Ellis Park is back on track to offer record purses while adding two new stakes for the 2021 racing season. The meet runs Sunday June 27 through Saturday Sept. 4.
Racing secretary Dan Bork said maiden races likely will top the record $50,000 achieved in 2019 before the pandemic forced cutbacks last year in the wake of a three-month shutdown. Average daily purses should top $350,000, which would be the highest in Ellis Park's 99-year history. Those numbers include Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund supplements, for which the vast majority of horses are eligible.
The condition book, which details the races for which entries will be taken on a given day, will be finalized in May after the Kentucky Derby, Bork said. Meanwhile, a 14-race stakes schedule was announced today, highlighted by the highly successful Kentucky Downs Preview Day now becoming Preview Weekend on Aug. 7-8 with the two new races. Six stakes received $25,000 purse increases over last year.
The Preview races — all on grass and designed as stepping stones to Kentucky Downs' lucrative stakes in early September— now total seven with the addition of the $100,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Dueling Grounds Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at a mile and a sixteenth and the $100,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Dueling Grounds Derby for 3-year-olds at a mile and an eighth.
All the Kentucky Downs Preview stakes carry a purse of $100,000 with the exception of the $125,000 Preview Turf Cup, a 1 1/4-mile prelude to Kentucky Downs' $1 million, Grade 2 Calumet Turf Cup at 1 1/2 miles.
“We should have very quality racing,” said trainer Larry Jones, the Hopkinsville native and long-time Henderson resident who has spent most of the summers of his training career at Ellis Park. “With the extra stakes and the money the way it is, it's going to bring in a lot better outfits – horses that maybe would have gone to Saratoga will stay and race at Ellis. I'm looking forward to it. It reminds you of days gone by.”
The Preview Dueling Grounds Derby and Oaks are set for Saturday Aug. 7, along with the Preview Turf Sprint. The remaining four stakes are scheduled for Sunday Aug. 8: the Preview Turf Cup, Preview Ladies Sprint, Preview Ladies Turf and Preview Mint Million Mile.
The winner of each of the Preview Weekend stakes receives an automatic spot with the entry fees waived in the corresponding stakes at Kentucky Downs.
Five dirt stakes take center stage a week later on Aug. 15, headlined by the $200,000 Ellis Park Derby. Last year's running of the 1 1/8-mile race was captured by Keeneland's Grade 2 Toyota Blue Grass winner Art Collector. Also that day again will be the Groupie Doll for fillies and mares, the Ellis Park Juvenile and Ellis Park Debutante — each increased to $125,000 from 2020 — along with the $100,000 Audubon Oaks at seven-eighths of a mile.
The Eddie Kenneally-trained Lady Kate won last year's Groupie Doll and then finished second to two-time champion Monomoy Girl in Churchill Downs' Grade 1 La Troienne. Sconsin, who is trained by Greg Foley, went from a third-place finish in last year's Audubon Oaks to victory in Churchill Downs' Grade 2 Eight Belles and a fourth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.
The purse for every stakes includes $25,000 in KTDF supplements for registered Kentucky-breds.
“We've been delighted with how horseplayers and fans have responded to our stakes being super-sized into festival-type days,” said Jeff Hall, Ellis Park's director of racing operations. “Now we're going from two to three days that will provide some of the best racing programs outside of Saratoga and Del Mar. And I dare say on the two stakes-packed Sundays that we could be right up there with both coasts.
“Since creating Kentucky Downs Preview Day in 2018, the program has just blossomed and succeeded in its mission of providing launching pads to Kentucky Downs. We're thrilled to add two more stakes, filling a void in the 3-year-old grass divisions and expanding the series to a weekend.”
The stakes schedule kicks off July 4 with the $75,000 Ellis Park Turf for fillies and mares and the $75,000 Good Lord for older sprinters on July 17.
Boosting Ellis Park's purses is the unique relationship the track has with Kentucky Downs, which through an arrangement with the Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent & Protective Association will transfer $4.2 million into Ellis' purse account this year. That money will be split equally between unrestricted association purses and KTDF funds, for which the transfer requires approval of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and its KTDF advisory committee.
“The three-way deal among Kentucky Downs, Ellis Park and the Kentucky HBPA has proven a win-win-win for all parties and the state and really helps strengthen the entire circuit,” said Marty Maline, executive director of the Kentucky HBPA. “Kentucky Downs Preview Weekend is so fitting because it also casts the limelight on Kentucky Downs several weeks before they open. Ellis adding two 3-year-old turf stakes will keep those horses in Kentucky throughout the summer and heading into Kentucky Downs.
“Kentucky tracks were hit hard last year with COVID restrictions and the three-month shutdown. It's so great to see things coming back to some sort of normalcy. The Ellis meet should be sensational — the barn area full and crowds as large as the governor permits. There will be no better place in the Tri-State area to break out of cabin fever than at Ellis Park.”
Ellis Park 2021 stakes schedule
Each includes $25,000 KTDF*
Sunday July 4 — $75,000 Ellis Park Turf, fillies & mares, 3 years old & up; 1 1/16 miles (turf).
Saturday July 17 — $75,000 Good Lord, 3-year-olds & up, 6 1/2 furlongs.
The fastest 3-year-old in training will not be found in the field for Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby.
In one of the most impressive debuts turned in by a 3-year-old colt in years, 'TDN Rising Star' Flightline (Tapit) not only won Saturday's maiden special weight at Santa Anita by 13 1/4 lengths, he earned a 105 Beyer Speed Figure (video). Based on the numbers, that makes him faster than any of the 20 horses lining up for the Derby. His stablemate, Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}), earned a 100 Beyer when winning the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby, which gives him the only triple digit Beyer number in the expected field. Life Is Good (Into Mischief) earned a 107 when winning the GII San Felipe S., but has been sidelined.
“We really thought the world of him, but you never really know until they get on the racetrack,” said co-owner Kosta Hronis. “He travels really well. He makes it look really easy and he kind of floats over the track. He does things effortlessly. We think he has a bright future and looks like a special colt.”
Flightline broke on top in his debut and reeled off an opening quarter-mile in :21.59 seconds, but seemed to be going easily. With Flavien Prat aboard, he started to draw away on the turn and kept extending his lead, even though Prat wrapped up on him well before the wire. His final time for the six furlongs was 1:08.75.
“Flavien said he really did it so easily and that he was not even breathing hard,” Hronis said.
Hronis Racing owns Flightline along with Siena Farm, Summer Wind Equine, West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing.
Due to the belated debut, Flightline is not in line to run in any of the Triple Crown races. The major summer stakes for 3-year-olds could be on his schedule, but Hronis said that the owners and trainer John Sadler have not mapped out any plans for their rising star.
“He runs so fast, so we'd like to keep things spaced out,” Hronis said. “Since it was just his first race, we'll just see when he's ready to come back. When he's ready to go, I'm sure we can find a 3-year-old colt race where he will fit right in. But, no, we don't really have anything targeted at this point.”
Flightline, a $1-million purchase from the Lane's End consignment at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale, suffered through a setback last year just prior to when he was scheduled to be sent to Sadler's Santa Anita barn, the reason why he didn't debut until Saturday.
“About a week before he was scheduled to come to California, he cut himself,” Hronis said. “He has a scar on his butt on his right hind. They had to stitch him up. It was just something that happened at the barn and nobody really knows what happened or how he did it. But that set him back. Because we always thought he was a special colt, we gave him 60 days off to let him heal up right.”
Had Sadler been more aggressive, he might have been able to get Flightline to the races in January or February, which would have given him enough time to make the Derby. Hronis said that was not anything the connections ever considered.
“That's just not our style,” he said. “We like to be really patient and let the horse tell us when they are ready. Would having him in the Derby be fun? Yes, it would have, but at same time you don't want to do anything to jeopardize their careers. It is the Sadler-Hronis philosophy. We like to be patient and let the horse tell us when they are ready to go. We're never going to push them.”
Over the last many years, the Hronis Brothers have been among the most successful owners in the sport, but most of their biggest wins have come with older horses. Rock Your World will be their first Kentucky Derby starter.
“We bought a lot of nice yearlings in the past, like [Eclipse Award and GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner] Accelerate (Lookin at Lucky),” Hronis said. “They just came around a little slower. Rock Your World developed and matured a little faster than ones we've had in the past. We haven't changed our buying or training philosophy. These ones just happened to come along faster than ones we've had in the past. To get a 3-year-old to be able to run a mile-and-a-quarter the first week in May is not easy.”
Bloodstock agent David Ingordo said he had had his eye on him for some time before signing the ticket at Saratoga.
“Lane's End handles a lot of the sales for Jane Lyon out at Summer Wind,” said Ingordo. “We went out shortly after some of her yearlings turned a year old, in February or March of their yearling year and they were showing us a chestnut Tapit colt out of American Pharoah's dam who turned out to be Triple Tap. And there was a chestnut and a bay, and I kept looking at the bay, and they said you need to look at the chestnut, because the bay is the one she's thinking about keeping. We went back a few times through the spring, and the bay one was the one I always liked.”
Fast-forward to August, and Ingordo was on a Tex Sutton plane with a load of horses when they hit turbulence.
“The guys asked if I could go back and grab a horse, so I grabbed the first horse and I was standing there and I looked at him and said, 'oh, there you are.' I only realized he was there when I was holding him on the plane. He was an expensive colt, but it all worked out in the end.”
Spending $1 million on a yearling is also something that hasn't been in the Hronis playbook.
“We spent that much money because we knew we were going to partner up,” Hronis said. “The seven figures was not just us. We would never do that by ourselves. It's too big of a risk. I've seen a lot of $1-million horses in $20,000 claiming races. The fact that the breeder, Summer Wind, stayed in is important. That showed that they believed in him, too. When you have partners like we do, it's easier to absorb that kind of horse.”
The latest issue of the PR Back Ring is now online, featuring a pedigree-focused preview of the Kentucky Derby, and analysis of the Keeneland April Horses Of Racing Age Sale.
The PR Back Ring is the Paulick Report's new bloodstock newsletter, released ahead of every major North American Thoroughbred auction. Seeking to expand beyond the usual pdf presentation, the Back Ring offers a dynamic experience for bloodstock content, heavy on visual elements and statistics to appeal to readers on all platforms, especially mobile devices.
Lead Feature: Bloodstock editor Joe Nevills uses his award-winning Average Winning Distance analysis to determine which Kentucky Derby contenders have the best pedigree performance to handle a mile and a quarter – a distance none of the competitors have faced in competition.
Stallion Spotlight Presented By Kentucky Equine Research: Ryan Norton of Darby Dan Farm on Dialed In, the leading freshman sire of 2016, and sire of Kentucky Derby contender Super Stock.
The Stat Presented By Gainesway: Which sires mattered the most on this year's Kentucky Derby trail?
Ask Your Veterinarian Presented By Kentucky Performance Products: Dr. Scott Hopper of Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital describes the different methods of conducting lameness exams on horses, and what a veterinarian is looking for in the tests.
Speed Figure Watch: Top Beyer Speed Figures earned by horses entered in the Keeneland April Sale.
On this day 12 months ago, jockey Vincent Ho guided Southern Legend (Aus) (Not A Single Doubt {Aus}) to an upset victory in the FWD Champions Mile, his first Group 1 score some 10 years removed from being named the champion apprentice rider in Hong Kong and about a month after throwing Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) across the line first in the prestigious BMW Hong Kong Derby.
Sunday's FWD Champions Day program at Sha Tin, attended by the biggest on-track crowd since COVID-19 took hold last year, marked a new high for the homegrown hoop, as not only did he pilot Golden Sixty to a 14th consecutive victory in the G1 FWD Champions Mile (see below), he capped the afternoon with a savvy steer atop Japanese mare Loves Only You (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who led home a 1-2-3-4 finish for the island nation in the day's richest test, the HK$25-million G1 FWD QE II Cup.
“I can't describe it,” Ho told the HKJC notes team, reflecting on his two successes that came about 40 minutes apart. “The QEII Cup is one of my dream goals as well as the Derby and the December internationals, a QEII win means a lot. It's amazing today with Golden Sixty and Loves Only You. It's definitely one of the highlights, I'll enjoy it for sure.”
QE II Cup: How Sweep It Is…
Loves Only You was down in trip for the QE II Cup, having run a cracking third behind Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {Ire}) in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic over a 12-furlong trip just 29 days back. The 2019 G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) victress jumped without incident from gate five and landed in the one-out and one-back position, as Time Warp (GB) (Archipenko) was gifted a cheap time of it up front when potential pace factors Kiseki (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) and Glory Vase (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) were slowly away.
The early tempo was very much in favour of need-the-lead Time Warp, who went the opening 800 metres in :51.92 and was past the half-mile marker in a dawdling 1:15.45. Defending champion Exultant (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) was the first to try to pour some pressure on the front-runner, but Ho got going on Loves Only You leaving the three-furlong point, momentarily locking away favoured Japanese Triple Crown winner Daring Tact (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) down inside. Exultant couldn't quite get to Time Warp and was one of the first beaten, but Loves Only You was busily ridden into the final furlong and came away to score, as Glory Vase closed off nicely for second. Daring Tact found clear racing room in upper stretch, but was not good enough on the day and finished third, while Kiseki made belated progress into fourth.
Loves Only You is the first Hong Kong winner for colourful trainer Yoshito Yahagi, who won the 2016 G1 Dubai Turf with Loves Only You's full-brother Real Steel (Jpn) and the 2019 G1 Ladbrokes Cox Plate in Australia with Lys Gracieux (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}). The latter was beaten a neck by Exultant in the 2018 G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase and was third to compatriot Win Bright (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}) in this race during her Horse of the Year campaign in 2019.
Loves Only You is the sixth Japanese-based winner of the QE II (Eishin Preston, 2002, 2003; Rulership {Jpn}, 2012; Neorealism {Jpn}), 2017; and Win Bright). She is the second female to win the race, joining Team Valor's Irridescence (SAf) (Caesour), who scored in 2006.
Pedigree Notes:
Loves Only You's dam was offered in foal to Danehill Dancer (Ire) as an unraced 3-year-old at the 2009 Keeneland November Sale, but nevertheless fetched $900,000, and with good reason.
Loves Only Me is a daughter of Monevassia, a full-sister to Kingmambo and to Miesque's Son, whose multiple champion and MG1SW Rumplestiltskin (Ire) (Danehill) is the dam of G1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks winner Tapestry (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and her GSW full-brother John F Kennedy (Ire).
Third dam Miesque requires no introduction. Nine times a champion in England, France and the U.S., the homebred was victorious no fewer than 10 times in Group 1 and Grade I company, including the English and French 1000 Guineas in 1987, and the G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois and GI Breeders' Cup Mile in 1987 and 1988, for which she received consecutive Eclipse Awards. Monevassia's half-sister Second Happiness (Storm Cat) is the dam of Study of Man (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who carried the Flaxman silks to victory in the 2018 G1 Prix du Jockey Club.
The cross of Deep Impact over Storm Cat mares has produced 50 winners from 65 runners (71 foals), of which 11 have succeeded in stakes company (16% SWs to runners), including G1SW's A Shin Hikari (Jpn), Kizuna (Jpn), Satono Aladdin (Jpn), Lachesis (Jpn) and Ayusan (Jpn). Beauty Parlour (Jpn), herself a Pouliches winner, is out of a mare by Storm Cat's son Giant's Causeway.
Since producing her in utero foal, Loves Only Me had a standing date with Deep Impact, accounting for three million-dollar winners. She missed to the late sire in 2018, but is represented by a 2-year-old full-brother to Loves Only You and Real Steel from Deep Impact's final crop. Her yearling is a colt by Duramente (Jpn) and she was most recently covered by Heart's Cry (Jpn).
WATCH: Loves Only You leads a Japanese sweep of the QE II Cup
Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong FWD QE II CUP-G1, HK$25,000,000 (£2,321,128/€2,663,169/A$4,159,000/US$3,221,793), Sha Tin, 4-25, 3yo/up, 2000mT, 2:01.22, gd.
1–LOVES ONLY YOU (JPN), 122, m, 5, by Deep Impact (Jpn) 1st Dam: Loves Only Me, by Storm Cat 2nd Dam: Monevassia, by Mr. Prospector 3rd Dam: Miesque, by Nureyev
(¥160,000,000 Ylg '17 JRHAJUL). O-DMM Dream Club Co Ltd; B-Northern Farm; T-Yoshito Yahagi; J-Vincent Ho; HK$14,250,000. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Jpn, G1SP-UAE, 13-6-1-3, HK$40,536,420. *Full to Langley (Jpn), SP-Jpn, $1,173,360; Real Steel (Jpn), Hwt. Older Horse-UAE at 7-9.5f, G1SW-UAE, MGSW & MG1SP-Jpn, $7,508,769; Prodigal Son (Jpn), SW & MGSP-Jpn, $1,564,219. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Glory Vase (Jpn), 126, h, 6, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Mejiro Tsubone (Jpn), by Swept Overboard. (¥52,000,000 Ylg '16 JRHAJUL). O-Silk Racing Co Ltd; B-Lake Villa Farm; T-Tomohito Ozeki; J-Karis Teetan; HK$5,500,000.
3–Daring Tact (Jpn), 122, f, 4, Epiphaneia (Jpn)–Daring Bird (Jpn), by King Kamehameha (Jpn). (RNA fl '17 JRHAJUL; ¥12,000,000 Ylg '18 JRHAJUL). O-Normandy Thoroughbred Racing Co Ltd; B-Hasegawa Bokujo; T-Haruki Sugiyama; J-Kohei Matsuyama; HK$2,500,000.
Margins: 3/4, HF, 1HF. Odds: 24-5, 37-10, 3-2.
Also Ran: Kiseki (Jpn), Exultant (Ire), Glorious Dragon (Ire), Time Warp (GB). Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.
Fourteen For 'Sixty'…
After toying with the idea of a start in the QE II Cup, the connections of Golden Sixty sensibly settled on the G1 FWD Champions Mile, where he started a $1.20 (1-5) mortal. In the end, he scraped in just ahead of stablemate More Than This (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) to take his career record to 17 wins from 18 runs, the last 14 in succession.
Golden Sixty and More Than this settled as the trailing duo in a race that drew just six entries, as Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) upsetter Healthy Happy (Aus) (Zoustar {Aus}) showed the way from Ka Ying Star (GB) (Cityscape {GB}) through moderate early sectionals. Golden Sixty raced keenly down the back as is his wont–mouth agape–and was clearly last to make the bend after 800 metres in :47.69. Vincent Ho decided he could no longer hold the heavy favourite at the 600 metres, allowing Golden Sixty to sweep around rivals to make a line of four turning for home. The way he asserted a furlong and a half out had whipped those aforementioned fans into a frenzy, but Golden Sixty–who can idle once in front–began to lay in, even under a right-handed whip from Ho. More Than This, meanwhile, was hitting his best stride and was cutting back the margin, only to have the winning post come a fraction too soon. The runner-up's owner also campaigns Playa del Puente (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}), who nearly beat Golden Sixty at 289-1 in the Derby.
“They were a bit slow, and when I pulled out at the 600-metre mark, he was already alongside them, then when I hit the straight he just went for it,” Ho told the HKJC notes team. “He has never been chased and we learnt today that he still can fight when something chases him, not just when he is doing the chasing, which is good.”
Winning trainer Francis Lui added: “He's a very good horse–I was a little bit worried, but Golden Sixty is that kind of horse, when he passes the other horses he thinks his job is done but then when he saw another runner coming he turned it on again.”
Now seven-from-seven this term, Golden Sixty is a candidate for a break, but an historic sweep of the Triple Crown and a bonus loom if he were to add the G1 Standard Chartered Champions and Chater Cup (2400m) to previous victories in the G1 Stewards' Cup (1600m) and G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m) in a month's time. It would mark his first start past 10 furlongs.
“Depends, I will see how the horse recovers and then decide, because the Triple Crown is still under consideration,” Lui said. “I don't think the distance is a worry, he's that kind of horse who will fight no matter what, it just depends on how he recovers.”
WATCH: Golden Sixty makes it 14 straight in the Champions Mile
Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong FWD CHAMPIONS MILE-G1, HK$20,000,000 (£1,856,903/€2,130,535/A$3,327,200/US$2,577,434), Sha Tin, 4-25, 3yo/up, 1600mT, 1:33.45, gd.
1–GOLDEN SIXTY (AUS), 126, g, 5, by Medaglia d'Oro 1st Dam: Gaudeamus (GSW-Ire, $179,846), by Distorted Humor 2nd Dam: Leo's Lucky Lady, by Seattle Slew 3rd Dam: Konafa, by Damascus
(A$120,000 Ylg '17 MMGCYS; NZ$300,000 2yo '17 NZBRTR). O-Stanley Chan Ka Leung; B-Asco International Pty Ltd; T-Francis Lui; J-Vincent Ho; HK$11,400,000. Lifetime Record: Ch. 4yo-HK, 18-17-0-0, HK$77,925,600. *1/2 to Igitur (Aus) (Helmet {Aus}), SP-Aus, $132,352. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–More Than This (GB), 126, g, 5, Dutch Art (GB)–Striving (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). (40,000gns Ylg '17 TATOCT). O-Huang Kai Wen; B-Cheveley Park Stud Ltd; T-Francis Lui; J-Joao Moreira; HK$4,400,000.
3–Southern Legend (Aus), 126, g, 8, Not A Single Doubt (Aus)–Donna's Appeal (Aus), by Carnegie (Ire). (A$280,000 Ylg '14 INGEAS). O-Boniface Ho Ka Kui; B-Corumbene Stud; T-Caspar Fownes; J-Karis Teetan; HK$2,000,000.
Margins: HD, 3HF, HF. Odds: 1-5, 81-10, 38-5.
Also Ran: Healthy Happy (Aus), Ka Ying Star (GB), Mighty Giant (NZ). Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.
All Too Easy For Wellington in the Chairman's…
For some time, Hong Kong has been looking for its next superstar sprinter, and with Hot King Prawn (Aus) (Denman {Aus}) on the shelf and with time having been called on the local stint of The Everest winner Classique Legend (Aus) (Not A Single Doubt {Aus}), those entered for Sunday's G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize had a chance to stake their claims. Despite a hot $2.20 (6-5) favourite in the form of G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint hero Danon Smash (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), Wellington (Aus), a son of Black Caviar (Aus)'s half-brother All Too Hard (Aus), rose to the challenge to lead home a 4-year-old sweep. Danon Smash, subsequent winner of the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen, never looked likely, finishing four lengths' sixth.
Settled midfield and one off the fence as Computer Patch (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) set a sedate tempo for the opening 400 metres, Wellington traveled sweetly outside of the rail-skimming Sky Field (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}) and about a length ahead of a niggled-at Danon Smash as the real running was about to begin. Eased to the outside of Voyage Warrior (Aus) (Declaration of War) at the quarter-mile marker, Wellington launched his rally down the centre of the course, grabbed a game Computer Patch with 50 metres to race and pulled clear. Sky Field was another nose back in third.
“He had a perfect trip,” said winning jockey Alexis Badel. “The horse was much more relaxed than last time. Honestly, the draw last time was a bit difficult and the ground was faster as well, so it was difficult for me to relax the horse without giving ground.
“Today, I had the perfect race, just close to the pace and more relaxed and when I put a little bit of pressure on my horse, he responded very well. To me, he's a top-class horse and he just proved it today,” Badel added.
Winner of three-from-four during his first preparation last season, Wellington romped over 1000 metres with 133 pounds on his back in Class 3 in December and defeated Computer Patch in Class 1 Mar. 13. He was most recently fifth to 178-1 Amazing Star (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) from a high draw in the G2 Sprint Cup Apr. 5.
Pedigree Notes:
Wellington is the 20th black-type winner, 14th at group level, and the fourth top-level winner for Vinery Australia's All Too Hard. For More Than Ready, who shuttles from WinStar Farm in the U.S. to Vinery for Southern Hemisphere stud duties, his daughters have now produced 108 stakes winners, 50 at the graded or group level and now 13 Grade I/Group 1 winners worldwide.
Wellington's dam, Group 3-placed in Australia, is a daughter of Danoise, who was acquired by breeder Kia Ora Stud for 240,000gns at the 2006 Tattersalls December Mares sale. His third dam, the German stakes-placed Solo de Lune was responsible for Irish highweight L'Ancresse (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}), second in the 2003 G1 Darley Irish Oaks and a neck second to Islington (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) in that year's GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita. L'Ancresse's son Master of Reality (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) was a winner at Group 3 level in Ireland and a longshot third to Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the 2019 G1 Ascot Gold Cup.
Solo de Lune's daughter Moonstone (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}) was victorious in the Irish Oaks and runner-up in the G1 Investec Oaks and has gone on to be a high-quality producer, having accounted for G3 Chester Vase winner and Derby runner-up US Army Ranger (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), MGSW Nelson (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and three other full stakes winners. Solo de Lune also bred G1 Prix Saint-Alary winner Cerulean Sky (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}), the dam of GSW & G1SP champion stayer Honolulu (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}).
The 10-year-old Mihiri is the dam of a yearling filly by Star Witness (Aus) that fetched A$85,000 from Tricolours Racing and Syndications at the Inglis Classic Sale this past February and was bred back to All Too Hard last September.
WATCH: Wellington romps in the Chairman's Sprint Prize
Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong CHAIRMAN'S SPRINT PRIZE-G1, HK$18,000,000 (£1,671,238/€1,917,592/A$2,994,224/US$2,319,704), Sha Tin, 4-25, 3yo/up, 1200mT, 1:08.64, gd.
1–WELLINGTON (AUS), 126, g, 4, by All Too Hard (Aus) 1st Dam: Mihiri (Aus) (GSP-Aus, $123,433), by More Than Ready 2nd Dam: Danoise (GB), by Danehill 3rd Dam: Solo de Lune (Ire), by Law Society 1ST STAKES WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (A$70,000 Ylg '18 MMGCYS). O-Mr & Mrs Michael Chen Wing On & Jeffrey Cheng Man Cheong; B-Kia Ora Stud Pty Ltd, David Paradise, Steve McCann (NSW); T-Richard Gibson; J-Alexis Badel; HK$10,260,000. Lifetime Record: 10-7-1-0, HK$18,424,690. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Computer Patch (Aus), 126, r, 4, Exceed and Excel (Aus)–Girl Hussler (Aus), by Hussonet. (A$800,000 Ylg '18 INGEAS). O-Yeung Kin Man; B-Segenhoe Thoroughbreds Pty Ltd (NSW); T-Tony Cruz; J-Matthew Chadwick; HK$3,960,000.
3–Sky Field (Aus), 126, g, 4, Deep Field (Aus)–Laravissante (NZ), by O'Reilly (NZ). (NZ$175,000 Ylg '18 NZBJAN). O-Kwan Shiu Man, Jessica Kwan Mun Hang & Jeffrey Kwan Chun Ming; B-M Ryan (NSW); T-Caspar Fownes; J-Blake Shinn; HK$1,800,000.
Margins: 1HF, NO, 3/4. Odds: 29-10, 18-1, 11-1.
Also Ran: Voyage Warrior (Aus), Wishful Thinker (Aus), Danon Smash (Jpn), Stronger (Aus), Rattan (NZ), Big Party (Aus), Fat Turtle (Aus), Jolly Banner (Aus), Beauty Applause (Aus), Amazing Star (NZ). Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.
