Midnight Bourbon | Horse Racing Free Tips

Mandaloun Has ‘Come To Hand Quick,’ Will Make 4-Year-Old Debut In Saturday’s Louisiana Stakes

Juddmonte's Mandaloun is set to make his 4-year-old debut in the $150,000 Louisiana Stakes on Saturday, Jan. 22 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in New Orleans, La.

“That's our plan,” trainer Brad Cox said. “He's really come to hand quick. He looks amazing. Happy with the way his weight is and how he's taken shape. Excited about getting him back going this year and we will see how things go on Jan. 22.”

Mandaloun shook off his third place finish in the Lecomte by winning the Risen Star (G2) in his very next start. He was a virtual no show in the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2), but bounced back with a huge second in the Kentucky Derby (G1) presented by Woodford Reserve. He later won the Pegasus at Monmouth in advance of a near miss in the July 17 Haskell (G1), the final start of his sophomore campaign.

“He needed time off,” Cox said. “He made that decision easy. We stopped on him and gave him time. For horses to progress, whether it be from (age) two to three or three to four, they need a break. He's received his break and he's come back.”

The son of Into Mischief returned to the work tab on November 28 at Churchill, and he posted his seventh breeze since returning to training on Sunday at Fair Grounds, stopping the timer in 1:13 1/5 for six furlongs.

“Listen, I'm not going to tell you that he's working better than ever because he's always a very, very good work horse to begin with,” Cox said. “I think anybody that watched him train up to the Kentucky Derby could believe the way he ran (second at 26-1), the way he was training. He's definitely working as well as he was leading up to the Derby, or the Haskell, so we're in a good spot with him. I think this is a race that makes a lot of sense as far as getting back racing and seeing how it goes.”

Also confirmed for the Louisiana is Winchell Thoroughbreds' Midnight Bourbon, who, like Mandaloun, also launched a very successful sophomore campaign at Fair Grounds.

“They've raced against one another, let's see, one, two, three, four, maybe five times, I don't know, it's a lot,” Cox said. “They've mixed it up and made it exciting. Rivalries are good for racing. Midnight Bourbon is a very good horse. He's going to be very tough to beat in that he's not coming in off much of a layoff and we are. He might be a little tighter. He's a big beautiful horse. It will be an exciting match-up. We're looking forward to it.”

Should he perform well, the Mandaloun camp could have designs on the $20 million Saudi Cup on February 26

“The Saudi Cup is something we'd look at,” Cox said. “Ultimately it will come down to the Juddmonte team. They will make the final determination. We work extremely well together. They'll play it the way they always do. Horse comes first. It the horse is doing well and it makes sense, that's definitely something we would look at doing. That was sort of our plan when we got back started in the fall. One step at a time.”

After running third with the favored Mandaloun in last year's G3 Lecomte, Cox has another talented prospect for the 2022 edition.

“Right now we are looking at running Cyberknife,” Cox said. “He's doing well. He breezed well here the other day (:48 4/5 on Jan. 8). I think he's a good colt, I really do.”

Disqualified after crossing the line first in his career debut at Churchill, Cyberknife's greenness saw him defeated in Louisville six weeks later, this time on the square. Stretched out around two turns for the first time on Dec. 26 at Fair Grounds, he took a clear advantage in the stretch, but nearly coughed it up late.

“He's obviously raced erratically in all three starts down the lane,” Cox said. “I thought he was very impressive here last time up until the last little bit. It's all mental with him. It's nothing we can really fix with him in the mornings. He's a colt that has always been a little tough to handle. He's not straightforward. He's the kind of horse who requires a good hand. He's very immature. I think the talent is there, but he's got to take a step forward mentally, and I think he will. He just needs to race and get some miles underneath him in the afternoons. I think he's going to be a player in the 3-year-old division.”

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Maxfield Goes Out In Style With Resume-Padding Clark Triumph

Multiple graded stakes winner Maxfield, one of the top older horses in North America, capped his racing career in style Friday at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., as the 4-year-old colt swept past favorite Midnight Bourbon at the top of the stretch and turned back a late bid from Happy Saver to win the 147^th running of the $750,000 Clark presented by Norton Healthcare (Grade 1) by a half-length.

The lofty $450,910 first prize, thanks of a record-setting purse, lifted the dark bay or brown colt's earnings to multi-millionaire status: $2,001,812 from a record of 8-2-1 in 11 starts. He is a perfect 5-for-5 beneath the historic Twin Spires at Churchill Downs.

Owned and bred by Godolphin, Maxfield clocked 1 1/8 miles on a track rated “good” in 1:49.06 under jockey Jose Ortiz, who rode the winner for trainer Brendan Walsh. This was the first Clark win for each of the connections.

“I feel just delighted he got the job done like that today,” Walsh said. “It's a very prestigious race and it's very nice he could win it and go into his stud career like that.”

Breaking from the far outside post position in the field of eight 3-year-olds and up, Maxfield relaxed in the clear off the early pace set by slight 6-5 favorite Midnight Bourbon, the Preakness (GI), Travers (GI) and Pennsylvania Derby (GI) runner-up who dictated terms through the first quarter mile in :23.83 and a half-mile in :48.00. Chess Chief, the longest shot at 101-1, chased from the inside in third and Happy Saver, the winner of the Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI) in 2020 and runner-up this year, was content to track from fourth at odds of 12-1.

Leaving the far turn after six furlongs in 1:11.70, Maxfield drew even from the outside of 3-year-old Midnight Bourbon with minimal urging from Ortiz. The two matched strides at the top of the stretch for about a furlong before Maxfield drew clear of that rival in deep stretch. Happy Saver continued his steady run from the outside to cut into the final margin but was second best to the winner.

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“He put me in the race today when he broke from the gate,” Ortiz said. “I could tell Happy Saver would be coming around the far turn and Maxfield felt him come alongside as well. He was able to dig down and really fight hard today. Hats off to Brendan and his team who have done an amazing job with him throughout his career. I'm very happy he gets to go out this way.”

Maxfield, at odds of 6-5, rewarded his backers with mutuels of $4.40, $3 and $2.20. Happy Saver, with Tyler Gaffalione up, returned $7.20 and $3.60. Midnight Bourbon, under Joel Rosario, was another three lengths back in third and paid $2.60 to show.

“He ran a huge race,” Gaffalione said of Happy Saver. “Hats off to Maxfield who was best today and ran great. I tried to get him into the race a little earlier just with the way the track has been playing. He ran a great race in defeat.”

Rosario offered no excuse for Midnight Bourbon's defeat. “I got a really easy lead up the backside and he was traveling well,” Rosario said. “(Maxfield and Happy Saver) were just best tonight.”

Militarist finished fourth and was followed by King Fury, Night Ops, Dr Post and Chess Chief.

This was the seventh career stakes victory for Maxfield and second Grade 1. At 2, he won the $500,000 Breeders' Futurity (GI) at Keeneland by 5 ½ lengths.

He entered the race off a second-place finish, 1 ½ lengths behind Art Collector, in the $500,000 Woodward (G1) at Belmont Park 55 days ago on Oct. 2.

Following his Breeders' Futurity win at age 2, Maxfield was the third choice on the morning line for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) in 2019 but was scratched from the race with a minor injury.

Maxfield returned in May 2020 and posted a one-length win the $150,000 Matt Winn (G3) at Churchill Downs. He appeared to be a top contender for the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) when it was delayed until September because of the COVID-19 pandemic but he was, again, forced to the sidelines with another setback.

Maxfield resumed racing action last December and won the $75,000 Tenacious at Fair Grounds, which was an ideal steppingstone to what would be a sensational 4-year-old campaign in 2021. This year, he won four of seven starts – the $200,000 Mineshaft (G3) at Fair Grounds in February; the $400,000 Alysheba presented by Sentinet Jet (G2) on the Kentucky Oaks undercard in late April; the $600,000 Stephen Foster (G2) in June; and Friday's Clark – with runner-up efforts in the $1 million Whitney (G1) at Saratoga in August and The Woodward and a third in the $400,000 Santa Anita Handicap (G1) in March.

Maxfield is the first horse to sweep Churchill Downs' Alysheba, Stephen Foster and Clark in a calendar year. For that matter, he's also the first horse to win both the Stephen Foster and Clark in the same year.

Next up for Maxfield is stud duty at Darley at Jonabell Farm where he will stand for $40,000. Maxfield is son of 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense out of the Bernardini mare Velvety and was bred in Kentucky by his owners.

“He's an unbelievable horse,” Walsh said. “I can't say enough about him. He's been through a lot the last two years. Today, he had to fight hard to get the job done and he ran great to hold off Happy Saver. It's hard to find another horse like him. It was fantastic everything came together. It's a fantastic way to cap his career.”

The Clark, named for Churchill Downs founder Col. M. Lewis Clark, was run for the first time in 1875 during the first racing meet at Churchill Downs, which was then known as the Louisville Jockey Club. Like the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) and Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI), the Clark has been renewed annually without interruption since its first running.

Racing at Churchill Downs continues Saturday with a 12-race program that begins at 1 p.m. (all times Eastern). The 95^th running of the $400,000 Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) – a “Prep Season” race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby – and the 78^th running of the $400,000 Golden Rod (G2) for fillies are the headliners on the penultimate day of Churchill Downs' 21-date Fall Meet. Billed as “Stars of Tomorrow II,” each of the 12 races is exclusively for 2-year-olds that may have aspirations of trail-blazing their way to next spring's Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks.

There's a jackpot carryover of $210,134 on the 20-cent minimum Derby City 6, which covers Races 7-12 starting at 3:57 p.m. If the jackpot is not hit by a single winning combination on Saturday, there will be a mandatory payout on Sunday's 12-race finale. Also, there is a $4,971 carryover in the $1 Super Hi 5, which is offered on the final race of the day.

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One Last Go for Maxfield in Clark

Godolphin homebred Maxfield (Street Sense) will look to take one more trip to the Churchill Downs winner's circle in Friday's GI Clark H. before he joins Darley's stallion roster for next year. The Grade I winner boasts a perfect four-for-four record under the Twin Spires, having most recently dominated the GII Stephen Foster S. over this same distance in June. Second to expected Horse of the Year Knicks Go (Paynter) in Saratoga's Aug. 7 GI Whitney S. and again to streaking Art Collector (Bernardini) in the GI Woodward S. at Belmont Oct. 2, the dark bay has earned four-straight Beyer Speed Figures of 103 or better. Dr Post (Quality Road), a dual Grade III winner this year, finished one spot behind Maxfield in the Woodward.

Sophomore Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow) figures to seize the early lead from his rail draw and could prove tough to run down. This year's GIII Lecomte S. winner and GI Preakness S. runner-up clipped heels and lost his rider when crossed over on by Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) in the GI Haskell Invitational S. in July, but bounced back the following month to run champion Essential Quality (Tapit) to a neck in the GI Runhappy Travers S. Aug. 28, good for a 107 Beyer Speed Figure. He paired up that figure when proving second best to Hot Rod Charlie in the GI Pennsylvania Derby Sept. 25.

Lightly raced 4-year-old 'TDN Rising Star' Happy Saver (Super Saver) aims for a late-season Grade I win for the second straight year. The Wertheimer homebred was four-for-four last term, capped by a victory in the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup in October over subsequent G1 Dubai World Cup hero Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper). He resurfaced in May to take a Belmont optional claimer, but was third behind Max Player (Honor Code) and Mystic Guide in the July 3 GII Suburban S. and second behind the former in the repositioned Jockey Club Gold Cup at Saratoga Sept. 4.

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The Week in Review: Does the Path to the Classic Run Through Parx

It was 35 years ago this weekend that Broad Brush bolted to the outside fence at the top of the stretch while on a clear lead in the Pennsylvania Derby, then amazingly re-rallied to claw back the lead for an improbable win.

They've long since rebranded Philadelphia Park to Parx, added a racino, and been awarded an upgrade of that track's premier stakes from Grade II to Grade I. But history tends to repeat, and that same quirky spot at the quarter pole proved eerily enigmatic yet again on Saturday, this time for Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow), whose momentum exceeded his maneuverability while spinning out of the final bend in the Pennsylvania Derby.

His arch-rival, Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow), got cast adrift toward the crown of the course by “Chuck's” sudden centrifugal impulse. But both colts were back into stride within a few jumps of straightening into the lane, storming home through a :12.83 final eighth in which Hot Rod Charlie incrementally widened to a winning margin of 2 1/4 lengths at the wire. He earned the highest Beyer Sped Figure (111) by any 3-year-old this season in a two-turn race.

The drama (foul claim, inquiry, no DQ) generated by these two sophomores at Parx certainly wasn't the perilous sort supplied by their stretch run of the GI Befair.com Haskell S. July 17, when Hot Rod Charlie shifted in and caused Midnight Bourbon to clip heels and dislodge his jockey, who escaped serious injury. Chuck's abrupt lane changing that afternoon did result in his number coming down at Monmouth Park, so his Pennsylvania Derby score registered as the colt's first Grade I win.

Prior to Saturday, Hot Rod Charlie had been edged out in his only other three Grade I attempts: he was second, beaten three-quarters of a length at 94-1 in last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile; third, beaten one length in the Kentucky Derby; then second, beaten 1 1/4 lengths in the Belmont S. Two of those Grade I defeats were gallant tries behind the formidable divisional leader, the 8-for-9 lifetime 'TDN Rising Star' and juvenile champ Essential Quality (Tapit).

Now that the year's final Grade I dirt route for straight 3-year-olds has been run, those two loom as the top sophomores aiming for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic Nov. 6 at Del Mar.

Since the year 2000, seven 3-year-olds have defeated older horses in the Classic. Do the colts in this year's crop have a shot at knocking off older divisional stalwarts like Knicks Go (Paynter) and Maxfield (Street Sense)?

Essential Quality certainly rates as the most professional Classic aspirant among the 3-year-olds. This athletic gray always looks comfortable while on the prowl in his ever-dangerous stalk mode, and he has the ability to unleash an overdriven, deep-stretch torque that is not so much a sensational burst of power as a crushingly blunt display of sustained intensity. This is evident in Essential Quality's margins of victory. He doesn't win races by running up the score by many lengths. Rather, this colt knows what is required and simply does it, relishing the challenge of protracted stretch fights.

In the GI Runhappy Travers S., Essential Quality and Midnight Bourbon brushed and battled in determined lockstep through a final quarter mile clocked in an astoundingly fast :23.15 (the fastest two furlongs of that stakes in at least three decades). One concern is that back in April, when Essential Quality won the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. after another demanding stretch scrap (final eighth in :12.53), the effort seemed to sap him for the Kentucky Derby four weeks later, resulting in his only lifetime loss. This time around after a hard race, Essential Quality will train for the 10 weeks leading up to the Classic–meaning the concern now becomes too much of a time gap between starts.

Hot Rod Charlie, on the other hand, still gives the impression of a work in progress. This is not necessarily a knock against him. In fact, it suggests there is still a vein of raw talent beneath the surface that has yet to be fully mined and polished for optimal performance.

Chuck is a consistent speed horse who neither shies from adversity nor requires being on the lead to run effectively. Early in his career, it was easy to stamp him as an outlandish longshot who got lucky by cashing in on a spent speed duel, giving Essential Quality a brief scare in the Breeders' Cup. But after his breakthrough win in the GII Louisiana Derby (in which he gamely repulsed the repeated challenges of Midnight Bourbon) and a Kentucky Derby third (where, for a tantalizing moment in upper stretch, it looked as if Chuck had a chance to reel in the leaders), this colt's ability crystalized into a more reliable commodity.

Hot Rod Charlie still hasn't figured out how to seamlessly fuse the high-impact speed of his older brother (2019 sprint champ Mitole) with the no-nonsense staying power of his sire (Oxbow, the gutsy victor of the 2013 GI Preakness S.). But a bet on Chuck in the Classic will be a wager predicated on this colt being able to produce a performance that exceeds what we've already seen from him (and his peers) up to this point.

Medina Spirit (Protonico), the Kentucky Derby winner, had been entered in the Pennsylvania Derby but was withdrawn by trainer Bob Baffert earlier in the week based on tactical concerns over getting stuck with post position nine. Instead, the colt will start in the GI Awesome Again S. at Santa Anita Oct. 2. That nine-furlong start will come against 3-year-olds and up, but the field size is sure to be more to Baffert's liking. In the past three runnings, it has featured only five and six (twice) starters.

Medina Spirit–purchased for $1,000 at OBSWIN and $35,000 at OBSOPN–began the year far down the depth chart of Baffert's then-deep roster of 3-year-olds. It took two races before a mid-March operation to fix an entrapped epiglottis yielded positive results on the racetrack, but Medina Spirit's all-business, half-length Derby victory was accomplished under continuous pressure through the fastest final two Derby furlongs in a decade.

For certain, the ongoing saga over the colt's still-not-adjudicated betamethasone positive in the Derby and the subsequent banishment (and attempted banishment) of Baffert from major racing circuits has overshadowed Medina Spirit for the past four months. But he's still a plucky overachiever who outruns expectations. After a flat third in the Preakness, Medina Spirit won his late-summer comeback start, a wire job in the Shared Belief S. at Del Mar Aug. 29. He was hustled to the lead and continually hounded in that race, yet found another gear in the stretch as the competition withered behind him.

'TDN Rising Star' Life Is Good (Into Mischief) ran his record to 4-for-5 Saturday at Belmont Park with what amounted to a “public workout” win at 1-20 odds in the GII Kelso H. (just four horses started and only three finished). The former Baffert trainee was the early Derby favorite until he got sidelined in March with an ankle chip (since surgically repaired).

Now trained by Todd Pletcher, Life Is Good could be a fascinating Classic inclusion. But having never raced beyond 1 1/16 miles at this stage of the season, Pletcher has indicated that the GI Dirt Mile could be the more realistic Breeders' Cup option.

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