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Haskell Rematch Highlights Saturday’s Graded Stakes Slate

After putting on a show on the Jersey Shore earlier this summer, the Gun Runner-sired GI TVG.com Haskell S. exacta of Cyberknife and 'TDN Rising Star' Taiba co-headline a loaded renewal of the GI Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Saturday.

Was it a tale of two trips or did the best horse just win that day at Monmouth Park? You be the judge.

While subsequent GI Runhappy Travers S. runner-up Cyberknife awaited racing room leaving the quarter pole, the hard-ridden Taiba began to wind up beneath Mike Smith with a four-wide blitz. Florent Geroux, meanwhile, found a seam aboard the GI Arkansas Derby winner along the rail as favored 'Rising Star' Jack Christopher (Munnings) began to back out of it at the furlong marker. Cyberknife ran to daylight from there and outbattled the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby winner by a game head in a race that didn't deserve a loser.

“He's a Grade I horse and it's a Grade I race,” trainer Brad Cox said of Cyberknife and Saturday's $1-million affair. “And look, I'm excited about matching up with Taiba. He's a very good horse, a Grade I winner in his own right. There are some other very good horses in the race. It looks like a really good group of horses.”

That “really good group of horses” also includes the rail-drawn GISW Zandon (Upstart), who should appreciate the turnback to nine furlongs following a third-place finish in the Travers; the Cox-trained GIII Ohio Derby winner and GII Jim Dandy S. third Tawny Port (Pioneerof the Nile); the top three finishers of the GIII West Virginia Derby–Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator), 'Rising Star' We the People (Constitution) and Simplification (Not This Time); and GI Curlin Florida Derby winner and Ohio Derby runner-up White Abarrio (Race Day), who finished a puzzling seventh last out in the Haskell.

Saturday in the Parx…

The loaded 13-race program at Parx also features four other graded events, led by the GI Cotillion for 3-year-old fillies.

In addition to seeking a record fourth Pennsylvania Derby victory with 5-2 morning-line favorite Taiba, Hall of Famer Bob Baffert will also ship in Cotillion second-choice Adare Manor (Uncle Mo) from his Santa Anita base. The runaway GIII Las Virgenes S. heroine has been training lights out since finishing second as the favorite in the GII Black-Eyed Susan S. May 20.

“She is training really well,” Baffert said. “I could have run her in a softer spot. This will be a class check for her.”

After chasing home runaway division leader Nest (Curlin) in Saratoga's GI Coaching Club American Oaks and GI Alabama S., the classy Secret Oath (Arrogate) seeks her first win since capturing the GI Kentucky Oaks. She is the 2-1 morning-line favorite.

“She is only getting stronger,” Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said. “She sure is filling out and getting better and holding a lot of weight. She is probably maturing into the filly that we wanted her to be.”

Todd Pletcher will be represented by a formidable trio in Alabama third Goddess of Fire (Mineshaft), streaking local Cathryn Sophia S. winner and 'Rising Star' Green Up (Upstart) and GIII Monmouth Oaks heroine and 'Rising Star' Shahama (Munnings).

The card also features wide-open renewals of the GII Gallant Bob S. and GIII Turf Monster S., while a field of nine marathoners will line up for the GIII Greenwood Cup.

The day's graded stakes action is rounded out by Saturday evening's GIII Dogwood S. at Churchill Downs, featuring the return of champion and 'Rising Star' Echo Zulu (Gun Runner), who was a vet scratch at the gate prior to Belmont's GI Acorn S. June 11; and Belmont at the Big A's GIII Athenia S.

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Derby Points for Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Other Races Upped

The “Road to the Kentucky Derby,” a series of races awarding points toward a starting gate position in each year's GI Kentucky Derby, will see modifications for the upcoming season, including an increase of points for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile from 20-8-4-2 to 30-12-9-6-3.

In addition, other early-season prep races have been elevated from 10-4-2-1 to 20-8-6-4-2 in an effort to increase the importance of those races. They include the GIII Lecomte S. at Fair Grounds, the GIII Southwest S. at Oaklawn Park, the GIII Withers S. at Aqueduct, the GIII Holy Bull S. at Gulfstream Park, the GIII Robert B. Lewis S. at Santa Anita, the GIII Sam F. Davis S. at Tampa Bay Downs, and the John Battaglia Memorial S. at Turfway Park.

Churchill Downs officials have also increased the points now to be awarded to the top five finishing positions in most qualifying races on a sliding scale of 10-4-3-2-1. Previously, those races had been worth 10-4-2-1.

“We believe these modifications adhere to and amplify our goal of assembling the finest group of 3-year-olds in the starting gate for a race at the classic distance of 1 1/4 miles on the first Saturday in May,” said Mike Ziegler, Vice President and General Manager at Churchill Downs.

The inaugural qualifying points system was instituted for the 2013 Derby. Churchill Downs will run the 149th edition of the sport's signature race Saturday, May 6, 2023. The Road to the Kentucky Derby will begin Saturday with the $300,000 GIII Iroquois S. for 2-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on opening weekend of Churchill's 14-day September Meet.

The same changes made to the Road to the Kentucky Derby have been made to the Road to the Kentucky Oaks series, which awards qualifying points to fillies for the GI Kentucky Oaks, held this coming year on Friday, May 5, 2023.

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Churchill September, Fall Stakes Worth $8.31 Million; No Turf Racing at September Meet

Churchill Downs will host 26 stakes races worth $8.31 million during its upcoming September and Fall meets.

The 14-day September meet, which runs from Sept. 15-Oct. 2, will include 11 stakes races worth a total of $3.36 million. The line-up is led by the $400,000 GII Lukas Classic for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles and the $300,000 GIII Ack Ack S. for 3-year-olds and up at one mile–a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” race for the GI Dirt Mile–Oct. 1.

The meeting also hosts the first races on the Road to the 2023 Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks series with the $300,000 GIII Iroquois S. and $300,000 GIII Pocahontas S. on Sept. 17. Both races will also award points on the Breeders' Cup “Dirt Dozen” series for their respective divisions.

Racing during the September meet will be run exclusively on the dirt course to allow the track's new Bermuda-hybrid turf course to continue to mature to its ultimate potential. Turf racing is projected to return for the Fall Meet, which will be held Oct. 30-Nov. 27.

The Fall meet will host 15 stakes events worth $4.95 million. The meet is anchored by the Nov. 25 $750,000 GI Clark S.

Churchill will host its 18th annual “Stars of Tomorrow” during the Fall meet, with the $200,000 GIII Street Sense S. and the $200,000 Rags to Riches S. highlighting the opening-day card Oct. 30 and the $400,000 GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. and $400,000 GII Golden Rod S. scheduled for Nov. 26.

Churchill Downs will host the Claiming Crown Championship Series for the first time Nov. 12. The 24th renewal of the event will feature eight races worth $1.05 million.

The condition book of scheduled races for the September meet was released online Monday and features 135 races and a record $13,791,000 in prize money, for a daily average of $985,071. Maiden special weight races have a $120,000 purse, while allowance races range from $127,000 to $141,000.

All purses, including claiming races, include prize money from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund.

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Nest Romps in CCA Oaks

Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House's Nest (Curlin) found herself somewhat surprisingly on the lead early in Saturday's GI Coaching Club American Oaks, but still left little doubt as to who the top sophomore filly in the country is right now as she galloped home 12 1/4 lengths clear of main rival Secret Oath (Arrogate) in the Saratoga stretch.

Having seen a three-race win streak snapped when she settled for second as the favorite to Secret Oath in the May 6 GI Longines Kentucky Oaks, Nest was coming off a solid second to stablemate Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) in the GI Belmont S. June 11. Despite having lost a two-length decision to Secret Oath in their prior match-up, Nest was installed the public's 4-5 pick over the last-out GI Preakness S. fourth finisher.

Expected pacesetter Society (Gun Runner) was one of the two inside runners to break awkwardly, and Nest immediately to their outside was ridden along by Irad Ortiz, Jr. to seize the narrow lead with Nostalgic (Medaglia d'Oro) and Secret Oath not far behind while one and two paths off the fence, respectively. Society was headstrong in behind the leading trio, and snuck up the fence midway on the first turn to take over briefly. Nest put a head back in front after the opening quarter of :24.10 and before the :47.46 half.

Secret Oath was given her cue by Luis Saez to challenge Nest entering the home bend, and the stage appeared set for a throwdown that could very well decide Eclipse honors at the end of the year. But by midway on the turn it was clear that Nest had far more to give, and the bay quickened nicely with a couple reminders from Ortiz in upper stretch before being wrapped up late.

“My plan was not to be on the lead, but I wanted to break good out of there,” Ortiz said. “Honestly, that was the main thing and I tried to break, and she broke clean and I realized the other filly didn't break well. So I said, 'let's go, Plan B.' I was in front and didn't panic. I just let her do her thing. That was [how] the race came up. Everything changed when the gates opened and I just let her do her thing and she did the rest.”

A five-length debut romper routing at Belmont last September, Nest was a close third in the Tempted S. that November before making the grade by a neck in Aqueduct's nine-panel GII Demoiselle S. Dec. 4. She resurfaced to dominate Tampa's Suncoast S. Feb. 12, and doubled up by daylight in Keeneland's GI Central Bank Ashland S. Apr. 8 ahead of her Oaks and Belmont appearances.

“It's funny how you spend a lot of time analyzing a game plan and then, as they say, everything can change at the break–which it did today,” said Pletcher, winner of a record eight renewals of this event, including one each previously in back-to-back years for Repole (Stopchargingmaria {Tale of the Cat}, 2014) and Eclipse (Curalina {Curlin}, 2015). “The main thing is we wanted to establish some position, get away smoothly and get to the first turn in a forward position. We were able to do that even though everyone wasn't positioned exactly where we thought they would be. It turned out to ultimately to have those four fillies bunch up together and [Nest] was able to fend off the challenge from Secret Oath and keep going.”

Nest and Secret Oath are both likely to return for the 10-panel GI Alabama S. Aug. 20. As for the decision to run in this spot as well, Pletcher said, “We've run a lot of horses in the Belmont over the years, but we've never had one come out any better than she did. She had great energy and she gained weight since that race. She gave us every indication she was ready to run back. Originally, we thought we should wait for the Alabama, but she was just doing too good to bypass this race.”

The runner-up's trainer D. Wayne Lukas, Pletcher's former boss, offered: “I think coming in here, shipping in is always difficult. The winner ran a super, super race. She won fair and square. We hung a little bit. We needed, I think, to have been a little tighter on this track. Coming in here and shipping from out of state is tough–it always has been, and I've been here 50 years. It's always been a place where you do a little better if you have an out over it. But the good news is we'll have another shot.”

Saturday, Saratoga
COACHING CLUB AMERICAN OAKS-GI, $485,000, Saratoga, 7-23, 3yo, f, 1 1/8m, 1:51.04, ft.
1–NEST, 121, f, 3, by Curlin
                1st Dam: Marion Ravenwood (SW, $112,598), by A.P. Indy
                2nd Dam: Andujar, by Quiet American
                3rd Dam: Nureyev's Best, by Nureyev
($350,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and House, Michael; B-Ashview Farm & Colts Neck Stables (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr.. $275,000. Lifetime Record: 8-5-2-1, $1,405,550. *1/2 to Dr Jack (Pioneerof the Nile), MSP, $156,155; Full to Idol, GISW, $426,964. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Secret Oath, 121, f, 3, by Arrogate
                1st Dam: Absinthe Minded (MSW & MGISP, $607,747), by Quiet American
                2nd Dam: Rockford Peach, by Great Above
                3rd Dam: Strawberry Skyline, by Hatchet Man
O-Briland Farm; B-Briland Farm, Robert & Stacy Mitchell (KY); T-D. Wayne Lukas. $100,000.
3–Nostalgic, 121, f, 3, by Medaglia d'Oro
                1st Dam: Been Here Before (SP), by Tapit
                2nd Dam: Connie Belle, by Storm Cat
                3rd Dam: Minister's Melody, by Deputy Minister
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-William I. Mott. $60,000.
Margins: 12 1/4, 3, 2HF. Odds: 0.95, 1.20, 20.30.
Also Ran: Society, Butterbean.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

Pedigree Notes:

One of Curlin's 18 Grade I winners, Nest is the third daughter of the two-time Horse of the Year to take the CCA Oaks, joining the aforementioned Curalina and 2020 heroine Paris Lights. She is bred on the same cross with A.P. Indy as stablemate and 2021 champion 3-year-old filly Malathaat, who looks to avenge a narrow loss to Claririere (Curlin) in last month's GI Ogden Phipps S. in Sunday's GII Shuvee S.

Both Clairiere and Paris Lights are out of mares by top broodmare sire Bernardini, and Nest's stakes-winning dam Marion Ravenwood is bred on the same cross as Bernardini being out of a Quiet American mare herself.

In addition to Nest and 2021 GI Santa Anita H. hero Idol, Marion Ravenwood is responsible for $275,000 KEESEP '21 yearling Lost Ark (Violence), who took his unveiling by 5 1/2 lengths for Pletcher and Harrell Ventures earlier this month at Belmont. Out of GSW/GISP and $2.5-million FTKNOV seller Andujar, Marion Ravenwood was barren to City of Light in 2021 and was bred to both Quality Road and Curlin for 2022 but a foal has not been registered as of now.

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