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Max K. O. Goes For The Green In Saturday’s Claiming Crown Emerald

Ten Twenty Racing's Max K. O. earned a berth in Saturday's $95,000 Emerald by winning a Sept. 8 qualifying race at Kentucky Downs, which paid the $100 nominating fee and would have paid a shipping fee up to $1000 had the Saffie Joseph Jr. trainee been stabled anywhere other than Gulfstream Park.

The Emerald, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for 3-year-olds and up who have raced for a claiming price of $25,000 or less in 2020-2021, is one of nine starter stakes at Gulfstream in Saturday's $810,000 Claiming Crown – an annual event that celebrates the blue-collar horses that support the day-to-day racing programs at racetracks across the country.

Created by the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association in partnership with the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, the Claiming Crown rewards and pays tribute to the horses and horsemen that provide the foundation for day-to-day racing programs at tracks around the country.

Saturday's 11-race program drew 128 total entries.

Max K. O. was claimed by his connections for $25,000 out of an impressive optional claiming allowance victory at Gulfstream May 16 after being claimed by his former connections for $16,000 out of a winning effort two weeks earlier.

In his first start for Joseph, the 5-year-old son of J P's Gusto stepped up in a big way to miss winning the Mr. Steele Stakes by a nose to stablemate Renaisance Frolic, a graded stakes-placed multiple stakes winner.

“We claimed him for $25,000 because he was always in good form,” Joseph said. “We ran him in a stake. We were a bit ambitious, and he just got beat. After that we took him to Kentucky Downs for a Claiming Crown prep and he won that quite well.”

Max K. O. stalked the pace before kicking in through the long Kentucky Downs stretch to win by 2 ¾ lengths under Irad Ortiz Jr. Back at Gulfstream, where the turf course was undergoing renovation, the Florida-bred turf runner held a clear lead in the stretch before coming up just a neck short of holding off Louder Than Bombs in a starter allowance on Tapeta Oct. 28.

“Last time on Tapeta, he looked like he was home free and he just got nailed at the wire,” Joseph said. “My primary thought was: it was on Tapeta, and it was still early and it didn't play to speed as much. I think that was against him. I know it's an excuse, but I honestly believe it was valid excuse. The horse that beat him had more stamina. I hope back on the turf, he will run a big race.”

Trainer Mike Maker will seek his record-extending 19th Claiming Crown success with Paradise Farms Corp.'s Attentive and Jordan Wycoff's The Last Zip in the Emerald.

Maker has saddled a record seven Emerald winners.

Attentive, a 5-year-old son of Power Broker was claimed for $40,000 out of his most recent start, a close-up third Nov. 7 at Belmont Park. The Last Zip finished four lengths behind Max K.O. in Kentucky Downs' Emerald qualifier two starts back. Chantal Sutherland has the mount on Attentive, while Jorge Vargas Jr. has been named to ride The Last Zip.

Sandra New's Louder Than Bombs will clash again with Max K.O. in the Emerald. The David Fawkes-trained 5-year-old had rallied to win a $20,000 claiming race on turf prior to his victory over the Joseph trainer on Tapeta. Emisael Jaramillo will once again be aboard the son of Violence.

Monarch Stable Inc.'s Light Fury, who has won starter allowances on turf and Tapeta while finishing in the money in his last six starts; Bruno Schickedanz's Mandate, who captured the Artie Schiller takes at Aqueduct at 44-1 last time out; Dotson Stable LLC's Benelux, who won back-to-back optional claiming allowances at Arlington prior to an off-the-board finish at Keeneland; Mob Stables LLC's Clear Vision, claimed for $25,000 out of a dominating victory at Belmont last time out; Patricia Generazio's Mid Day Image, who is coming off back-to-back starter handicap wins at Monmouth; and David Melin, Laurie Plesa and Leon Ellman's Vow Me Now, a stakes-winning son of Broken Vow trained by Eddie Plesa Jr.; are also entered in the Emerald.

Call Curt, Go Mike, Kitten's Spa, Surf and Turf and Viski Jones round out the 14-horse field.

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All Three Stakes Winners Doing Well After Saturday Scores

The three stakes-winning horses from Saturday at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif., showed no ill effects from their efforts and will be given some well-earned rest before “to be determined” next assignments.

Taken in order in which they were achieved:

Three Diamond Farm's Field Pass, a 4-year-old son of Lemon Drop Kid, recorded career win number eight in his 23rd career start in the $250,000 Grade 2 Seabiscuit Handicap and the $150,000 winner's share of the purse boosted his career earnings to $913,143. Nolan Ramsey is trainer Mike Maker's assistant in charge of West Coast operations.

“Everybody's happy for the horse,” Ramsey said this morning. “He's a hard-trying horse and it's nice to see him punch his ticket. As far as what's next, the San Gabriel at Santa Anita (Park in Arcadia, Calif.) is an option but we have options back east as well.

“As of right now, he's booked on a flight to go back east Tuesday, but we'll find out today what we're going to do.”

The win by Tezzaray in the $100,000 G3 Jimmy Durante was the second in as many starts for trainer Peter Miller since being imported from England last summer. Ruben Alvarado, who is taking over as Miller takes a step back from training, said all three of the stable's Durante entrants – Liam's Dove (5th) and Travel Smart (6th), in addition to Tezzaray, were fine.

“I thought all three of my fillies ran very well and were given great rides,” Miller said after the race. “It's nice to win a stakes race on the way out.”

Trainer John Shirreffs said by text that Beyond Brilliant, winner of the $400,000 G1 Hollywood Derby was looking very good Sunday morning. “He had his head out waiting for his early morning feed. That's always a good sign.”

It was the third victory in nine starts for Beyond Brilliant, owned by the C R K Stable of Lee and Susan Searing of Arcadia. The $240,000 winner's share of the purse, earned via a masterful wire-to-wire guidance by Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux, raised the son of Twirling Candy's earnings to $381,280.

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Field Pass Holds Off Sacred Life To Take Seabiscuit At Del Mar

After making a bold move circling the field on the backstretch, Field Pass took the lead around the far turn and held off rallying Sacred Life and Indian Peak to take the Grade 2 Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

With early fractions of :23.77 and :48.19 from front runner Lambeau, jockey Umberto Rispoli moved Field Pass from fourth to confront the leader and second-place Bob and Jackie around the far turn. Entering the stretch, those two fell back, leaving Field Pass to take over the lead. On his outside were Sacred Life and Indian Peak driving down the center of the track, making up ground late.

At the wire, Field Pass was able to keep a head in front of Sacred Life, with Indian Peak three-quarters of a length back in third. Majestic Eagle, Flop Shot, Bob and Jackie, and Lambeau rounded out the order of finish.

The final time for the 1 1/16 miles was 1:41.85. Find this race's chart here.

Field Pass paid $9.00, $3.40, and $3.00. Sacred Life paid $2.80 and $2.20. Indian Peak paid $6.20.

“I didn't want to stop the stride of my horse. (He made an early run when he cut his mount loose in the middle of the backstretch.) He was running happy and I was happy, too. He fought hard late and we got there first.” Umberto Rispoli said after the Seabiscuit.

“He (Rispoli) made that move yesterday (winning) on Red Storm Risen and they went 48 to the half so I figured clearly he knew more than I did. He's one of those horses that once you make the move there's no turning back. He's a classy horse who has gotten the job done in a lot of places and I'm very proud of him,” Nolan Ramsey, assistant to Mike Maker, said after the race.

Bred in Maryland by Mark Brown Grier, Field Pass is by Lemon Drop Kid out of the Runaway Groom mare Only Me. He is owned by Three Diamonds Farm and trained by Mike Maker. Consigned by Becky Davis, the 4-year-old colt was sold to Owls Bloodstock for $37,000 at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Midatlantic Eastern Fall Yearling Sale. With his win in the G2 Seabiscuit, Field Pass has two wins in seven starts in 2021 for a lifetime record of eight wins in 23 starts and career earnings of $913,143.

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Crazy Beautiful Headlines Field Of Eight For Friday’s Comely At Aqueduct

Multiple graded stakes-winning Crazy Beautiful made an impressive seasonal turf debut last out but will return to more familiar surroundings on a dirt track as part of an eight-horse field of 3-year-olds fillies competing at 1 1/8 miles in the $200,000 Grade 3 Comely on Friday at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Crazy Beautiful, owned by Phoenix Thoroughbred III, had racked up all five of her stakes wins on dirt before trainer Kenny McPeek moved the Liam's Map daughter back to turf for the first time since her successful career debut in July 2020. Crazy Beautiful ran a competitive second, finishing one length behind winner Navratilova, in the 1 1/16-mile G3 Valley View on October at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky.

After posting three graded stakes wins in 1 1/16-mile main track races earlier this campaign – capturing the G2 Gulfstream Park Oaks in March, the G2 Summer Oaks in May at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., and the Grade 3 Delaware Oaks in July at Delaware Park in Wilmington, Del., – McPeek said the return foray to grass was prompted by scheduling limitations more than a desire to deviate from what had been a successful sophomore blueprint for the Kentucky bred.

“There weren't any options for straight 3-year-old fillies at the time,” McPeek said. “She was doing well and she continues to do well after her last start. It looks like the Comely will be a good spot for her.”

Crazy Beautiful has compiled a 4-2-0 record in eight starts in 2021. Her only off-the-board efforts have come against top-flight competition, with a 10th in the G1 Kentucky Oaks on the eve of the Kentucky Derby on April 30 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., and a sixth-place showing in the G1 Alabama in August at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

McPeek said the 72nd edition of the nine-furlong Comely could facilitate a start in the $300,000 G1 American Oaks on the grass that is slated for Opening Day of Santa Anita's winter/spring meet on December 26.

“The goal is to get her to the American Oaks at the end of the year,” he said. “The Valley View gave me a test drive that she can handle the turf just fine. She's shown previously that she can run on anything.”

Jockey Kendrick Carmouche will ride Crazy Beautiful for the first time, breaking from post 4.

Three Diamond Farm's Army Wife has finished in the money in each of her last eight starts dating to October 2020 for trainer Mike Maker. The Declaration of War filly won the prestigious G2 Black-Eyed Susan on the eve of the Preakness at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md., before posting a 3 3/4-length score in the G3 Iowa Stakes in July at Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Iowa.

Elevated to G1 levels, Army Wife held her own, earning black type twice, starting with a third-place effort behind Clairiere and winner Malathaat in the Alabama before garnering another third in the Cotillion behind Obligatory and a winning Clairirere in September at Parx Racing in Bensalem, Penn.

Army Wife, 4-1-1 in 11 career starts, will see rider Luis Saez in the irons from post 6.

Victories in her last four starts – and five wins in her last six races – has earned Vegas Weekend a seat at a higher stakes table as she makes her first stakes appearance in her 12th career start.

Trained by Rob Atras, the Mineshaft filly has won at distances ranging from 6 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/8 miles, which she accomplished in an off-the-turf claiming contest in August at the Spa.

Claimed for $50,000 out of a win traveling nine furlongs on August 19 at Saratoga, Vegas Weekend bested optional claimers by three-quarters of a length off the layoff going seven furlongs on November 12 at the Big A.

Atras said he wasn't worried about the cut back in distance last out in Vegas Weekend's first start for new connections.

“When she won the mile and an eighth, we were hoping to keep her going further but when she works in the morning she shows a pretty good turn-of-foot,” Atras said. “I wasn't worried about running her seven-eighths.”

Owned by Sanford Goldfarb, Alan Khan, and Koshanostra Stables, Vegas Weekend seems ready to wheel back after another positive effort, her conditioner said.

“I think having that race is good for her,” Atras said. “It's a little bit quick back, but she's a nice, sound filly and she came out of the race good.”

Manny Franco will ride from the outermost post.

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Rigney Racing's Played Hard, fifth in the Alabama over the summer going 1 1/4 miles, garnered a personal-best 91 Beyer Speed Figure for her runner-up effort last out to fellow Comely contender Crazy Beautiful in the 1 1/16-mile Seneca in October at Churchill.

Trained by Phil Bauer, Played Hard will be making her Aqueduct debut, breaking from post 5 with Martin Garcia aboard.

Rounding out the field is Shalimar Gardens, owned by Barry Schwartz, who was fourth in her stakes debut in the Grade 2 Raven Run last out in October at Keeneland for trainer Horacio DePaz [post 3, Hall of Famer John Velazquez]; Bees and Honey, making her stakes bow in her fifth career start for trainer J. Reeve McGaughey [post 7, Jose Lezcano]; Hybrid Eclipse, fourth in the Grade 3 Delaware Oaks, for trainer Linda Rice [post 1, Dylan Davis]; and Ninetypercentbrynn, who will be seeking her first stakes win in her first graded stakes appearance for trainer Butch Reid [post 2, Eric Cancel].

The Comely is slated as Race 9 on the 10-race card with a post time of 3:43 p.m. Eastern. First post is 11:50 a.m.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the fall meet at Aqueduct Racetrack on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the fall meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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