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‘Better With Every Race’: Jesus’ Team To Use Claiming Crown Jewel As Pegasus Prep

Grade 1 stakes-placed in his two most recent starts, Jesus' Team will return to his roots Saturday with a start in the $150,000 Claiming Crown Jewel at Gulfstream Park.

Grupo 7C Racing Stable's 3-year-old gelding, who became eligible for the Jewel while winning a claiming race for maidens at Gulfstream last March, is scheduled to use the Claiming Crown headliner as a prep for a planned start in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Jan. 23.

The Jewel, a 1 1/8-mile stakes for 3-year-olds and up that started for a claiming price of $35,000 or lower, will be featured among nine stakes restricted to horses that have started for a claiming price at least once.

Jesus' Team enters the Jewel off a third-place finish in the Oct. 3 Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico and a second-place finish Nov. 7 in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Keeneland – unlikely results from a horse that broke his maiden for a $32,000 claiming price in his fifth career start March 18.

“He went to Ocala for 10 days after the Breeders' Cup. He is training very good for the Claiming Crown,” sand trainer Jose D'Angelo, whose stable is based at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream Park's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County. “I think this is a good race for him before the Pegasus. He needs a race before the Pegasus.”

After his breakthrough 3 ¾-length maiden win, Jesus' Team was transferred to D'Angelo, for whom the son of Tapiture came right back to score a dominating 6 ¾-length victory in a $25,000 claiming race May 8. A most promising second-place finish behind graded-stakes winner Sole Volante in a stakes-quality June 10 optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream raised the expectations of his connections.

Following a creditable fourth behind future Kentucky Derby (G1) and Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner Authentic in the Haskell (G1) and a runner-up finish in the ungraded Pegasus at Monmouth, Jesus' Team finished third in the Jim Dandy (G2) at Saratoga while equipped with blinkers for the first time. The Kentucky-bred gelding, who was purchased for $30,000 at the 2018 Keeneland September sale, overcame traffic on the far turn to finish a distant third behind Gulfstream Park Oaks winner Swiss Skydiver and Authentic at 40-1 in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico. Sent to post at 62-1 for the Dirt Mile, Jesus' Team closed to finish second behind runaway winner Knicks Go.

“I am very proud of my horse. He's getting better and better with every race,” D'Angelo said. “I think he will run a very good race Saturday.”

D'Angelo was the leading trainer in Venezuela before joining his father Francisco, also a former titlist in Venezuela, in South Florida in 2019.

“I'm happy for the races Jesus's Team has run. He has made me very proud,” said D'Angelo, who saddled his first horse in the U.S. in June 2019 and saddled his first winner with his second starter three weeks later. “I'm happy to be training in this amazing country.”

Luis Saez, who was aboard for the Dirt Mile, has the return mount Saturday.

Calumet Farm's Dack Janiel's, also a horse who performed extremely well on Breeders' Cup Weekend at Keeneland, is scheduled to seek his first stakes victory in the Claiming Crown Jewel.

The Jack Sisterson-trained 3-year-old gelding is coming off a third-place finish in the $200,000 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G2). Dack Janiel's set or pressed the pace to hold a narrow lead in mid-stretch before weakening late in the 1 5/8-mile route.

“Dack Janiel's is a horse that has always overachieved for us, but he really thrives on racing. He just won 10 days before the Thoroughbred [Aftercare] Alliance, but we wheeled him back in a week at Oaklawn [in April] and he won bringing him back quick,” Sisterson said. “He seems to thrive on his training and running, so we ran him [at Keeneland] and he ran a competitive race against some tough horses. Fortunately, he's eligible for Claiming Crown Jewel.”

Dack Janiel's became eligible for the Jewel in January when he ran third in a $30,000 maiden claiming race on turf at Fair Grounds. The son of Tonalist came right back to win an off-the-turf maiden special weight race at Fair Grounds a month later. After finishing off the board in the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at Turfway, Dack Janiel's followed up a fourth-place allowance finish at Oaklawn with a starter allowance victory eight days later. Winless in his next three starts, he returned to winning form in a $50,000 claiming race at Keeneland that set him up for his strong showing in the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance.

“He's very straightforward. He trains himself. There's no hiding his running style. He goes right to the front,” said Sisterson, who will train in South Florida for the first time this winter. “He seems to run his best races forwardly placed, so we're obviously not hiding any tactics heading into next Saturday.”

Julien Leparoux has the mount on the Calumet Farm homebred.

Team Valor International and David Burnett's Storm Runner, who finished seventh in the 2018 Florida Derby (G1), has returned to Gulfstream to run in the Jewel. The Dale Romans-trained son of Get Stormy became eligible for the Jewel by coming off a seven-month layoff to win a $20,000 claiming race at Churchill Downs June 28. Following a four-month layoff, Storm Runner captured a Nov. 4 starter allowance on turf at Churchill Downs.

Corey Lanerie has the call aboard Storm Runner.

Trainer Michael Maker, who has saddled a record 17 Claiming Crown winners, will send out Paradise Farms Corp.'s Treasure Trove for a start in the Jewel. The 4-year-old son of Tapizar was claimed for $40,000 out of his most recent start, a second-place finish in an optional claiming allowance at Indiana Downs.

Tyler Gaffalione, who captured titles at all six meeting in Kentucky this year, has the call.

Leitone, the defending Jewel champion, will defend his title for owner/trainer Victor Carrasco Jr., who claimed the Chilean-bred 6-year-old for $40,000 out of a victory at Belmont Park June 20. The son of Dunkirk has been off-the-board in his two starts since being claimed.

Hector Berrios has the call aboard Leitone.

Stakes-placed on turf last time out, D P Racing LLC's Prince of Arabia will move to dirt for the Jewel. The 7-year-old gelding, who finished a troubled third in the Ricard Henry Lee last out, achieved his most recent victory in an off-the-turf Feb. 20 optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream. Robby Albarado is scheduled to ride Prince of Arabia for the first time.

My Purple Haze Stable's Rebelde and Flying Pheasant Farm LLC's Toughest 'Ombre round out the field.

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‘Happy And Healthy’ Jesus’ Team Will Use Claiming Crown To Prep For Pegasus World Cup

Grupo 7C Racing Stables' Jesus' Team, who finished second in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Keeneland in his most recent start, is scheduled to make his next start in the $150,000 Claiming Crown Jewel at Gulfstream Park on Dec. 5.

Trainer Jose D'Angelo will use the Claiming Crown headliner, one of nine stakes for horses that have started for a claiming price at least once in 2019-2020, as a prep for the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park Jan. 23.

“I prefer a race before the Pegasus World Cup. I don't want to work him up to that race from the Breeders' Cup,” D'Angelo said. “He needs a race in December.”

The 1 1/8-mile Jewel is restricted to 3-year-olds and up that have started for a claiming price of $35,000. Jesus' Team broke his maiden in a $32,000 maiden claiming race at Gulfstream March 18 in his fifth career start. He came right back to score a seven-length victory for a $25,000 claiming tag May 8 before moving on to prove himself against graded-stakes company in his next six starts.

In his two most recent starts, Jesus' Team finished a distant third behind Swiss Skydiver and Authentic in the Oct. 3 Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico and second in the Dirt Mile, in which he closed from off the pace to finish 3 ½ lengths behind runaway winner Knicks Go.

“After he won the race for $25,000, I saw a big change in him,” D'Angelo said. “With every race, he gets better and better.”

D'Angelo's stable is based at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream Park's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County where Jesus' Team will prepare for Gulfstream's 2020-2021 Championship Meet that will get under way Dec. 2 and run through March 28.

“After the Breeders' Cup, we sent him to Ocala for rest in the paddock and round pen for a week. He's happy and healthy,” D'Angelo said “Now, he's at Palm Meadows and will start training again.”

Jesus' Team is among the most prominent names on the list of 25 nominees, which includes Grade 1 stakes winner Math Wizard and Grade 3 winner Harper's First Ride. Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Math Wizard, who captured the 2019 Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at Parx, has breezed twice at Gulfstream since finishing fifth in the Sept. 5 Woodward (G1) at Saratoga. Harper's First Ride, a Claudio Gonzalez-trained Maryland-based gelding captured the Pimlico Special (G3) Oct. 2. Jack Sisterson-trained Dack Janiel's, who finished third in the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes (G2) at Keeneland Nov. 6, and defending Jewel champion Leitone are also nominated.

The nine Claiming Crown stakes attracted a total of 271 nominations, including 52 nominations for the $95,000 Emerald, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for 3-year-olds and up that have started for a claiming price of $25,000 or lower. Trainer Michael Maker, the all-time leading trainer in Claiming Crown history, has nominated 10 horses to the Emerald, including defending champion Muggsamatic.

The $95,000 Tiara, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares that started for a claiming price of $25,000 or lower, drew 27 nominations, including Herman Wilensky-trained Drop a Hint, who shipped from Gulfstream to Belmont for a third-pace finish in the Sands Point (G2) last time out.

The $90,000 Distaff Dash, a five-furlong turf sprint for fillies and mare that have started for a claiming price of $25,000 or lower, drew 34 nominations, including Maker-trained Jakarta, who captured the Powder Break during the Championship Meet at Gulfstream before finishing third in the Franklin County (G3) at Keeneland last time out.

The $90,000 Canterbury, a five-furlong turf dash for 3-year-olds and up who have started for a claiming price of $25,000 or lower, also drew 34 nominations, including Tom Albertrani-trained Fiya, who has won four straight races, including the Maryland Million Turf Sprint at Laurel last time out.

The Claiming Crown program will also include the $85,000 Rapid Transit, a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-old and up that started for a claiming price of $16,000 or lower; the $80,000 Glass Slipper, a mile race for fillies and mares that started for a claiming price of $12,500 or lower; the $75,000 Express, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up that started for a claiming price of $8,000 or lower; and the $75,000 Iron Horse, a 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds and up that started for a claiming price of $8,000 or lower.

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Knicks Go Sets Sizzling Pace, Easily Wins Dirt Mile For Cox

Knicks Go came into Saturday's $1-million, Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile with just one previous stakes win – the G1 Breeders' Futurity over the same Keeneland dirt track as a 2-year-old in 2018 – yet was sent away the 9-5 favorite over a field that included 2019 G1 Preakness winner War of Will, 2020 G2 Blue Grass Stakes winner Art Collector and recent G2 Kelso Handicap winner Complexity.

Ridden by Joel Rosario, the son of Paynter ran like a 1-9 shot, going to the lead immediately, setting sizzling fractions of :21.98, :44.40, 1:08.25 and 1:20.76, then cruising to a 3 1/2-length victory with his rider never asking him. Knicks Go covered the one mile on an obviously fast and speed favoring surface in a track record 1:33.85.

Liam's Map set the previous record for the little-used distance at Keeneland when winning the 2015 Dirt Mile in 1:34.54. The run-up for today's Dirt Mile was 190 feet, compared to 210 feet in 2015.

“It looked like he was going easy,” said Rosario.”I didn't know how fast he was going. He went 44 (seconds for a half mile). That was very fast. He was able to hang in there and have a kick at the eighth pole. It was a very good performance.”

Owned by the Korea Racing Authority and now trained by Brad Cox, Knicks Go returned $5.60 on a $2 win wager. Jesus' Team finished second, a nose ahead of Sharp Samurai, who encountered trouble in the early stages of the race. They were followed across the wire by Complexity, Owendale, Mr. Freeze, Rushie, Art Collector, War of Will, Silver Dust, Mr. Money and Pirate's Punch.

Bred in Maryland by Angie Moore and sold for $87,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Knicks go was initially trained by Ben Colebrook. In addition to his Breeders' Futurity victory, Knicks Go finished second behind Game Winner in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs in 2018 after dueling on the front end throughout with Complexity, who wound up 10th that day.

For Knicks Go, the Juvenile began a 10-race losing streak that extended through the entire 2019 season. The colt was transferred to Cox and responded with two allowance/optional claiming race victories going wire to wire: the first at Oaklawn on Feb. 22 when he won by 7 1/2 lengths and the second at Keeneland on Oct. 4, winning by 10 1/4 lengths. The Beyer Speed Figures of 100 and 107, respectively, were well above his previous career best of 93 when second in the 2019 Ellis Park Derby behind Gray Magician.

The Dirt Mile was Cox's third Breeders' Cup victory in 2020. He won two on Friday with Aunt Pearl in the G1 Juvenile Fillies Turf and with Essential Quality in the G1 Juvenile.

“He's very fast and he loves Keeneland as well,” Cox said of Knicks Go. “We picked the horse up last winter and he really loves it here. Joel did a fantastic job of asking him to be forwardly placed and he responded well. They went very quick and he was able to keep going. This is a good race for him with the short stretch. A lot of things were in his favor today. He's a very aggressive horse, he loves to train. He's just a very classy horse.”

A representative of the Korea Racing Authority indicated Knicks Go would eventually go to stud in South Korea, which is in the process of improving its Thoroughbred industry's breeding program. No determination was made if Knicks Go (named for a breeding/selection process known as K-nicks) would continue to race or be retired.

Other comments following the Dirt Mile.

Second-place trainer Jose D'Angelo (Jesus' Team) – “He has done great work (training) at Keeneland. Every day, every week he improved. He likes this track. He is the best horse I have trained in the USA and in my life, too. I am very sure that in his next race, he will be closer to a win.”

Second-place jockey Luis Saez (Jesus' Team) – “I was wishing I could take him outside but if I did I would have been wide. But he ran a good race. He tries so hard.”

Third-place trainer Mark Glatt (Sharp Samurai) – “We're pleased with finishing third. A little unfortunate in the first turn. I want to watch the replay and see what happened. Irad said the one horse came out on him and made him check on heels there. I think that may have potentially cost him second. You spend quite a bit of energy and are also then farther back. He just ran into a buzz saw after that with Knicks Go. I thought down the backside we were in a decent spot and then third around the turn was pleased and would think they would have to stop for sure given the pace scenario. He's extremely versatile. He runs seemingly as well on dirt as he does turf and hopefully we can find a good race that he can win.”

Fourth-place jockey Jose Ortiz (Complexity) – “Good trip. The track is super fast. I felt like we went in :46 and change and the winner held on.”

Eighth-place Brian Hernandez Jr. (Art Collector) – “We had a good spot. Going down the backside I was able to hop outside the 2 (Sharp Samurai) on the lead and just see if I could make a run from that point. They were just faster than him today. He couldn't make up the difference on them.”

Eighth-place trainer Tommy Drury (Art Collector) – “That was it (what Brian said). Those were my thoughts. Down the backside you're thinking that these things should soften up and come back to you a little. Just didn't happen today. They kept going.”

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Breeders’ Cup Contenders Light Up Saturday’s Worktab

The worktab at Churchill Downs Saturday morning was replete with many of racing’s biggest names scheduled to make an upcoming start during next month’s Breeders’ Cup, including champion Monomoy Girl (Tapizar), GI Preakness S. heroine Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) and Grade I-winner Tom’s d’Etat (Smart Strike).

Targeting the Distaff, the 2018 3-year-old champion filly completed six furlongs in 1:12. Working in tandem with GSW and GISP Owendale (Into Mischief, 6f 1:13), the 5-year-old carved out eighth-mile splits of :12, :24.40, :36.20, :47.80 and 1:00, galloping out in front of her stablemate in 1:26.40 for seven furlongs.

“Anyone you put with Monomoy, she seems to always out work them,” said Florent Geroux, the chestnut’s regular partner. “She’s worked with a lot of really good horses in the past and Owendale is a really good horse. She just always gets the better of them.”

Added trainer Brad Cox, “There’s not much really to say about her other than she’s just really, really, really good right now. We’ll see what the future holds for her, but as a 5-year-old, she’s showing how mature she’s become.”

Cox’s morning started at 5:30 a.m. Arklow (Arch)worked outside of GSW Plainsman (Flatter) through splits of :12.60, :24.80 and :47.80. Plainsman completed five furlongs in :59.80. Arklow, accompanied by Geroux, galloped out six furlongs in 1:11.80. The GI Breeders’ Cup Turf will mark Arklow’s 30th career start, but only the second with the addition of blinkers.

“I wish I would’ve added the blinkers in start 19 instead of 29,” Cox joked. “He’s really turned the corner since we put them on for the [Sept. 12 GIII] Kentucky Turf Cup Classic last out. This year has been interesting with this horse. He ran a good race in June (in the $100,000 Louisville) and we ran him back in the Elkhorn where he didn’t run bad but I had the not-so-great idea of sticking him on a plane and running six days later at Monmouth (in the Grade I, $315,000 United Nations). After he finished fourth that day, I said we have to make a change and add blinkers. It really worked out in the Kentucky Turf Cup, which in and of itself turned out to be a really interesting race when there was a torrential downpour before the running of the race.”

Also in the first set of Cox horses was GI First Lady S. runner-up Beau Recall (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}), who appears likely to face the males in the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile. She worked by herself through fractions of :13.20 and :25.60, galloping out five furlongs in 1:03.80.

Among the leaders of this season’s crop of sophomore fillies, the Oct. 3 Classic winning Swiss Skydiver continued her march toward Breeders’ Cup day with a four-furlong move in :47.80. With Robby Albarado in the saddle, the Ken McPeek-trained filly breezed through initial fractions of :12.40 and :24.40.

“She was pulling today and feeling really good with the cool weather,” said Albarado. “No complaints, she feels amazing…I’m going to gallop her the last five days before the race as I did at Pimlico. We’re going to see how she’s doing and make a decision [about the Classic or Distaff] from there.”

McPeek also worked Juvenile Fillies probables Simply Ravishing and Crazy Beautiful. The one-two finishers, respectively, in the GI Alcibiades S. worked separately, posting internal fractions of :12.20 and :24.20, and capping off the move in :48 flat.

Tom’s d’Etat, who has been off since a troubled third in the Aug. 1 GI Whitney S. in early August, posted a solid six-furlong move under jockey Miguel Mena in preparation for the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic. Breezing in tandem with Oak Hill (Distorted Humor), last year’s GI Clark winner worked six panels in 1:12.80, with internal splits of :12.20, :23.80, :47.20 and 1:00. Oak Hill completed five furlongs in 1:01.

“The schedule with the pandemic got a little awkward with everyone,” trainer Al Stall Jr. said. “The races didn’t quite work out in the calendar quite right for him. My gut feeling said to go into the Classic fresh anyway and when the last round of stakes races came out, I didn’t like the way they were placed so we stuck with the plan to train up to the race.”

The fastest recorded five-furlong dirt breeze of the morning was registered by Classic contender By My Standards (Goldencents), who completed the task in a crisp :58.60. Rolling through initial fractions of :12, :23.40 and :34.80 with jockey Gabriel Saez aboard, the winner of the Sept. 4 GII Alysheba S. galloped out six furlongs in 1:11 and rounding out seven panels in 1:24.80.

“Last week was the first work we did a little bit something serious with him [since he won the Alysheba],” said trainer Bret Calhoun. “He was full of energy and bounced around great after it. It’s been a different year for sure losing a few races here or there. We were fortunate to have [the Alysheba] on the undercard of the rescheduled Derby. We probably could’ve shipped somewhere around the country, but our goal was how to get him to the Breeders’ Cup Classic. We decided to stay here run in the Alysheba and point to the Breeders’ Cup from there.

Also making an appearance on Saturday’s worktab at Churchill, recent GI Woodward H. winner Global Campaign (4f, :48; Classic), GII Dinner Party S. scorer Factor This (The Factor) (5f, 1:02; Mile), 2018 GI Breeders’ Futurity winner Knicks Go (Paynter) (5f, 1:00.20; Dirt Mile), GSW Sally’s Curlin (Curlin) (4f, 1:01.40; Filly & Mare Sprint), and Spanish Loveaffair (Karakontie {Jpn}) (5f, 1:04.20; Juvenile Fillies Turf).

At Keeneland in Lexington Saturday morning, a trio of hopefuls also continued preparations for the Breeders’ Cup. Chief among them was Jesus’ Team (Tapiture), who breezed five panels over a muddy track in 1:00.80 in advance of the GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and Grade I winner Ollie’s Candy (Candy Ride {Arg}), who is slated to contest the GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

“It was a good work and he will come back again next Saturday [Oct. 31] and work a half-mile,” said trainer Jose D’Angelo. “I have only been in this country a year. I have not been here to race, but I have been to the sales.”

Third in the Preakness, the former claimer also finished third in the GII Jim Dandy S. Sept. 5.

Ollie’s Candy, runner-up in her latest start in the Oct. 4 GI Juddmonte Spinster S., will try to improve on a fourth in last season’s Distaff. The first worker over the freshly harrowed track at 7:30 a.m., the John Sadler-trainee posted a bullet five furlongs in :59 over a muddy track. The 5-year-old reeled off internal splits of :23, :47.40, galloping out six furlongs in 1:12.60. Juan Levya, assistant to Sadler, was aboard.

“She got over the track really well and galloped out well,” Leyva said.

Ollie’s Candy has been cataloged as a racing or broodmare prospect (Book 1, Hip 83) in Keeneland’s November Breeding Stock Sale. The sale begins Nov. 9.

Following Keeneland’s second morning renovation break Saturday, Bellafina (Quality Road), who is expected to make her next start in the GI Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, worked five furlongs on her own in 1:00.60 with Nick Bush aboard.

Second in the Filly and Mare Sprint to champion Covfefe (Into Mischief) last year, Bellafina posted fractions of :11.40, :23, :35.40, 1:00.60 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.20.

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