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Graded-Placed Juvenile County Final Tops Modified Fasig-Tipton July Horses Of Racing Age Sale

Live auction action returned to Kentucky on July 13 with a robust renewal of the Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Age sale at Newtown Paddocks in Lexington.

Conducted as an open sale for the first time, the sale was modified to serve an industry that has been balancing limited racing and sales opportunities since March. All horses offered were on the sales grounds, and buyers had the option to bid in-person, on the phone, or via the new online auction tool.

Graded stakes-placed juvenile County Final topped the sale when sold for $475,000 to West Point Thoroughbreds, L.E.B., agent.

The gray or roan colt by Preakness Stakes winner Oxbow was consigned as Hip 166 by John Ennis Training, agent. The sale-topper broke his maiden on debut going 5 1/2 furlongs on the Churchill Downs turf on June 5, wiring a field of straight maidens to win by four lengths. He followed up that effort with a second-place finish in the Grade 3 Bashford Manor Stakes on June 27, this time going six furlongs on the Churchill Downs main track.

County Final earned $65,000 in his first two starts for owner-train John Ennis and owners Hayden Noriega, and 47 Roses LLC. The colt is a half-brother to two other winners out of the multiple stakes winning Tapit mare Tapajo, from the immediate family of Grade 1 winner Currency Swap.

Per Capita, a winning 4-year-old colt by Tapit, sold for $325,000 to Red Oak Stable, agent for Rick Sacco, to become the sale's second-most expensive offering.

Offered as Hip 85 by Gainesway, agent, Per Capita was a winner last out, breaking his maiden going a mile on the dirt at Churchill Downs on May 24. The colt won once in four starts for owners Peter M. Brant and Gainesway Stable and trainer Chad Brown, earning $65,150.

Per Capita is out of the graded stakes winning Orientate mare Successful Outlook, making him a half-brother to Grade 1 winner Sweet Lulu and a full brother to Grade 2 winner Anchor Down and Grade 3 winner Iron Fist.

The session's top filly came in the form of recent G3 Indiana Oaks runner-up Impeccable Style, who was purchased for $275,000 by Bradley Thoroughbreds, agent.

The 3-year-old winning daughter of Uncle Mo was offered as Hip 53 by Gainesway. The dark bay or brown filly broke her maiden on her second try last year at two at Churchill Downs and was most recently second in the Indiana Oaks on July 8 at Indiana Grand. Impeccable Style has won or placed in four of six career starts to date for Gainesway Stable, Catalyst Stable, Paul McInnis, Patty Slevin, and Magdalena Racing and trainer Kenny McPeek, with earnings of $134,912.

Overall, 81 horses changed hands for a total of $5,072,000. The average was $62,617 and the median was $30,000.

Results are available online.

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Elkhorn Winner Zulu Alpha Will Defend His Title In Kentucky Downs’ Turf Cup

Zulu Alpha continues to make a case as America's best turf horse at 1 1/2 miles, his three wins in four starts including the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf. Trainer Mike Maker brought the gelding into Sunday's G2 Elkhorn at Keeneland off a 3 1/2-month layoff. After getting squeezed at the start, Zulu Alpha found himself well off the slow pace set by Postulation but closed strongly under Tyler Gaffalione to win by three-quarters of a length.

His next start will be defense of his 2019 victory in the Kentucky Turf Cup at Kentucky Downs, followed by the Breeders' Cup Turf on Nov. 7 at Keeneland, a race in which Zulu Alpha finished fourth last year at Santa Anita.

“He's had his vacation and Mike's handled him phenomenally as far as his development and progression,” said owner Michael Hui. “This was the first step back, and he passed.”

The owner said not to forget Parlor, an $80,000 claim in March who finished second in the Grade 1 Maker's Mark Mile.

“You were about two inches from a Grade 1,” Hui said. “That was a tremendous high watching Parlor take the lead in the stretch…. It was like 'no, no, no!' And Parlor got the perfect bob and still didn't get it. But that bodes well for Kentucky Downs, because his next start will be the Tourist Mile.”

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Jack Gilligan ‘Gaining A Lot Of Confidence,’ Enjoying Early Success At Louisiana Downs

What's the story behind the newest addition to the Harrah's Louisiana Downs jockey colony? Jack Gilligan has been one to watch since the meet began last month and his ear-to-ear grin in the winner's circle is just a small part of his allure!

Through the first six weeks of the meet, the 23-year-old jockey has ridden 77 horses, with 21 wins, 14 seconds and 10 thirds. He's currently tied with Joel Dominguez, who has been one of the top riders in Shreveport for the past four years.

Born in Newmarket, England, Gilligan's father, Patrick, is a Thoroughbred trainer and it was not long before his son found a calling with horses.

“I was riding a pony from five on,” said Gilligan. “When I turned 13, I began exercising horses before and after school and on weekends.”

Gilligan was enrolled in the British Racing School at 14 years-old. He explained that he received one day off from high school each week to attend classes at the esteemed program for aspiring riders.

“We were taught every aspect of racing and caring for horses,” he explained. “It was a great foundation.”

He graduated in May, 2013 and two weeks later, at the age of 16, rode in his first race.

Interestingly, his father was born in New York, so with dual citizenship, Gilligan set his sights on a riding career in the United States. Just before he turned 18, he arrived in Lexington, Kentucky and began riding as an apprentice at Turfway Park. He was the third leading rider at Ellis Park and made the move to Louisiana for the 2017-2018 Fair Grounds meet. One of the horsemen who gave him some very good mounts was Bret Calhoun who entrusted him to ride Silver Dust. The victory for the son of Tapit, owned by Tom Durant in the 2019 Mineshaft at Fair Grounds was his first graded stakes.

His momentum was derailed on January 25 of this year when he was involved in a nasty spill at Fair Grounds, suffering at broken collarbone and seven facial fractures.

“I was out until the last week of the Fair Grounds meet,” said Gilligan. “I knew it would be hard for me to get mounts in Kentucky, so I stayed in Louisiana.”

His agent in Kentucky was Liz Morris, but in Louisiana, Gilligan is represented by veteran Richie Price. They were aiming for Lone Star Park, but the uncertainty of when their season would begin prompted Price to consider shifting to Harrah's Louisiana Downs. The enticement of riding for leading trainer Karl Broberg was icing on the cake.

“He's a nice kid and is making the most of this meet,” stated Price, who is also handling mounts for apprentice Kody Kellenberger. “Jack is gaining a lot of confidence here.”

Broberg who has been the North American trainer in wins since 2014, is enjoying his association with the young jockey.

“I heard he was contemplating options and I needed a rider,” said Broberg. “I'm very pleased with Jack; he puts his horses in the right position, and we are winning races.”

Personality-wise, you would be hard-pressed to find two more different personality types than the irascible Broberg and the optimistic and upbeat Gilligan.

“He's hilarious,” acknowledged Gilligan when asked about Broberg. “No filter whatsoever and tells it like it is. But he is fully invested in our industry and I am lucky to work with his assistant, Kevin Martin here at Louisiana Downs. He does a great job!

Gilligan loves the history, culture and food in Louisiana and recently bought a place in New Orleans. Now, riding afternoons with heat indexes in the 100's is another story!

“The first weekend (in June) I thought I was going to die,” he said. “I got some relief by dunking my head in the ice bucket even though all the jocks were laughing at me.”

But he takes it all in stride because the camaraderie in the jocks room is very special.

“I was a little worried about fitting in, but everyone has been very friendly,” said Gilligan. “I love the atmosphere in the room and got command of the Cajun accent when I was in the same part of the Churchill Downs jocks room with Calvin Borel. At first I didn't understand half the words, but I've got them down now!”

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Street Sense Filly Remains Perfect on Turf at Indiana Grand

4th-Indiana Grand, $32,500, Alw, 7-13, (NW2LX), 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16mT, 1:43.42, fm.
NASTY (f, 3, Street Sense–Valiant Passion {GISP, $132,900}, by Lion Heart), firming into 4-5 favoritism to build on an eight-length graduation when trying turf and two turns for the first time June 18, LNJ Foxwoods’s Nasty traveled like a winner every step of a Monday allowance at Indiana Grand and came home a measured one-length winner. Wrangled back to sit in a stalking second beneath Fernando de la Cruz, the $230,000 Keeneland September yearling acquisition traveled strongly down the back and was allowed to stride into the lead nearing the end of the second turn. Roused in upper stretch, Nasty kicked into a clear lead and perhaps idled a stride or two once making the front, but she kept on nicely to maintain a safe one-length margin over her chief market rival Sister Kitten (Kitten’s Joy) and remain on an upward trajectory. Nasty faced a pair of talented fillies in two main-track appearances to start her career, finishing fourth to ‘TDN Rising Star’ Ain’t No Elmers (Goldencents) on her Feb. 15 debut at the Fair Grounds before coming home fifth to Casual (Curlin) in an Oaklawn maiden Apr. 11. She could scarcely have been more impressive last time, settling a bit off the speed before whooshing home to graduate by eight emphatic lengths. One of four winners to race from as many to race from her dam, the 2010 GI Spinaway S. third-place finisher, Nasty hails from the female family of GI Breeders’ Cup winner Skywalker and has a foal half-brother by Good Magic (Curlin). Sales history: $230,000 Ylg ’18 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 4-2-0-0, $42,900. Click for the Equibase.com chart.
O-LNJ Foxwoods; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Brad H Cox.

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