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Veteran Whitmore To Make His Fourth Start In Friday’s Phoenix At Keeneland

Robert LaPenta, Ron Moquett and Head of Plains Partners' Whitmore will make his fourth start in the $200,000 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix (G2) on Friday when he headlines a field of 12 for the 6-furlong main track test at Keeneland.

The Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix is a “Win and You're In” race for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) to be run here Nov. 7. The race will go as the eighth on Friday's 10-race program that opens the 17-day Fall Meet, which runs through Oct. 24. First post is 1:05 p.m. ET with the Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix slated for 5:05 p.m.

Trained by Moquett, Whitmore won the Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix in 2017 and has been runner-up in the race the past two years. Whitmore has used this race as a final prep for the Breeders' Cup Sprint the past three years, a race in which he finished third in 2019 at Santa Anita and second in 2018 at Churchill Downs.

Seventh over a sloppy track in the Forego (G1) at Saratoga on Aug. 29 in his most recent start, Whitmore will be ridden Friday by Joe Talamo and break from post position three.

Whitmore, who won the 2018 Forego, is one of three Grade 1 winners in the field.

L and N Racing's Echo Town won the Allen Jerkens (G1) at Saratoga going 7 furlongs on Aug. 1 and most recently was fifth as the favorite in the Pat Day Mile (G2) at Churchill Downs. Trained by Steve Asmussen, who won the race last year with Engage, Echo Town will be ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr. and break from post position six.

Maggi Moss and Greg Tramontin's No Parole won the Woody Stephens (G1) at Belmont in June going 7 furlongs. Trained by Tom Amoss, who won the race in 2012 and 2013 with Sum of the Parts, No Parole will break from post position five and be ridden by Luis Saez.

The field for the Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix, with riders and weights from the rail out, is: Shashashakemeup (Corey Lanerie, 118 pounds), Absolutely Aiden (Chris Landeros, 120), Whitmore (Talamo, 120), Diamond Oops (Florent Geroux, 122), No Parole (Saez, 122), Echo Town (Santana Jr., 122), Empire of Gold (Declan Carroll, 118), Copper Town (Julio Garcia, 120), Lexitonian (Tyler Gaffalione, 120), Edgemont Road (Declan Cannon, 120), Mo Don't No (Gerardo Corrales, 120) and Midnight Sands (Joel Rosario, 120).

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Uncle Mo Filly Girl Daddy Earns Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Berth With Pocahontas Score

Albaugh Family Stables' Girl Daddy collared dueling leaders Inject and Mania at the head of stretch and then repulsed a bid from favored Crazy Beautiful to win the 52nd running of the Grade 3, $200,000 Pocahontas for 2-year-old fillies by two lengths at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., and take the first step toward the 2021 running of the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1).

Trained by Dale Romans and ridden by Joe Talamo, Girl Daddy covered the mile on the fast main track in 1:34.94. The victory was a record-setting fourth in the Pocahontas for Romans who previously won with Sara Louise (2008), Sassy Image (2009) and Cristina's Journey (2014).

Girl Daddy picked up 10 points toward next year's Oaks with the second- through fourth-place finishers picking up four, two and one point, respectively.

The victory also earned Girl Daddy a fees-paid berth into the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) to be run Nov. 6 at Keeneland.

Inject and Mania led the field of nine through fractions of :22.22 and :44.97 as Talamo had Girl Daddy racing in the second tier on the outside. Moving three-wide at the head of the lane, Girl Daddy shot to the lead and got the jump on Crazy Beautiful who was caught in traffic.

“What a talented filly she is,” said Talamo. “In the paddock Dale (Romans) just said to ride her like I did last time. Fortunately, it worked out that way. I just let her do her thing. It's crazy that they went in :44 and change. The way she was going, it felt like :46 and change. That's how you know you're on a good one. Her mind is what makes her so talented. When she won at Ellis Park she acted like she had run 12 times. It was the same thing today. She was on the muscle, but in a good way.”

Girl Daddy is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Uncle Mo out of the Unbridled's Song mare Cara Marie. Now perfect in two starts, Girl Daddy picked up the winner's share of $119,040 and increased her bankroll to $141,240.

“This filly was super impressive with that fast pace up front,” said Romans. “They were running really fast but Joe (Talamo) got her in a great spot. She's shown some incredible talent for this stage of her career. It's exciting having a filly developing this quickly. We're thrilled to only have to take a short trip down the road to Keeneland for the Breeders' Cup.”

Girl Daddy returned $8.60, $3.60 and $3.20. Crazy Beautiful, ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., returned $3 and $2.60 with Alexandria finishing another 3 3/4 lengths back in third and paying $5 to show under Gerardo Corrales.

It was another 5 3/4 lengths back to Xtrema who was followed in order by Fabricate, Mania, American Grace. Inject and Blissful Change.

Friday's 13-race program that begins at 11 a.m. (all times Eastern) is headlined by the 146th running of the $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI). In addition to the Oaks, five other graded stakes are on tap including the $500,000 La Troienne (G1) for fillies and mares that features 2018 Eclipse Award winner and Kentucky Oaks winner Monomoy Girl.

“We're thrilled to only have to take a short trip down the road to Keeneland for the Breeders' Cup,” said Dale Romans, trainer of Girl Daddy

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Talamo Earns Ellis Park Riding Title

Joe Talamo, recently relocated from the West Coast, won his first jockey’s title on the Kentucky circuit after riding 20 winners at Ellis Park’s Runhappy Summer meet which concluded Sunday.

“It feels really good,” said Talamo, who won a race both Saturday and Sunday to pull out of a tie with Rafael Bejarano. “Obviously Bejarano didn’t ride the last couple of weeks, so that definitely helped quite a bit, in all honestly. But more than anything, I was just really happy that we got into some nice barns and outfits and won on some really nice 2-year-olds this meet that I’m really excited about in the coming months. I think quite a few of them have a bright future.”

Talamo continued, “I really have to thank all the owners and trainers who supported me this meet, gave me good opportunities. Obviously [agent] Jake [Romans] did a great job. Hopefully we can keep the momentum going.”

Brad Cox and Ken McPeek tied for the meet’s leading trainer title with 10 wins apiece. Cox won Ellis titles in 2015 and 2018 and McPeek was winning his first title at the Henderson oval.

“We had a great meet,” McPeek said. “We had a lot of horses who came into it perfect. I liked the distance 2-year-old races, and I think we even had one win going short. Overall, the team did a great job. We brought up some from Florida to run, so it was a great summer. It’s a fun meet.”

Cox came on top in the money title with purse earnings of $450,261.

“I was happy with the meet,” Cox said. “It’s a great place to start a lot of young horses, to get them going. Whether they won or not, at least we got some races into them and the meet offered a lot of options as far as turf and dirt. The place has been extremely good to us, and we think a lot of Ellis Park. We’re able to stable there, and it’s a big part of our operation for sure. It’s a good meet, and we’re looking forward to bigger and better things to come.”

The Haughey family’s PTK was the leading owner at the meet with six wins from 23 starters.

“My amazing mom, our P, actually passed away unexpectedly in late March,” Kaitlin Haughey said in an email. “PTK was her baby, and we know she must be proud of this achievement. Winning the Ellis Park owner’s title is really a testament to all the many people and horses who keep PTK functioning on a day-to-day basis.”

The post Talamo Earns Ellis Park Riding Title appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Derby Jockeys: With Several Big Names Staying Home, Kentucky Riders Get A Shot In The Big Dance

In a normal year, jockeys would be hard-pressed to miss their flights to Louisville for a chance to ride in the Kentucky Derby. Obviously, 2020 has been anything but a normal year, with the coronavirus pandemic pushing the Run for the Roses back to Sept. 5 and drawing up jockey travel restrictions all around the United States.

Last week, Churchill Downs announced that riders wanting to participate in the Derby will have to arrive in the state of Kentucky by Aug. 31, and participate in several additional coronavirus precautions.

As such, a number of prominent U.S. jockeys won't be making the trip to Kentucky. Jose and Irad Ortiz will both stay in New York, as will Joel Rosario, reports the Daily Racing Form, and last year's Derby winner Flavien Prat will stay in Southern California.

Those choices have opened the doors for Kentucky-based riders to have a chance to pick up a mount in the Derby.

Here's a look at the current 3-year-olds pointing to the Kentucky Derby, and their jockeys (plus state in which they are based), in order of points earned.

Tiz the Law – Manny Franco (New York) – 372
Authentic – John Velazquez (New York) – 200
Art Collector – Brian Hernandez, Jr. (Kentucky) – 150
Honor A. P. – Mike Smith (California) – 140
Ny Traffic – TBD (last ridden by Paco Lopez) – 110
King Guillermo – Samy Camacho (Florida) – 90
Thousand Words – Florent Geroux (Kentucky) – 83
Dr Post – TBD (last ridden by Joe Bravo) – 80
Max Player – Ricardo Santana, Jr. (Kentucky) – 60
Caracaro – TBD (last ridden by Javier Castellano) – 60
Enforceable – Adam Beschizza (Kentucky) – 43
Rushie – TBD (last ridden by Javier Castellano) – 40
Major Fed – James Graham (Kentucky) – 38
Storm the Court – Julien Leparoux (Kentucky) – 36
Attachment Rate – Joe Talamo (Kentucky) – 35
Sole Volante – Luca Panici (Florida) – 30
Finnick the Fierce – TBD (last ridden by Jose Ortiz) – 25
Winning Impression – Joe Rocco, Jr. (Kentucky) – 20
Necker Island – Mitchell Murrill (Kentucky) – 14
Shirl's Speight – Rafael Hernandez (Canada) – 0
Money Moves – TBD (last ridden by Luis Saez) – 0

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