Seltzer and Beverly Anderson's homebred Eres Tu kept her perfect comeback season intact and became a graded-stakes winner in the process with a popular one-length triumph in Saturday's $150,000 Allaire du Pont (G3) at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

The 27th running of the 1 1/8-mile du Pont for fillies and mares 3 and up, traditionally contested over Preakness (G1) weekend, was moved following racing's return from the coronavirus pause to serve as the headliner on a Christmastide Day program that featured eight stakes worth $850,000 in purses.

Named for the avid sportswoman and horsewoman best known as the owner of Hall of Famer Kelso, the unprecedented and unsurpassed winner of five consecutive Horse of the Year championships from 1960-64, the du Pont was the last graded-stakes event of 2020 on the East Coast.

Eres Tu ($3.40), trained by Arnaud Delacour, earned his second straight stakes victory and gave jockey Jevian Toledo his third win of the afternoon and second in a stakes. Toledo also captured the $100,000 Dave's Friend for sprinters 3 and up aboard Whereshetoldmetogo.

The winning time was 1:50.57 over a fast main track. Twixt Stakes winner Wicked Awesome closed to be second, holding off Another Broad, fourth in last year's du Pont, by a head. They were followed by Landing Zone, Needs Supervision, Ice Princess and Alittlelesstalk.

Eres Tu has now won all three of her starts since joining Delacour's string at the Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, Md., over the summer. She had won one of six starts for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen and run third to subsequent Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Serengeti Empress in the Rachel Alexandra (G2), and also finished fourth to eventual Grade 1 winner Street Band in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) last year.

It would be another 19 months before Eres Tu would race again, and winning an open entry-level allowance at Keeneland Oct. 14. Last time out, the 4-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon became a stakes winner in the Thirty Eight Go Go Nov. 28 at Laurel.

Multiple stakes winner Needs Supervision, a winner over Eres Tu in the 2019 Silverbulletday and fitted with blinkers for the first time, got out quickly and took the field of seven through a quarter-mile in 24.61 seconds chased by Landing Zone and Eres Tu, who Toledo kept in the clear three wide.

The three horses rounded the far turn together before Eres Tu began to edge away as her main combatants dropped back. At the same time, Wicked Awesome began to launch a bid on the far outside along with Another Broad to make a late bid, but Eres Tu had plenty left to repel the challengers.

“I know [Needs Supervision] was going to be a little bit fast, so I let my filly get away from there because I want to be in a good position. So, I let [Needs Supervision] go and then I came around and I was in a perfect spot the whole way,” Toledo said.

“Turning for home, she just had her ears up waiting for horses,” he added. “I got a little bit worried because she didn't want to switch leads and I knew they were coming, but she got the job done. She's a nice filly.”

Notes: In addition to Toledo's three wins, trainer Claudio Gonzalez won twice with Miss Leslie ($7) in the $100,000 Anne Arundel County for 2-year-old fillies and Harpers First Ride ($2.40) in the $100,000 Native Dancer for 3-year-olds and up … The 20-Cent Rainbow 6 (Races 4-9) saw its jackpot carryover swell to $14,260.39 for Sunday's nine-race program. Multiple tickets with all six winners Saturday each returned $30.60. There will also be a carryover of $1,696.86 in the $1 Super Hi-5 for Race 1.

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Colonel Liam Looking For Pegasus World Cup Turf Invite Following Tropical Park Derby Win

Robert and Lawana Low's Colonel Liam overwhelmed nine rivals in Saturday's $75,000 Tropical Park Derby, making an emphatic case for being extended an invitation to the $1-million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) Jan. 23 at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The Tropical Park Derby, a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for 3-year-olds, highlighted Saturday's 11-race program along with the $75,000 Tropical Park Oaks, a 1 1/16 turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies, and the $75,000 H. Allen Jerkens, a two-mile turf stakes for 3-year-olds and up.

Colonel Liam, the 6-5 favorite ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., was making his first start since Aug. 20 but showed no rust at all while pulling away to a 3 ¼- length victory.

“He'd been training exceptionally well leading to this. We're happy to get him back,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “Hopefully, that earns him a spot in the Pegasus Turf.”

The son of Liam's Map rated several lengths behind the early pace while clear on the outside. Don Juan Kitten cut fractions of 24.30 and 48.51 seconds for the first half mile under Edgard Zayas and continued to show the way heading into the turn for the homestretch, as Colonel Liam launched a breathtaking outside sweep that would carry him to the lead at the top of the stretch. The Kentucky-bred colt powered away from the field without much urging from Ortiz.

“I had a good trip, I broke out of there and tried to get a good position,” Ortiz Jr. said. “After the three eighths pole, I tried to move on because I have probably the best horse and let him pick it up and he responded very well. He's a very nice horse.”

Don Juan Kitten held second, a neck ahead of Summer to Remember.

Colonel Liam ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:40.05 to record his third victory in five career starts. The $1.2 million purchase at the 2019 OBS April sale graduated via the disqualification of the first-place finisher in his April 11 debut over Gulfstream's main track before finishing third in an optional claiming allowance at the Hallandale Beach track May 20. Two months later, Colonel Liam scored an impressive 2 ¾-length allowance victory in his turf debut at Saratoga, before enduring a nightmare trip in a fourth-place finish in the Saratoga Derby, in which he was beaten by less than a length by victorious Domestic Spending.

“He's really taken to the turf. We saw that in his allowance at Saratoga. He got in a little trouble in the Saratoga Derby,” Pletcher said. “He came back great. I thought it was an impressive race. He kind of made a little bit of an early move and kept on going.”

Colonel Liam gives Pletcher three prime candidates for the Pegasus Turf, joining Largent, who captured the Fort Lauderdale (G2) at Gulfstream Dec. 12, and Social Paranoia, a multiple graded-stakes winner and recent optional claiming allowance winner at Gulfstream.

“Obviously, anytime you can get your name thrown into the hat of any of those Pegasus races, you've got to get excited,” stable manager Jacob West said. “Todd had kind of hatched that plan weeks ago. He said if he runs well we might point to that. Obviously after today's performance we'll point to that.”

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Danon the Kid Posts Emphatic Hopeful Win

Undefeated in two prior starts, Danon the Kid (Jpn) (Just a Way {Jpn}) came from off the pace to record the first Group 1 victory for both himself and his champion sire, Just a Way (by Heart’s Cry {Jpn}) in Saturday’s 2,000-meter G1 Hopeful S. at Nakyama.

Land of Liberty (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) went to the front soon after the start as Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramente [Jpn}), who was pursued by Orthoclase (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}), prompted the issue through the first turn. Meanwhile, Danon the Kid advanced to third along the outside as the field continued down the backstretch. As the field approached the final bend, pacesetting Land of Liberty swerved suddenly, dislodging his rider, and the advantage quickly went to Danon the Kid, who carried the most momentum turning for home. In full flight late, the favorite kicked on in the final 100 meters, crossing the wire by 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Orthoclase with Yoho Lake (Jpn) (Deep Impact) third.

Winning rider Yuga Kawada commented following the race, “I’m just so happy that I have at last been able to win on one of my mentor and teacher, [trainer Takayuki] Yasuda. The stable staff did a great job in tuning up the colt and he ran much better than he did in his previous start but still, he couldn’t find a good rhythm and was not steady in the last two corners today. There is still a lot of room for improvement and we intend to work hard so he can kick off a good 3-year-old campaign.”

The 2-year-old kicked off his career with a victory going 1,800 meters at Hanshin in June before returning from a five-month break to collect his first graded stakes success in the 1,800m G3 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai Stakes at Tokyo Nov. 23.

Saturday, Nakayama, Japan
HOPEFUL S.-G1, ¥135,560,000, Nakayama, 12-26, 2yo, 2000mT, 2:02.80, fm.
1–DANON THE KID (JPN), 121, c, 2, by Just a Way (Jpn)
1st Dam: Epic Love (Ire) (GSW & G1SP-Fr, $205,233), by Dansili (GB)
2nd Dam: Leopard Hunt, by Diesis (GB)
3rd Dam: Alcando (Ire), by Alzao
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (¥100,000,000 wnlg ’18 JRHAJUL).
O-Danox Inc.; B-Northern Farm; T-Takayuki Yasuda; J-Yuga
Kawada; ¥71,092,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0. *1/2 to Mikki
Brillante (Jpn) (Deep Brillante {Jpn}), GSP-Jpn, $826,288.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: B.
2–Orthoclase (Jpn), 121, c, 2, Epiphaneia (Jpn)–Marialite (Jpn),
by Deep Impact (Jpn). O-Carrot Farm; B-Northern Farm;
¥28,312,000.
3–Yoho Lake (Jpn), 121, c, 2, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Crow Canyon
(Jpn), by French Deputy. O-Makoto Kaneko Holdings;
B-Northern Farm; ¥18,156,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, HF, 1HF; Odds: 1.10, 4.70, 12.10.
Also Ran: Titleholder (Jpn), Chevalier Rose (Jpn), Tenkaharu (Jpn), Aoi Sho (Jpn), Machaon d’Or (Jpn), Vigore (Jpn), Admire Sage (Jpn), Whole Shebang (Jpn), Vanishing Point, Say Hello to You (Jpn), Moriden Arrow (Jpn). DNF: Land of Liberty (Jpn)
Click for the Racing Post chart or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. japanracing.com Video.

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Harpers First Ride Caps Off 2020 With Native Dancer Win

MCA Racing Stable's Harpers First Ride put the finishing touches on an outstanding 2020 season by dismissing a bid from fellow multiple stakes winner Cordmaker at the top of the stretch and rolling home a 3 ¼-length winner in Saturday's $100,000 Native Dancer at Laurel Park in Maryland.

The 53^rd running of the 1 1/8-mile Native Dancer, first held at old Bowie Race Course in 1966, was among three stakes for 3-year-olds and up on the undercard of a Christmastide Day program of eight stakes worth $850,000 in purses led by the $150,000 Allaire du Pont (Grade 3).

In a pair of six-furlong springs earlier on the card, Whershetoldmetogo captured the $100,000 Dave's Friend for males and Dontletsweetfoolya won her fifth straight race in the $100,000 Willa On the Move for fillies and mares.

Favored at odds of 1-5 over his six rivals, Harpers First Ride ($2.40) registered his seventh win from 11 starts this year and fourth stakes win, none bigger than the historic Pimlico Special (G3) Oct. 2 at Pimlico Race Course. The winning time was 1:48.56 over a fast main track.

Jockey Angel Cruz, riding for fall meet-leading trainer Claudio Gonzalez, positioned Harpers First Ride behind pacesetting 45-1 long shot Saratoga Jack through a quarter-mile in 24.61 seconds, with Cordmaker and Hall Pass battling side by side behind the top two. Harpers First Ride was in front after a half in 48.39 seconds and went six furlongs in 1:11.53 when Cordmaker – third in the 2019 and 2020 Pimlico Special – came calling. They straightened for home together but Cordmaker was unable to sustain his drive and got passed by Forewarned for second.

“Claudio told me to get a good position and just sit behind the speed. The speed's on the outside so [I] just [tried to] get him to relax and go on from there,” Cruz said. “At the top of the stretch I had so much horse, when I asked Harper he responded very well. When Cordmaker came by me I just sat patient and waited a little bit and when I asked him he responded for me. He's just a game horse. He fights to the end.”

Harpers First Ride won four of his last five starts to cap 2020, all of them in stakes – the Deputed Testamony, Pimlico Special, Richard W. Small and Native Dancer. He owns eight wins from 10 career tries at Laurel with one second and one third.

Whereshetoldmetogo Proves Best in $100,000 Dave's Friend
Madaket Stables, Ten Strike Racing, Michael Kisber and Black Cloud Racing Stable's Whereshetoldmetogo came with a determined run through the stretch on the far outside and edged clear to a three-quarter-length triumph in the $100,000 Dave's Friend.

It was the third consecutive win and second straight in a stakes for Whereshetoldmetogo ($6), racing for the fourth time since joining Laurel trainer Brittany Russell. The 5-year-old El Padrino gelding ran six furlongs in a sharp 1:08.55 over a fast main track.

Jockey Jevian Toledo, subbing for regular rider Sheldon Russell, was unhurried in the early going as 25-1 long shot Charge to Victory ran a quarter-mile in 22.13 seconds before being overtaken by 13-time career winner Penguin Power after a half in 44.63. Put in the clear leaving the backstretch, Whereshetoldmetogo began rolling on the outside around the turn and was set down for a drive once straightened for home.

“Brittany told me not to rush him out of there and just leave him alone wherever he's comfortable,” Toledo said. “I just let him break and settle and when I felt he was trying to move I made my move, and he gave me everything he had. He's a really nice horse.”

Taco Supream put in a strong effort to be second, 1 ¼ lengths ahead of Penguin Power. Laki, favored at 4-5, was another two lengths back in fourth with multiple stakes winner and first-time gelding Lebda finishing fifth.

Whereshetoldmetogo has crossed the wire first for three straight races, but was disqualified to second in the Sept. 26 New Castle Stakes at Delaware Park for interference before rebounding to edge Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3) winner Laki by a nose in the Frank Y. Whiteley Nov. 28 at Laurel.

'Sweet' Streak Reaches Five in $100,000 Willa On the Move
Five Hellions Farm's Dontletsweetfoolya extended her win streak to five races, putting away main rival Malibu Mischief at the top of the stretch and sprinting clear to her second straight stakes victory in the $100,000 Willa On the Move.

Dontletsweetfoolya ($4.20), favored at even money in a field of eight, hit the wire 2 ¼ lengths in front in 1:09.47 for six furlongs over a fast main track. It was the closest a horse had come to beating the daughter of Grade 1 winner Stay Thirsty during her streak, where she had won by an average of 6 ½ lengths.

“Ever since we drew the one-hole we were kind of dreading it, especially with the weather coming in. The track guys did a fantastic job with working this rail all day,” winning trainer Lacey Gaudet said. “We've had rain and cold weather and this rail is beautiful so it did give us a little more confidence when we led her over here. [There was] a lot of speed; being on the inside we knew she was going to be pressed pretty hard and she just keeps coming back at them.”

Jevian Toledo, aboard for the entirety of the streak, hustled Dontletsweetfoolya from their rail post and was quickly joined by Malibu Mischief, a New York shipper that had won her six straight races. Malibu Mischief pressed Dontletsweetfoolya through fractions of 22.40, 44.81 and 56.75 seconds but was no match once they straightened for home, when Dontletsweetfoolya drew off to her fifth win in eight career starts.

“I didn't tell Jevian anything. He rides this filly with confidence and he knows her very well,” Gaudet said. “He got to the paddock and I gave him a fist bump and said, 'It's up to you now.' That's kind of what we've done the last few races with her, and he gets her home.”

Hisbiscus Punch, off at 21-1, edged Malibu Mischief by a half-length for second with Club Car just a neck back in fourth.

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