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Maclean’s Music’s Drain the Clock Bounces Back in Limehouse

Looking to atone for his first career defeat when he suffered an equipment malfunction in the Jean Lafitte S. at Delta Downs Nov. 30, Slam Dunk Racing’s Drain the Clock (Maclean’s Music) made light work of his rivals as the 9-5 chalk in Saturday’s Limehouse S. at Gulfstream Park.

Smoothly away beneath Edgard Zayas, the chestnut stalked a fast pace outside of front-running Warrior’s Pride (Poseidon’s Warrior), eased to the front approaching the stretch and kicked home smartly to defeat the blinkered Tiger by a handy margin. Runway Magic (Runhappy) finished third.

“It was a pretty smooth trip,” said the winning rider. “He broke sharp out of the gate. My only worry was that he was moving a little bit in the gate, but everything worked out really well. I was just trying to keep him in the clear and he did it all.”

Drain the Clock, a six-length maiden winner in the local slop on debut Sept. 12, added a one-length allowance tally at Gulfstream West Oct. 28 ahead of his Delta debacle, where an iron broke and he lost his jockey.

Drain the Clock is the 21st stakes winner for his Hill ‘n’ Dale-based sire and has a yearling half-brother by Mineshaft. His dam is due to Vino Rosso for 2021. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

LIMEHOUSE S., $75,000, Gulfstream, 1-2, 3yo, 6f, 1:10.11, ft.
1–DRAIN THE CLOCK, 120, c, 3, by Maclean’s Music
1st Dam: Manki, by Arch
2nd Dam: Private Ice (GB), by Pivotal (GB)
3rd Dam: Midnight Air, by Green Dancer
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Slam Dunk Racing; B-Nick Cosato (KY); T-Saffie A Joseph Jr; J-Edgard J Zayas. $45,570. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0, $91,170.
2–Tiger, 118, c, 3, Dialed In–Sally’s Song, by Unbridled’s Song. O/B-Arindel (FL); T-Juan Alvarado. $14,700.
3–Runway Magic, 118, c, 3, Runhappy–Divine Escapade, by A.P. Indy. O-Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings Inc (J G Sikura) & Bruce Lunsford; B-W Bruce Lunsford & Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm (KY); T-George R Arnold II. $7,350.
Margins: 7HF, 1 3/4, 2. Odds: 1.90, 8.00, 3.30.
Also Ran: Newyearsblockparty, Warrior’s Pride, Highway Bound, Ocean Ride. Scratched: Willy Boi.

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Rocketry Enjoying Downtime Before Tackling Another Campaign

Centennial Farms' Rocketry, a last-out winner of the 1 5/8-mile Grade 2 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance on Nov. 6 at Keeneland, is enjoying some downtime at the farm in Middleburg, Va.

Trainer Jimmy Jerkens said the now 7-year-old Hard Spun horse will return for another campaign.

“He had a good season,” said Jerkens. “There's not much for him in the winter time, so we're giving him a couple months off at the farm.”

Centennial Farms' Mihos, a 5-year-old Cairo Prince horse, worked a half-mile in 49.77 for Jerkens on the Belmont dirt training track on December 27.

With a record of 14-3-1-3, Mihos finished fourth in the seven-furlong G3 Bold Ruler Handicap on Oct. 31 on a muddy track at Belmont and was second last out on Dec. 11 in a seven-furlong optional-claiming sprint at Aqueduct.

“There's a mile allowance race next week that we're aiming for. We're hoping for some improvement with him,” said Jerkens.

Jerkens said Shortleaf Stable's Rift Valley will look for additional ground after earning a 69 Beyer when rallying from ninth to score by 1 ½-lengths at second asking in a seven furlong state-bred maiden sprint on Dec. 20 at the Big A.

“He wants to go further. We're looking to stretch him out and then we'll probably try turf when that opens up, too,” said Jerkens.

Bred by Jonathan Thorne, the 4-year-old Pioneerof the Nile colt was a $400,000 purchase at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-Bred Yearling Sale.

Chiefswood Stables' homebred Weyburn, a 3-year-old Ontario-bred son of Pioneerof the Nile, garnered a 67 Beyer when graduating at third asking over a sloppy Aqueduct main track on Dec. 5 when sprinting seven furlongs.

Jerkens said he had considered the Jerome for Weyburn but had to change course.

“We were thinking about the Jerome, but he got sick and that was the end of that,” said Jerkens. “We'll look for the next 'a other than' for him.”

Out of the A.P. Indy mare Sunday Affair, Weyburn is a half-brother to the versatile multiple graded stakes winner Yorkton.

The unraced King James, a sophomore son of Nyquist of the multiple stakes winning Unbridled's Song mare Inspired, worked a half-mile in 49.79 on Dec. 29 on the Belmont dirt training track.

While Inspired was a turf sprint specialist, Jerkens said King James will get his shot on both surfaces.

“He's out of a filly that did all her best running sprinting on the turf,” said Jerkens. “He's doing good but he's still a ways off. We'll see what he can do on the dirt, but I'd imagine the turf will be his thing given his mother. The Nyquists like the turf.”

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Cardenas Picks Up NYRA Leading Apprentice Rider Title In Pursuit Of His Dream Career

Luis Cardenas said he wanted to be a jockey ever since he was a child living in the Lima district of Punta Negra in Peru. In 2019, he had the chance to fulfill his dream, making the first three starts of his professional career. In 2020, those incremental steps led to big things, as Cardenas posted 41 wins to lead all apprentice riders on the NYRA circuit.

Last year was full of milestones for the now 23-year-old Cardenas, who notched his first win with a come-from-behind effort aboard Solitary Gem in the eighth race at Aqueduct Racetrack on Jan. 10. In total, 2020 saw Cardenas post a 41-51-50 ledger in 582 mounts at NYRA tracks for earnings of more than $2.2 million while competing in a jockey colony that boasts Eclipse Award champions, Hall of Famers, and American Classic winners.

“I had a nice start at the beginning of the year and so many people on the backstretch who I worked for were real supportive,” Cardenas said. “I recently watched my first ever race on replay and I think to now and I see the improvement. That's the key. You just have to take care of your own business. It's one of the best colonies in the world and I always wanted to compete with the best, and it's taught me a lot.”

Cardenas moved to the United States when he was 12, settling in New Jersey. His father worked with harness horses, though Cardenas said being a jockey remained his goal as he got older. His first foray into the career came when he worked as a groom and hotwalker at Monmouth Park.

He then trekked to South Carolina to work at the Webb Carroll Training Center, providing a background knowledge that proved invaluable when he came to New York in 2017 to work as an exercise rider for trainers such as Leah Gyarmati, Bruce Levine and Randi Persaud.

“I always had the thought growing up in Peru from the time I was 6 years old that I wanted to ride,” Cardenas said. “My dad was an exercise rider there and my grandfather was a jockey. They used to take me to the racetrack. I was 12 when I told my dad I wanted to be a jockey. I didn't care too much about anything else, I wanted to pursue that dream.

“When I moved to the United States when I was turning 13, my dad worked with harness horses instead of thoroughbreds, so it was a little difficult because I didn't have any connections at the racetrack,” he added. “But at Monmouth, I started hotwalking and grooming horses, and it helped a lot. I learned how to take care of horses and when I decided I wanted to ride, I went to South Carolina and I learned how to break babies and it helped my career a lot.”

His hard work in the mornings paid off with a career highlight last summer, as Cardenas won the opening race at the prestigious summer meet at historic Saratoga Race Course aboard Grit and Glory on July 16. Cardenas won two additional races at the Spa, which attracts some of the world's best jockeys, with wins aboard Vinda Machine and Big Package.

“The first day at Saratoga, I opened the meet with a win for [trainer] Linda Rice, who gave me a great opportunity. It was amazing,” Cardenas said. “I felt like I was a superstar. It was a great experience to ride there and I just feel very fortunate.”

Cardenas, who still maintains his five-pound bug, also overcame injury setbacks. In February, a hand injury suffered during training at Belmont Park cost him a couple of weeks, and a mild concussion prevented him from racing during part of the Saratoga meet after his hot start.

But Cardenas shrugged off those issues and had a strong Belmont fall meet. Working with agent P.J. Campo, Cardenas made the most of his mounts, posting eight wins at the Elmont-based track, before closing his 2020 with 14 wins from the start of the Aqueduct fall meet to New Year's Eve.

“Hopefully we just keep taking the right steps forward and getting the trust of the trainers and go forward,” Cardenas said.

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American Pharoah Colt Stays Unbeaten On Turf in Dania Beach

Sent off the 16-5 second favorite to build on a front-running maiden victory over course and distance in his turf debut Dec. 19, Calumet Farm homebred Kentucky Pharoah (American Pharoah) repeated the dose Saturday, earning his first stakes success in the Dania Beach S. at Gulfstream.

Quickly into stride from gate two, Kentucky Pharoah had early company to his inside in the form of favored Fighting Force but was intent on rolling forward and was a clear leader turning up the backstretch. Bowling along at a good clip while racing a touch keenly, Kentucky Pharoah settled better on the turn and had plenty left for the final couple of furlongs, proving a comfortable winner in the end.

Kentucky Pharoah was off the board and beaten by double-digit lengths in his first two tries on dirt at Keeneland Oct. 24 and Churchill Nov. 15.

Kentucky Pharoah is the 13th black-type winner for his Triple Crown-winning stallion. The winner’s dam is also represented by a Gun Runner filly of 2019 and a Mr Speaker filly of 2020. She was bred to Goldencents for 2021.

“Fantastic ride,” winning trainer Jack Sisterson said. “We really put it in Kentucky Pharoah’s hands whether he could come back in two weeks. He’s energetic. He was either going to breeze [Sunday] at Palm Meadows, and he probably would have breezed too quick, so why not run him instead.”

DANIA BEACH S., $75,000, Gulfstream, 1-2, 3yo, 1mT, 1:34.07, fm.
1–KENTUCKY PHAROAH, 118, c, 3, by American Pharoah
1st Dam: Strut the Course (Ch. Older Mare-Can,
MGSW, $1,035,035), by Strut the Stage
2nd Dam: Bold Course, by Trajectory
3rd Dam: Bold Courant, by Bold n’ Flashy
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O/B-Calumet Farm (KY); T-Jack
Sisterson; J-Julien R. Leparoux. $46,035. Lifetime Record:
4-2-0-0, $72,819.
2–Fighting Force, 118, c, 3, Air Force Blue–No Splits, by Smart
Strike. ($55,000 Wlg ’18 KEENOV; $100,000 RNA Ylg ’19
KEESEP; $400,000 2yo ’20 OBSAPR). O-Michael B. Tabor, Mrs.
John Magnier & Derrick Smith; B-Royal oak Farm LLC, et. al.
(KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $14,850.
3–Cave Hill, 120, c, 3, Frosted–Painted Lady, by Broad Brush.
O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brendan P. Walsh. $7,425.
Margins: 3, 3/4, NK. Odds: 3.20, 0.60, 8.80.
Also Ran: Lauda Speed, It’s a Gamble, Omaha City. Scratched: Like a Saltshaker.

Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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