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Pegasus Turf Winner Zulu Alpha Headlines Sunday’s Elkhorn At Keeneland

Michael Hui's six-time graded stakes winner Zulu Alpha will shoot for his third victory of 2020 when he headlines a field of 13 grass marathoners Sunday in the 35th running of the $175,000 TVG Elkhorn (G2) at Keeneland.

The TVG Elkhorn will be contested over 1½ miles over the Keeneland turf course and be run as the final race of the five-day Summer Meet. First post time Sunday is 1:05 p.m. with the TVG Elkhorn going as the ninth race with a 5:30 post time.

NBCSN will provide live coverage of the TVG Elkhorn from 5-7 p.m.

Winner of the 2018 Sycamore (G3) and third as the favorite in the 2019 Dixiana Elkhorn, Zulu Alpha started his 2020 campaign with a victory in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Presented by Runhappy (G1) and followed that with a triumph in the Mac Diarmida (G2). In his most recent start, Zulu Alpha was second in the Kitten's Joy Pan American (G2) going 1½ miles.

Mike Maker trains Zulu Alpha, who will break from post position five under Tyler Gaffalione in the TVG Elkhorn.

Figuring to be the major rival to Zulu Alpha is $1.8 million earner Arklow.

Owned by Donegal Racing, Joseph Bulger and Peter Coneway, Arklow won the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1) last fall at Belmont Park. Trained by Brad Cox, Arklow finished second in the Louisville (G3) in his most recent start that came off a 4½-month layoff. Arklow will exit post 10 under Florent Geroux.

The field for the TVG Elkhorn, with riders and weights from the rail, is: Apreciado (Gerardo Corrales, 118 pounds), Nakamura (John Velazquez, 118), Ramsey Solution (Julio Garcia, 118), Postulation (Julien Leparoux, 118), Zulu Alpha (Gaffalione, 120), Jais's Solitude (Corey Lanerie, 118), He's No Lemon (Rafael Bejarano, 118), Hellorhighwater (James Graham, 118), Oscar Dominguez (IRE) (Joel Rosario, 118), Arklow (Geroux, 123), Ry's the Guy (Chris Landeros, 118), Hierarchy (Brian Hernandez Jr., 118), Henley's Joy (Ricardo Santana Jr., 118).

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Rushie’s ‘Natural Speed’ Will Play To His Advantage In Blue Grass

Jim and Donna Daniell's Rushie, third behind Honor A. P. in the June 6 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby (G1) in his most recent start, drew post 10 in the 13-horse field for Saturday's $600,000 Toyota Blue Grass (G2) at Keeneland.

“I'm fine with the draw,” trainer Michael McCarthy said Wednesday afternoon from his base at Del Mar. “He's very tactical. He's got plenty of natural ability and natural speed. I would imagine he'd probably be laying somewhere in that first group of horses going into the first turn.”

Rushie will be ridden by Javier Castellano, who won the 2019 Toyota Blue Grass aboard Vekoma.

McCarthy has had only two starters at Keeneland, and Rushie will become his first runner in the Toyota Blue Grass. The colt is a member of the first crop of Liam's Map, who won the 2015 Las Vegas Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Keeneland. Liam's Map is the sire of another Toyota Blue Grass hopeful, Basin.

Rushie is out of the Colonel John mare Conquest Angel, whose half-sister Peace and War won Keeneland's Darley Alcibiades (G1) in 2014. His family also includes last year's Darley Alcibiades winner, champion British Idiom.

Rushie is not nominated to the Triple Crown, but his performance in the Toyota Blue Grass might change that status.

“We're going to let him earn his way to the first Saturday in September – that sounds strange to say that,” McCarthy said about the rescheduled Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). “If he were to run well, it's something that the Daniells and myself would go ahead and think about. There are plenty of races out there later in the summer and in the fall all over the country that will be worth taking a look at, so let's see what happens.

“If he jumps up and runs well, I guess we have to think about something like that. It's a good problem to have.”

McCarthy has entered Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Madaket Stables' Speech in both Friday's $100,000 Beaumont (G3) Presented by Keeneland Select and Saturday's $400,000 Central Bank Ashland (G1). In her last race, Speech was second to Swiss Skydiver in the Santa Anita Oaks (G2). Swiss Skydiver will face Rushie in the Toyota Blue Grass.

“I like the idea of the Beaumont, the one turn on the Beard Course,” he said referring to the stakes' distance of 7 furlongs, 184 feet. “Just thought it would be a good idea for insurance to go ahead and enter in the Ashland just in case something crazy happened over the next 48 hours.”

So he's leaning toward the Beaumont for Speech?

“Ah …… Not sure yet.”

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Not This Time Filly Sets Furlong Mark at OBS

A filly by Not This Time worked the fastest furlong of the week during Thursday’s fourth session of the under-tack show for the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s July 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age Sale. Consigned by de Meric Sales, the chestnut (hip 640) covered the distance in :9 4/5. She is out of Exotic Design (A.P. Indy), a daughter of multiple Grade I winner Exotic Wood (Rahy) and a full-sister to stakes winner Key to Power. Silvestre Avila purchased the youngster for $19,000 at last year’s OBS October Yearling Sale.

“I thought she would be able to work in :10 flat or :10 1/5,” Avila, who is partners with his brother-in-law Chalino Lopez on the filly, said. “She had been training very well and she prepped over there very, very well. So I thought she could do :10 flat, but this :9 4/5 is better for me.”

Of the filly’s appeal last fall, Avila said, “I liked the filly when I saw her in the barn. She’s a nice-looking filly with beautiful lines. And I like to buy the new sires.”

Avila agreed he had picked the right new sire last season, with the red-hot Not This Time already represented by three winners on the racetrack and a million-dollar juvenile in the sales ring.

“Exactly. I got lucky,” he said with a laugh.

Avila and Lopez enjoyed a major pinhooking score with another first-crop sire at last year’s OBS March sale, selling a filly by Daredevil purchased for $5,000 at OBS October for $155,000.

Avila has been working for the de Merics for the past eight years and Tristan de Meric called him a “vital member of our team.”

After last year’s success at the March sale, Valery de Meric said of Avila, “He does everything for us. He lives on the farm, he breezes and preps all the 2-year-olds, he night watches for us, he even watches the kids for us sometimes.”

The Not This Time filly is the only yearling Avila purchased last year.

“When I bought that one last year, I tried on a few others, but didn’t get them,” Avila said. “I like to buy one or two a year. She’s the only one this year, but hopefully she’s the right one.”

A colt by Ghostzapper (hip 639) turned in Thursday’s fastest quarter-mile work of :21 1/5. He is out of Excellent News (Rahy), a half-sister to graded stakes winner Here’s to You (Bertrando). The bay is consigned by Randy Bradshaw who purchased the youngster for $250,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale.

The under-tack show continues through Saturday with sessions beginning daily at 7:30 a.m. The July sale will be held next Tuesday through Thursday with bidding commencing each day at 10 a.m.

The post Not This Time Filly Sets Furlong Mark at OBS appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Uni Could Try For Redemption In Aug. 22 Fourstardave At Saratoga

Following a third in her seasonal bow in the Grade 1 Just a Game on June 27 to stable mate Newspaperofrecord, reigning Champion Turf Mare Uni is a possibility to face colts in the Grade 1, $400,000 Fourstardave on August 22 at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Chad Brown, Uni suffered her only loss of 2019 in last year's Fourstardave, where she made up 17 lengths to finish third, beaten 2 ½ lengths to a track-record setting performance by Got Stormy. The 6-year-old daughter of More Than Ready solidified championship honors in her next two starts in taking the Grade 1 First Lady at Keeneland where she set a new course record for one mile on the turf and the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita.

“The only Grade 1 going a flat mile on the grass at Saratoga is against boys. Will we try it? Probably,” said Bradley Weisbord of BSW/Crow Bloodstock, who manages Uni on behalf of owners Michael Dubb, Head of Plains Partners, Robert LaPenta and Bethlehem Stables. “She was an unlucky loser last year to Got Stormy. We could take that route again this year and try to protect our title in the First Lady at Keeneland and the Breeders' Cup Mile.”

Since joining Brown's all-star shed row in 2017 after beginning her career in France for Fabrice Chappet, Uni has placed in all but one of her 13 starts for the four-time Eclipse Award-winning conditioner, including a total of eight stakes victories over six different tracks. Additionally, all of her last nine starts took place going a flat mile.

“She's won on soft turf before, but [jockey] Joel [Rosario] said she was struggling with the turf that day,” Weisbord said of the Just a Game. “She probably needed the race. She had a splint issue in April and breezed four or five times heading into the Just a Game so she wasn't super cherry heading into the race and you have to be cherry to beat a filly like Newspaperofrecord. Hats off to Chad for getting her back to Grade 1 form. She'll be tough the rest of the year.”

In 2018, Uni won twice over soft and yielding turf in the De La Rose at Saratoga and the Grade 3 Noble Damsel at Belmont Park. Although the turf was listed as “firm” for the Just a Game, there were rain showers in the Elmont area earlier in the program.

Uni, bred in Great Britain by Haras D'Etreham, is out of the Dansili broodmare Unaided.

Rockemperor who was a close second in the Grade 1 Manhattan to stable mate Instilled Regard, could target the Grade 1, $1 million Old Forester Turf Classic on September 5 at Churchill Downs

The Brown-trained son of Holy Roman Emperor had dead aim on the pacesetters when four-wide at the top of the stretch under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, briefly took command within the final half-furlong, but was nosed out of victory by stablemate Instilled Regard.

“It's hard to know what his best distance his, but a mile and an eighth should hit him right over the head,” Weisbord said. “We've gotten beat a lot in stakes, but what made that such a brutal beat was because he had the horses in front of him collared. I don't think the horse or Johnny saw Instilled Regard coming.”

Still in search of his first North American victory, Rockemperor has placed in four of his five starts in the United States. He made his seasonal bow in the Grade 2 Muniz Memorial Classic at Fair Grounds before being disqualified from second to third in the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham at Santa Anita.

Rockemperor is owned by Madaket Stables in partnership with Michael Dubb, Wonder Stables, Michael E. Kisber and Bethlehem Stables.

Bred in Ireland by Haras du Mezeray, Rockemperor is out of the Muhtathir broodmare Motivation and comes from the same family as multiple graded stakes winner on turf Yagli. Both hail from the prestigious lineage of prolific broodmare Best In Show.

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