Additional supplements include:

• Benissimo, a 2-year-old colt by Pioneerof the Nile consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent for Juddmonte. From the family of Grade I winners Sightseek and Tates Creek, he is cataloged as a racing or stallion prospect.
• Colorful Sense, a 5-year-old daughter of Street Sense in foal to Munnings, consigned by Hunter Valley Farm, agent. Out of stakes winner Revolutionary Act (Boston Harbor), she is a half-sister to stakes winners Night Party and American Act.
• Rags to Brags, a 6-year-old mare by Medaglia d'Oro in foal to American Pharoah. Consigned by Four Star Sales, agent, she is from the family of Broodmare of the Year Better Than Honour.
• Speedy Soul, a 5-year-old multiple stakes winner by Souper Speedy in foal to Twirling Candy. She is consigned by Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency, agent.
• Verbier, a 2-year-old colt by Arrogate and from the family of multiple Grade I winner Evening Jewel consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent for Juddmonte. He is cataloged as a racing or stallion prospect.
• Warrior's Battle, a 2-year-old daughter of Khozan who recorded her first career victory Dec. 5 at Oaklawn Park when she won by 7 1/4 lengths. A half-sister to millionaire and Grade III winner Warrior's Charge, she is cataloged as a racing or broodmare prospect and is consigned by ELiTE, agent.

As previously announced, a no-guarantee season to Gun Runner will be auctioned off at KEEJAN on Jan. 10 with all proceeds to benefit victims of deadly tornadoes that struck Western Kentucky earlier this month.

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The ninth edition of the Alydar, named for the 1989 Hall of Fame inductee who finished second to Affirmed in all three legs of the 1978 Triple Crown, will see Jesus' Team return to the Spa for the first time since running third in last year's Grade 2 Jim Dandy.

The Tapiture colt used that contest for sophomores as a prep for the 2020 Grade 1 Preakness Stakes, which was held in October last year, with Jesus' Team finishing third in the final leg of the Triple Crown behind Authentic and winner Swiss Skydiver. Trainer Jose D'Angelo saw him build on that effort in a Triple Crown classic to run second behind Knicks Go in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cut Dirt Mile in November at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., earning a 102 Beyer Speed Figure.

Jesus' Team closed out his year with his first stakes win, capturing the Claiming Crown Jewel in December at Gulfstream going 1 1/8 miles. Returning to the same track and distance, Jesus' Team again linked up with Knicks Go in his 2021 bow, again running second to his rival in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational in January that netted a 105 Beyer.

D'Angelo then shipped Jesus' Team to the United Arab Emirates, where he ran sixth in the Group 1 Dubai World Cup in March. After a four-month freshening, he returned to run fifth on July 11 at Gulfstream, prompting D'Angelo to skip the $1 million Grade 1 Whitney on August 7 at Saratoga in favor of the Alydar.

“The last race, for sure, he needed,” D'Angelo said. “After quarantine coming back from Dubai, he lost a little weight. It was a little hard to [improve] his conditioning again. He needed that race to be the horse he is now. He's bigger than his last race, and in that race, he was a little too close to the front. I think it helped him get him fit, though, and we're looking forward to this race.”

Junior Alvarado will pick up the mount from post 7.

Two-time graded stakes-winner Core Beliefs returned from a nine-month layoff to run third in an optional claiming contest going 1 1/16 miles in June at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. Trainer Brian Lynch said the Quality Road bay needed that race after being given a freshening following a fifth-place finish in the Champions Day Marathon in September at Churchill Downs for then-trainer Scott Hansen.

“I think he ran well enough last out to give us the confidence to try him in a spot like this, because it was a credible effort off a long layoff,” Lynch said. “He's trained on well enough to get a shot. This will be the second time off the bench and it's at a distance that he really likes.”

Core Beliefs, owned by Gary Broad, won the 2018 Grade 3 Ohio Derby in a sophomore year that saw him run fourth in the Grade 1 Haskell at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., and fifth in the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing in Bensalem, Pa. He then made his 2019 debut with a win in the Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, La., that March, which marked his last victory.

Running at Saratoga for the first time, Core Beliefs will be seeking his first victory in his last eight starts and enters after posting four workouts over the Saratoga main track in July.

“He's doing well and has great energy, and for an older horse, he's been very willing and trying hard in his works,” Lynch said. “I take that as a positive. He just acts like he's in good form. He's done so well since he's been here and the weather has been a little bit cooler, and he seems to enjoy that. His appetite has been fantastic, too. We're just hoping for good things.”

Hall of Famer Javier Castellano will have the call from post 3.

Bruce Lunsford's Art Collector, who like Jesus' Team also competed in last year's Preakness and Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, will get his first opportunity to run at Saratoga and his first start for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. Art Collector commenced his 4-year-old year with a sixth-place finish in the Kelly's Landing on June 25 at Churchill Downs, marking his first race since running eighth in that Breeders' Cup appearance seven months prior.

Art Collector, who ran fourth in the Preakness, finished just a head back to Jesus' Team to fall just short of black type in the 1 3/16-mile classic. The winner of the 2020 Grade 2 Blue Grass at Keeneland will have the services of Luis Saez. on Friday, breaking from post 4.

Steve Landers Racing's Night Ops, off three consecutive runner-up efforts in the Grade 3 Ben Ali, Blame, and Grade 3 Monmouth Cup for reigning Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox, will make his Saratoga start in a well-traveled career.

Night Ops, who Manny Franco will ride out of post 8, has finished in the money in his last six starts, all against stakes competition, starting with a win in the 2020 Grade 3 Cornhusker at Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Iowa.

Bourbon Lane Stable's Bourbon War will be running in a stakes for the first time since 2019, when as a 3-year-old he found success on the Triple Crown trail by running second in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth before finishing fourth in the Grade 1 Florida Derby, eighth in the Preakness, and 10th in the Belmont Stakes. Trainer Ian Wilkes took over the conditioning duties for Bourbon War's 5-year-old campaign, which started with a strong second, by a neck, to Home Base in an optional claimer in May at Churchill Downs before running third under similar conditions at the same track on June 26.

“He came off a long layoff and ran two good races; I thought he ran really respectable in putting two good ones together back-to-back,” Wilkes said. “I'm getting to know him and he's getting to know me, so it's all good there. The horse has been happy, so that's the key. We're hoping to make that next progression. He needs to step up and pick up his game a little more. I feel good for him.”

Bourbon War, a son of Tapit, will have Brian Hernandez, Jr. in the irons from post 6.

Prioritize, sixth in the Grade 2 Suburban on July 3 at Belmont, will return to a familiar track that's near trainer H. James Bond's base, as the Tizway gelding ran twice here last year, winning an optional claimer before running third in the Grade 1 Woodward. The now 6-year-old will have jockey Tyler Gaffalione aboard for the first time, departing post 1.

Math Wizard will enter off a six-month layoff in his first start since finishing sixth in the Pegasus World Cup. The Saffie Joseph, Jr. trainee will be racing for just the second time as a 5-year-old as he seeks his first victory since the 2019 Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby [Irad Ortiz, Jr., post 5].

Limonite ran third in the Grade 3 Excelsior going the Alydar distance on April 3 at Aqueduct and after two fifth-place efforts will return to the Spa for trainer Gustavo Rodriguez [Joel Rosario, post 2].

The Alydar, slated as Race 8 on the 10-race card, is one of three stakes on a stacked Friday card that will feature a 1:05 p.m. Eastern first post.

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The 12-year-old son of Bernardini had previously resided at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Ky., where he entered stud in 2013.

He was purchased by a syndicate that includes Haras Los Mendez, Haras Estrella del Sur, and Haras Rapetti. When the Southern Hemisphere breeding seasons begins, he will stand at Haras Phillipson.

From six crops of racing age, Algorithms has sired 183 winners, and his runners have earned a combined $14.5 million.

The star of his stallion resume is Math Wizard, who upset the 2019 running of the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby. He is also the sire of Grade 3 winners Recruiting Ready and Rich Mommy, as well as consistent stakes winners He Hate Me and South Bend.

Algorithms won all three of his career starts, highlighted by the G3 Holy Bull Stakes, for earnings of $301,500.

Bred in Kentucky by Oakbrook Farm, Algorithms is out of the Grade 3-placed Cryptoclearance mare Ava Knowsthecode; a blue hen mare whose 10 winners from 12 runners also includes Grade 1 winners Justin Phillip and Greenpointcrusader, Grade 2 winner Keyed Entry, and Grade 3 winner Successful Mission.

Algorithms is the second Claiborne sire to join the stallion ranks in Uruguay this season, after Kentucky Derby winner Orb's sale was announced earlier this year.

The post Algorithms, Sire Of Math Wizard, Sold To Stand In Uruguay appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The 27-year-old Zayas, however, is doing much more than just holding his own while enjoying break-out success during the 2020-2021 Championship Meet.

After winning 18 and 29 races during the past two injury-interrupted seasons, Zayas has already ridden 42 winners, ranking fourth in the standings, just eight winners less than two-time defending Championship Meet titlist Irad Ortiz Jr.

“I have been blessed. I've been getting a lot of opportunities this meet. It's worked out perfect. Thankfully, I've been healthy the whole year, that's the main part of it,” Zayas said. “It's been 2, 2 ½ years since I've ridden this whole meet because of injuries. I've been getting a lot of support from owners, trainers and my agent.”

Zayas' greater opportunities include mounts in both the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) and the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) Saturday at Gulfstream Park. He has the call on Grade 1 winner Math Wizard in the Pegasus and 2020 Del Mar Derby (G2) winner Pixelate in the Pegasus Turf.

“The Pegasus, riding here year-round, is a race I've been really wanting to ride in,” Zayas said. “I've been blessed this year, riding in both – both on horses with a very good shot. I'm just hoping for the best.”

Although still young, Zayas has benefited from nearly a decade of riding since leaving his home in Puerto Rico for South Florida in 2012.

“I think I've grown a lot through the years after all the ups and downs and injuries. Things that happened in my career I've learned a lot from,” Zayas said. “I've always said, 'If it's meant to be, it's meant to be.' I've been riding with a lot of confidence, not getting the horses out of their pace, riding the way the race comes up, and trying to be smarter.”

Zayas left Puerto Rico's Esquela Vocational Hipica riding school two months before graduation to get the jump on his classmates to start his career and moved directly to South Florida. Hall of Fame jockey Angel Cordero took him under his wing and worked with him every day of the 2012-2013 Championship Meet. He continues to learn the art of riding Thoroughbreds from Hall of Famer Edgar Prado.

“As a bug boy, Angel really helped me out that first year. Now, I have Edgar Prado in my corner every day. He's not riding as much now, but he has the experience of being a Hall of Fame rider and winning so many races,” Zayas said. “To this day, it doesn't matter if I win race, he'll tell me what I did wrong. That really helps a lot. Every time I'm riding a race, he's always watching. I'll text him and ask, 'What do you think of this race?' He always tells me his opinion.”

Prado, who is riding year-round in South Florida, has been only too happy to impart his knowledge on Zayas.

“He's a good rider and a good kid, and he's willing to learn,” Prado said. “I'm willing to help anyone who listens. I concentrate on the ones who want to learn. We've changed some things, and he's applied them, and it's working out.”

Zayas also credits the years riding alongside the best riders in the country during past Championship Meets with helping him refine his riding style.

“Watching them, how they ride and how patient they ride. Watching them ride and how they get there and how they make their horses run, has definitely made a big difference,” he said. “Every day you learn, no matter how many years you've been riding.”

Zayas has been enjoying success while balancing his career and his family life. He and wife, Ashley, the proud parents of soon-to-be-4 Lilly, recently welcomed little sister Lilah to the family.

“I'll come home from the races, and I'll sit there at dinner and I'm on my iPad watching the races. Ashley will tell me, 'Put that down,'” Zayas said with a chuckle. “It's hard to balance. On my off days, I try to get away from horse racing and dedicate my time to them. When it's racing time, it's business time. They're a big part of my life and have really helped me mature.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed pressure on his career as well as his family life.

“This year has been very challenging for everyone. Not working horses has been a little challenging, especially when the 2-year-old season started. You don't know what kind of horses you're riding. You only know what the trainer tells you,” said Zayas, referring to the protocols that restrict jockeys from entering the backstretch. “It's been challenging, but we've been very blessed at Gulfstream. They've done a very good job of keeping us running year-round without stopping. We've had no problems.”

No matter how many races he wins in the future, Zayas' resume will always have a nagging void until he can call himself a winning jockey in Puerto Rico.

“I left the jockey school two months earlier and came straight here to Florida, so I never got to ride in Puerto Rico. I went back one day and rode a couple races there, but I still haven't won a race there,” he said. “It bothers me a little bit. Eventually, I'll get back there and win a race someday. It's something that you grew up around and you need it.”

For now, Zayas will keep his focus on continuing his success during the Championship Meet in Saturday's Pegasus and Pegasus Turf.

The post ‘If It’s Meant To Be, It’s Meant To Be’: Zayas Looking Forward To Pegasus Chances appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Independence Hall, a 12 ¼-length winner of the Nashua (G2) at two and runner-up in the Sam F. Davis (G3) at three, and Coastal Defense, fourth Nov. 27 in the Clark (G1), have received invitations for the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus World Cup and have been added to the also-eligible list.

Moving into the main body of the Pegasus World Cup from the also-eligible list are Grade 1 winner Math Wizard and Tampa Bay Derby (G2) winner King Guillermo.

Ride a Comet, an impressive winner Saturday of the Tropical Turf (G3), has been invited to the 1 3/16-mile Pegasus World Cup Turf and was placed on the also-eligible list. Moving into the main body of the Pegasus Turf is Next Shares and Field Pass.

Limited seating is available and tickets can be purchased at Pegasusworldcup.com.

Fans can watch and wager on the Pegasus World Cup at 1stbet.com and xpressbet.com.

Independence Hall, a 4-year-old son of Constitution, returned from an eight-month layoff to win under allowance conditions in November at Del Mar before finishing fifth Dec. 26 behind Charlatan in the Malibu (G1). Independence Hall is trained by Michael McCarthy, who trained 2019 Pegasus World Cup winner City of Light.

Dale Romans, who saddled Mr Freeze to a second-place finish last year behind Mucho Gusto in the Pegasus World Cup, trains Coastal Defense. A 5-year-old son of Curlin, Coastal Defense was fourth in the Clark as well as the Oct. 10 Fayette (G2).

John Oxley and My Meadowview Farm LLC's Ride a Comet is undefeated in four starts since returning from a two-year layoff. The 6-year-old son of Candy Ride, trained by Mark Casse, also won the Kennedy Road (G2) in November at Woodbine.

The post Additional Invitees Listed For Pegasus World Cup, World Cup Turf appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. has every intention to run Grade 1 winner Math Wizard in the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus World Cup. The 5-year-old son of Algorithms was listed second in preference on Reserve Invitees list released last week but is expected to draw into the 12-horse field due to the recent retirement of defending champion Mucho Gusto and the likelihood of Anothertwistafate, No. 1 on the Reserve list for the Pegasus, being committed to the Pegasus Turf.

Math Wizard, who captured the 2019 Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at Parx, came off a three-month layoff to finish fourth in the Dec. 12 Harlan's Holiday (G3) at Gulfstream Park. The Harlan's Holiday was won in impressive front-running fashion by Tax, who won by 4 ½ lengths while covering 1 1/16 miles in a sharp 1:41.15.

“If all goes well, he'll run in the Pegasus,” Joseph said. “He's doing good. Normally, when he comes off a layoff, it takes a race or two for him to come back to order. We wanted to get him the race in the Harlan's Holiday. I feel like he's going to move forward off that race.”

Math Wizard is winless in seven starts since registering a 31-1 upset victory in the Pennsylvania Derby. Heading into Parx's signature race, he had gone winless in six starts following his 18 ½-length victory at Gulfstream Jan. 31, 2019, when he was claimed by Joseph and owner John Fanelli for $25,000.

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After following up his signature win in the 2019 Pennsylvania Derby (G1) with a fifth-place effort in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), the Saffie Joseph trained Math Wizard spent some time on the sidelines before a return to the races produced a subpar performance in the Razorback (G3) at Oaklawn Park in February. After the ongoing Covid pandemic threw Math Wizard's schedule up in the air, he spent another four months away from the races, resurfacing in a handicap at Gulfstream Park where he checked in fifth beaten 3 3/4 lengths.

However, in his last start on Haskell day in the Monmouth Cup, Math Wizard signaled a potential return to form when he closed well to finish second, beaten 1 1/2-lengths for the top spot by Global Campaign. Since his effort at Monmouth, the son of Algorithms has flourished in his training up at Saratoga and his conditioner thought the lucrative Classic was a race that suited his colt well.

While Joseph has enjoyed a couple of breakout years as a trainer with 2020 Kentucky Derby (G1) contender Ny Traffic, multiple stakes winner Chance it and multiple graded stakes winner and 2020 Charles Town Oaks starter Tonalist's Shape, it's still his lone Grade 1 winner to date that he credits for getting the ball rolling in his stable's quest to join the sport's upper echelon.

“I think when we look back in 15 or 20 or however many years, we'll say that Math Wizard will be the horse that put us on the map. He's just an incredibly special horse to us and always will be.”

This Friday evening, Math Wizard will have the services of jockey Christian Hiraldo as he breaks from Post 4 as the 3-to-1 favorite.

Back for another run in the Charles Town Classic is Imaginary Stables and Glenn K. Ellis' War Story, the eight-year-old gelding who was last seen finishing third in the Pegasus World Cup (G1) at Gulfstream Park earlier this year. With his start in the Classic on Friday night, War Story will join two-time winner Imperative as the only horses to make four starts in Charles Town's marquee race and the son of Northern Afleet has come tantalizingly close to adding a Charles Town Classic score to his resume which already includes three graded stakes victories and earnings of more than $3.2 million.

Now trained by Elizabeth Dobles, War Story has checked in third in both the 2017 and 2019 runnings and second in 2018, a fact that led his connections to target this race after a trip to Dubai earlier in 2020 fell through.

The handicap division veteran has shown few signs of slowing down over the past two years taking graded stakes at both Monmouth Park in the 2019 Monmouth Cup (G3) and Gulfstream Park in the Harlan's Holiday (G3) prior to his run behind Mucho Gusto and Mr. Freeze in the Pegasus.

War Story will have his fourth different rider in the Charles Town Classic as J.D. Acosta jumps on board the 4-to-1 second choice.

Much like his fellow Charles Town Classic runner Math Wizard, Allied Racing Stable LLC and Spendthrift Farm LLC's Mr. Money is looking to recapture the 2019 form that eventually saw him sent off as the third choice in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) behind the likes of Omaha Beach and Improbable.

After stringing together a four race winning streak in a quartet of Grade 3 events as a three-year-old, including the West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer, the Bret Calhoun trainee came within a neck of becoming a Grade 1 winner when he was caught in the final strides of the Pennsylvania Derby by his rival on Friday night. When he emerged after five months on the sidelines, Mr. Money caught a wet track – as well as Tom's d'Etat and Improbable – in the Oaklawn Mile and followed that up with a wide trip that resulted in a fourth place finish in the Blame at Churchill before only mustering a sixth place effort in a cutback to 6 1/2 furlongs at Keeneland in his most recent outing.

In the Charles Town Classic, Mr. Money stretches back out to a distance that seems more to his liking but, either way, his trainer isn't concerned about what he's seen thus far in 2020.

“He had a great year last year and has had a rocky start to this year, but it's not really his doing,” said Calhoun. “He caught a sloppy track that he didn't like at Oaklawn. I thought he ran a pretty good race in the Blame at Churchill with a really wide trip. Then we got stuck without a spot with so many races getting canceled. So we ran him in that race at Keeneland and 61/2 furlongs is not his deal. So it really hasn't been his fault. He's trained forwardly all along and we're looking forward to getting him back on track this Friday.”

Gerald Almodovar rides Mr. Money who breaks from Post 6.

Winchell Thoroughbreds' Tenfold is himself out to recapture some past form and find the winners' circle for the first time since the 2019 Pimlico Special (G3) and provide trainer Steve Asmussen with a win in his first Charles Town Classic.

Third, beaten less than a length by Justify, in the 2018 Preakness (G1) and a winner of the Jim Dandy (G2) later in his three-year-old season, the Winchell Thoroughbreds homebred eclipsed the $1 million mark in career earnings earlier this year and is looking to rebound from a third place finish in the Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) in June.

While Tenfold marks Asmussen's first Charles Town Classic runner, he's developed a solid record over the years at Charles Town with 6 wins from 14 stakes outings, a run that started with Rock Slide back in the 1987 West Virginia Lottery Breeders' Classic.

Luis Batista rides Tenfold who stands at 5-to-1 on the morning line.

2019 Charles Town hero Runnin'toluvya is back to defend his crown and will seek to do what Duke of Mischief, Game on Dude, Imperative, Stanford and Something Awesome could not do – join Researcher as the only back-to-back winner of the Charles Town Classic.

In 2019, the West Virginia-bred son of Fiber Sonde entered the race red hot after stringing together eight consecutive wins over the Charles Town oval. 2020 will be a bit of a different story, however, as the popular gelding has dropped four of his last five decisions and comes into the race without a start since May 30.

However, neither his recent record nor the layoff is of great concern for Runnin'toluvya's trainer Tim Grams who also owns the six-year-old along with his wife, Judy.

“He's doing really good. I breezed him last week, and he did it handily. It's going to be a tough race, but we're going in without hesitation because of how well he's doing. It was an unfortunate trip last time out. You know, it's hard even for the really good ones to have to start and stop three or four times like he did. Obviously for my peace of mind I would like to be coming in off of a good race, but that was the hand we were dealt.”

As for the layoff, Friday will mark the fifth time Runnin'toluvya has started off a layoff of at least 90 days in his career, with the prior four outings resulting in three wins and a runner-up finish. Even without a race since the end of May, Grams has kept his stable star sharp and ready for his bid at a Classic repeat.

“I felt like last year, we had him in training without a race to point towards and he got a little dull. But this year he's been staying a lot sharper and he's fit. We'll just have to see how it goes. I just hope he breaks clean and gets a good position in the clear so that when it's time to run, he can run.”

Antonio Lopez has the call on Runnin'toluvya in the Charles Town Classic.

Another Charles Town Classic entrant looking to find the winner's circle once again is the well-traveled Multiplier, who came up just a neck short of posting an upset in the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) earlier this year but has gone more than two years without a victory despite banking north of $500,000 in his career.

A winner of the Illinois Derby (G3) back in 2017, Multiplier was most recently seen knocking heads with divisional heavyweights Tom's d'Etat and By My Standards in the Stephen Foster (G2) – a race where the now six-year-old finished fourth, beaten eight lengths. Despite Multiplier only being trainer Peter Miller's second ever starter over the Charles Town oval, there was a familiarity with some of the track's leading connections that made the trip to West Virginia more appealing.

“We're excited and the horse is doing great,” said the California based Miller. “He's been training up at Monmouth and doing really well over there. We've got the top rider [Arnaldo Bocachica] which is good and he'll go to [Jeff] Runco's barn for the week. I have worked with Jeff for a while and he's great. So we'll just hope for a good trip. We're looking forward to it.”

As Miller alluded to, Multiplier will have the services of Charles Town's leading rider, Arnaldo Bocachica on Friday night and will break from Post 10.

Plus Que Parfait, winner of the 2019 UAE Derby (G2) in Dubai, Sleepy Eyes Todd, and Ohio-breds Forewarned and Mo Dont No complete the body of the Charles Town Classic field with Awesome D J on the also-eligible list.

Post time for the Charles Town Classic is set for 10:18 PM EST and the race can be seen on TVG as well as heard on the Horse Racing Radio Network. The Classic will be the penultimate race in the Charles Town 6-12 sequence – a Pick 6 with a low 12% takeout – that sports a mandatory of the carryover on Classic day with a total of $111,750 in the carryover going into the track's Thursday night card.

$600,000 CHARLES TOWN CLASSIC (G2)
August 28, 2020
Race 11 – Post time 10:18 PM EST
3&up, 1 1/8 Miles
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Forewarned, Sunday Diaz, Jr., 118, Uriah St. Lewis
2. Tenfold, Luis A. Batista, 118, Steven M. Asmussen
3. Mo Dont No, Wesley Ho, 118, Jeffrey A. Radosevich
4. Math Wizard, Christian Hiraldo, 118, Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.
5. Runnin'toluvya, Antonio Lopez, 118, Timothy C. Grams
6. Mr. Money, Gerald Almodovar, 118, W. Bret Calhoun
7. Sleepy Eyes Todd, Open, 118, Miguel Angel Silva
8. Plus Que Parfait, Reshawn Latchman, 118, Brendan P. Walsh
9. War Story, J.D. Acosta, 118, Elizabeth L. Dobles
10. Multiplier, Arnaldo Bocachica, 118, Peter Miller
Also Eligible
11. Awesome D J, Fredy Peltroche, 118, Jose Corrales

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Steve Asmussen, who trained Four Gifts to a win in the inaugural running of the Charles Town Oaks in 2009, led the way with 15 nominations for the two races, with the Charles Town Classic brigade headlined by 2019 Pimlico Special (G3) victor and 2018 Preaknesss (G1) runner-up Tenfold who scratched out of Sunday's Alydar Stakes at Saratoga.

Trainer Brad Cox looks to send out his first runner in the Charles Town Classic and has a trio of older horses to choose from in Night Ops, a winner of the Cornhusker Handicap (G3) in his last start, multiple graded stakes winner Owendale and Warrior's Charge, most recently a good fourth behind Vekoma, Network Effect and Code of Honor in the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) at Belmont Park.

Others nominated to the Charles Town Classic include 2019 race runner-up Diamond King, 2019 Woodward (G1) runner-up Bal Harbour, Monmouth Cup (G3) winner Global Campaign, Santa Anita Handicap (G1) second place finisher and expected starter Multiplier, Challenger (G3) victor Trophy Chaser and War Story, a winner of more than $3.2 million over his career that includes three previous efforts in the Charles Town Classic.

While Math Wizard stands as his lone Charles Town Classic nomination, trainer Saffie Joseph was well represented amongst Charles Town Oaks nominees with four sophomore fillies, including the multiple graded stakes winner Tonalist's Shape and Loriloupies, an impressive winner in consecutive starts earlier this year at Gulfstream.

Others nominated and possible for the Charles Town Oaks include Boerne, winner of the Azalea in her last start at Gulfstream, Hopeful Growth, most recently victorious in the Monmouth Oaks (G3) and Project Whiskey, who scored in the Delaware Oaks (G3) at odds of nearly 40-to-1.

Entries for the August 28 Charles Town Classic card will be taken on Tuesday, August 25.

Nominations for three more unrestricted stakes all run at seven furlongs – the $150,000 Dance to Bristol for older fillies and mares, the $100,000 Russell Road and the $100,000 Robert Hilton Memorial for three-year-olds – close this upcoming Friday, August 14.

The post Math Wizard, Runnin’toluvya Top Nominees For Aug. 28 Charles Town Classic appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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“The blinkers, I knew, could have that effect. I thought the blinkers for her was going to be hit or miss. It was either going to make a big difference or it was going to be a big mistake. It turned out to be a big mistake,” Joseph said. “We thought we were making the right decision. We had to give it a try. I'll take the blame for that. I can't blame her. She got a little rank going into the first turn. I think it was a complete throw-out race. I'll take the blame for that.”

The Sept. 4 Kentucky Oaks is still penciled in for a 'blinkers-off” Tonalist's Shape.

“I'm not going to let that race distract us. If all is well, we're going to stay on plan. She's earned a spot in the Oaks. If she stays the course, we'll probably give her a chance there. We'll see how she does,” Joseph said. “We'll talk it over with the owners, but I don't see any reason not to continue onwards.”

Math Wizard, who gave Joseph his first Grade 1 success while winning last year's Pennsylvania Derby at Parx, improved off a pair of disappointing 2020 efforts with a second-place finish behind Global Campaign in Saturday's Monmouth Cup (G3).

“He ran very good. He's just a hard-knocking horse,” Joseph said. “On his day, when he's doing good, he gives his all. I couldn't be more proud of him.”

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Ridden by Jorge Vargas Jr. and trained by Stanley Hough, Global Campaign — a 4-year-old colt by Curlin –  covered 1 1/8 miles on a fast main track in 1:50.47 after setting fractions of :23.77, :47.91, 1:11.69 and 1:37.55.

Math Wizard, winner of the G1 Pennsylvania Derby in 2019, closed from last in the field fo nine to finish second, one length ahead of Bal Harbour, who looked like a winner at the top of the stretch.

Global Campaign, who raced without blinkers for the first time in an eight-race career and was favored at 5-2, was winning for the fifth time. This was his second graded stakes win, having taken the G3 Peter Pan at Belmont Park last year.

Owned by WinStar Farm and Sagamore Farm, Global Campaign was bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm. He is out of the A.P. Indy mare, Globe Trot.

“I didn't like seeing all the pressure on him all race,” Hough said. “But I can't say I'm surprised he withstood it. I had my doubts when he got headed in the stretch by Bal Harbour. But Jorge Vargas rode him good and the horse responded great. He's a very, very talented horse, so it's good to see him come back like this. Hopefully he continues to show himself. I'm very pleased with this effort. He was kind of rambunctious as a 3-year-old last and he'd look around and get distracted so I kept the blinkers on him. But I never felt he really needed them. I just thought it would let him see around a little by taking them off for this race. I've been working him without them so he was used to it again. He's shown from the start that he's a good horse. He's well-bred and gosh he has so much talent. He has kind of been his own worst enemy. But he is finally maturing and maybe we can build from here.”

“I was pretty excited when I found out I was going to ride him,” said Vargas. “I went back and watched all of his races. I knew how talented he is. If you saw him this race, even with those horses putting pressure on him all race, he kept his ears pricked and he was relaxed and off the bit. When I asked him a little bit he jumped on the bit and he had something left. He was very strong. I just moved to Monmouth Park for the summer for the first time this year and this is my first win of the meet so it's pretty special.”

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