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Graded-Placed Juvenile County Final Tops Modified Fasig-Tipton July Horses Of Racing Age Sale

Live auction action returned to Kentucky on July 13 with a robust renewal of the Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Age sale at Newtown Paddocks in Lexington.

Conducted as an open sale for the first time, the sale was modified to serve an industry that has been balancing limited racing and sales opportunities since March. All horses offered were on the sales grounds, and buyers had the option to bid in-person, on the phone, or via the new online auction tool.

Graded stakes-placed juvenile County Final topped the sale when sold for $475,000 to West Point Thoroughbreds, L.E.B., agent.

The gray or roan colt by Preakness Stakes winner Oxbow was consigned as Hip 166 by John Ennis Training, agent. The sale-topper broke his maiden on debut going 5 1/2 furlongs on the Churchill Downs turf on June 5, wiring a field of straight maidens to win by four lengths. He followed up that effort with a second-place finish in the Grade 3 Bashford Manor Stakes on June 27, this time going six furlongs on the Churchill Downs main track.

County Final earned $65,000 in his first two starts for owner-train John Ennis and owners Hayden Noriega, and 47 Roses LLC. The colt is a half-brother to two other winners out of the multiple stakes winning Tapit mare Tapajo, from the immediate family of Grade 1 winner Currency Swap.

Per Capita, a winning 4-year-old colt by Tapit, sold for $325,000 to Red Oak Stable, agent for Rick Sacco, to become the sale's second-most expensive offering.

Offered as Hip 85 by Gainesway, agent, Per Capita was a winner last out, breaking his maiden going a mile on the dirt at Churchill Downs on May 24. The colt won once in four starts for owners Peter M. Brant and Gainesway Stable and trainer Chad Brown, earning $65,150.

Per Capita is out of the graded stakes winning Orientate mare Successful Outlook, making him a half-brother to Grade 1 winner Sweet Lulu and a full brother to Grade 2 winner Anchor Down and Grade 3 winner Iron Fist.

The session's top filly came in the form of recent G3 Indiana Oaks runner-up Impeccable Style, who was purchased for $275,000 by Bradley Thoroughbreds, agent.

The 3-year-old winning daughter of Uncle Mo was offered as Hip 53 by Gainesway. The dark bay or brown filly broke her maiden on her second try last year at two at Churchill Downs and was most recently second in the Indiana Oaks on July 8 at Indiana Grand. Impeccable Style has won or placed in four of six career starts to date for Gainesway Stable, Catalyst Stable, Paul McInnis, Patty Slevin, and Magdalena Racing and trainer Kenny McPeek, with earnings of $134,912.

Overall, 81 horses changed hands for a total of $5,072,000. The average was $62,617 and the median was $30,000.

Results are available online.

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Turf Veteran Zulu Alpha Closes Out Keeneland Summer Meet With Elkhorn Win

Michael Hui's even-money favorite Zulu Alpha surged past longshot pacesetter Postulation in deep stretch by three-quarters of a length to win Sunday afternoon's 35th running of the $175,000 TVG Elkhorn (G2) for 4-year-olds and up in the final race of the five-day Keeneland Summer Meet in Lexington, Ky.

Trained by Mike Maker and ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, Zulu Alpha completed the 1 1/2 miles on a turf course rated as good in 2:30.82. The victory secured the Summer Meet riding title for Gaffalione with seven wins and gave Maker three winners on the afternoon, including the Kentucky Utilities Transylvania (G3) two races prior with Field Pass.

It was the fourth Elkhorn victory for Maker, who won last year with Bigger Picture with Gaffalione aboard, in 2016 with Da Big Hoss and 2013 with Dark Cove.

Postulation led the field of 11 through unopposed fractions of :25.56, :52.02, 1:18.14 and 1:43.20 as Zulu Alpha raced back in ninth.

Gaffalione began to pick off horses on the far turn and then swung six wide in the stretch for clear sailing at Postulation, who did not give way until inside the sixteenth pole.

The victory was worth $105,000 and improved Zulu Alpha's career earnings to $2,165,114 with a record of 34-12-5-5. Sunday's triumph was the seventh graded stakes victory for Zulu Alpha, who also won the 2018 Sycamore (G3) at Keeneland.

Zulu Alpha is a 7-year-old Kentucky-bred gelded son of Street Cry (IRE) out of the A.P. Indy mare Zori. He paid $4, $2.80 and $2.60. Postulation, ridden by Julien Leparoux, returned $22 and $11.40 and finished 1¼ lengths front of Nakamura, who paid $6.20 to show under John Velazquez.

Jais's Solitude finished another 1¼ lengths back in fourth and was followed in order by Ry's the Guy, Arklow, Oscar Dominguez (IRE), He's No Lemon, Apreciado, Henley's Joy and Hellorhighwater.

TVG Elkhorn Quotes
Tyler Gaffalione: “(Being the Summer Meet's leading rider) feels amazing. I'm so glad to be getting the opportunities that I've been getting.”

How straightforward is Zula Alpha to ride? “He's as easy as they come. He just drops his head and you let him do his thing. He knows where the wire is. He's got some turn of foot.”

Is this one of the more impressive wins that he's had? “He's just keeps getting better and better throughout the year. All credit goes to (trainer) Mike (Maker) and his team. I'm just blessed to be part of it.”

Mike Maker: “After Gulfstream (where he won the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational-G1 and Mac Diarmida-G2 and was second in the Kitten's Joy Pan American-G2), we sent him to the farm again. We got delayed with the virus. Going a mile and a half, you're always a little bit concerned. But even I can't mess this one up.”

What do you map out between now and the fall? “Beginning of the year, our plans got changed a little bit because of the virus. But it was Kentucky Downs and then the Breeders' Cup (at Keeneland).”

Michael Matz, trainer of runner-up Postulation: “We're quite proud of him the way he ran. He's been off for almost seven months. He's no spring chicken, so we were really pleased the way he ran today. It was a shame he couldn't last (on the lead) a little longer, but that's what happens. Sometimes you get beat. But we were really proud of him. He tried hard and didn't give up the whole way. We were pleased with his effort. He's been a good horse for us. He always tries and he does what he can do. That's all you can ask of a horse.”

Graham Motion, trainer of third-place finisher Nakamura: “I was very pleased with the race for him coming off that (eight-month layoff). He is very competitive with these types of horses. He ran like he was fit enough. The (very slow) pace probably did not help us, but winner came from about where we were.”

On Nakamura's next race: “Possibly the Bowling Green (G2) at Saratoga (on Aug. 1) would be an option for sure. (The Breeders' Cup at Keeneland) would be ambitious at this staloage, but never say never. I love the Breeders' Cup.”

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Breeders’ Cup Presents Connections: ‘I’ve Always Thought He Was A Star’

Trainer George Weaver has long believed that Vekoma is capable of big things on the racetrack. The 4-year-old son of Candy Ride has delivered on that faith in a major way this season, earning back-to-back Grade 1 victories in the seven-furlong Carter Handicap and last Saturday's Runhappy Metropolitan Mile Handicap.

Vekoma defeated Network Effect and Code of Honor by 1 ¼ lengths in the Met Mile, leading throughout the one-mile contest.

“I actually did think he could be on the lead,” Weaver said after the race. “I thought we had the most natural speed of the horses in the race. I knew the outside horses liked to show speed, but at the end of the day I thought if we broke well, they might just be caught chasing. When I talked to Javier in the paddock, he was non-committal, and I said the whole time that I know Javier understands this horse and feels what he can and can't do, and I left it in his hands.

“At the quarter pole, it seemed like all comers were coming and I thought 'Man, does he have anything left in the tank or not?' When they got to the eighth pole and I saw him rebreak and keep going, I got excited. It was fun.”

The big wins have increased Vekoma's career earnings to $1,245,525, making him Weaver's highest earner since the trainer took out his license in 2002.

“I was so proud of him,” said Weaver. “Physically he's matured and filled out, and I really couldn't be any happier with him.”

The Met Mile was Weaver's fourth top-level win as a trainer, following Saratoga County's win in the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen in 2005 and Lighthouse Bay's win in the Grade 1 Prioress in 2013.

Still, the Louisville native grew up with dreams of the Kentucky Derby. He made his inaugural Run for the Roses in 2015 with Tencendur, but that horse faded to finish 17th.

Early last year, Weaver had gotten excited that Vekoma might give him a stronger chance in a second trip to the Derby. The colt won the G2 Nashua as a juvenile, and made his 3-year-old debut a third-place finish in the G2 Fountain of Youth Stakes. In April, Vekoma dominated the G2 Blue Grass Stakes by 3 ½ lengths, securing his spot in the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby.

Unfortunately, Vekoma disappointed on the day, up close early and fading to finish 12th, and the colt was sent to the farm for a break that lasted the remainder of 2019.

“He did not perform well on Derby day, and I don't know if it was the (sloppy) track or if it just wasn't his day,” Weaver said. “He's a terrifically talented racehorse, and I've always thought he was a star. Obviously, we were hoping to do better in the Derby, but history shows that a lot of really nice horses don't run well on the first Saturday in May.”

Bringing the colt back to the races involved a lot of dedication from both Weaver and his wife and business partner, Cindy Hutter. The couple first met in 1991 when they were employed by D. Wayne Lukas, but didn't date until they both made the move to trainer Todd Pletcher's team.

Pletcher, also employed by Lukas early in his career, left the Hall of Famer to go out on his own in 1996, and Hutter went along as his assistant. Weaver made the move to Pletcher's barn in 1997, but as assistant trainers, he and Hutter had to work at separate locations for much of the year.

In 2002, the couple made the decision to stick together and work for themselves.

“We decided to make a go of it and do everything all at once,” Weaver explained. “We went into business for ourselves, we bought a house, had a kid; we didn't hold back and did it all at once.”

Today, 18 years later, Hutter is very hands-on with the horses while Weaver is able to handle many of the business aspects like communicating with owners and planning races.

When it came time to bring Vekoma back to the races early in 2020, Hutter was on the talented colt's back nearly every morning.

“She's gotten on him most of his career,” Weaver said. “I have confidence when she tells me they're doing well. She's a great horseperson and knows our horses very well.”

In late March, Vekoma made his first start off a nine-month layoff a winning one in Gulfstream's listed Sir Shackleton Stakes, dominating the seven furlong-contest by 3 ¾ lengths. Though his next start was delayed a bit by the coronavirus pandemic, Vekoma didn't miss a beat and celebrated his first Grade 1 win with an impressive romp in the Carter Handicap, a Win and You're In Challenge Series race for the Breeders' Cup.

With a 7 ¼-length win and a final time of 1:21.02 for seven furlongs, Vekoma earned an automatic entry into the Breeders' Cup Sprint. The Met Mile win earned the colt a slot in the Dirt Mile, so there are plenty of options leading up to this year's World Championships.

“Nothing's written in stone, but we'll probably focus on a mile or under going forward,” Weaver said. “We're going to nominate to the Whitney for sure, but he's run two huge races back-to-back. The most likely scenario, to me, is that he would come back in a race like the Forego. We want to plot a campaign to get us to the Breeders' Cup, so we'll take a look at the calendar and go from there.”

“I think he's the best older horse in the country,” co-owner Randy Hill told NYRA publicity. “The horse will tell us. He's such a warrior.”

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Spectator-Free Saratoga Meet Kicks Off Thursday With Peter Pan Stakes, Offering Kentucky Derby Points

Pam and Martin Wygod's Grade 2-winner Modernist will headline the 66th renewal of the Grade 3, $100,000 Peter Pan, a nine-furlong test for sophomores slated for Thursday, Opening Day of the Saratoga Race Course summer meet in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

The 2020 Saratoga summer meet will begin on Thursday, July 16, and run through Labor Day, Monday, September 7. Following the four-day opening weekend, live racing will be conducted five days a week, Wednesdays through Sundays.

Under current New York State guidelines, Saratoga will open without spectators in attendance. The 40-day meet will be highlighted by the 151st renewal of the Grade 1, $1 million Runhappy Travers on Saturday, August 8 and the Grade 1, $750,000 Whitney on Saturday, August 1.

Last out, with jockey Junior Alvarado up, Modernist was brushed at the start and failed to fire when off-the-board in the nine-furlong Grade 1 Belmont Stakes.

“A mile and an eighth is a good distance for him, but I think last time only going one turn he was a little confused and he was switching his leads back and forth in the race,” said Alvarado. “I think that threw him off his game. Going back to two turns and a little bit of an easier group this time, he should be very competitive.”

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Modernist graduated in January at the Big A and followed up with a prominent score from the inside post in a division of the Grade 2 Risen Star in February at Fair Grounds. The dark bay Uncle Mo colt, a Kentucky homebred, exited the outside post in the 14-horse Grade 2 Louisiana Derby in March at Fair Grounds en route to a solid third.

Modernist breezed a half-mile in 49.34 seconds on July 5 on Belmont's dirt training track in preparation for the Peter Pan, which is traditionally run at Belmont as a key prep race for the Belmont Stakes.

Alvarado said a return to a more prominent running style that was effective at Fair Grounds is likely in the cards on Thursday for Modernist.

“I think he likes when you're aggressive with him and he gets to sit one-two and be more of a game horse,” said Alvarado. “He gives you more of a fight when he's near the lead. I'm hoping we can get him back in the form he showed at Fair Grounds.”

This year's renewal of the Peter Pan will offer 50-20-10-5 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-four finishers. Modernist is currently sixth on the leaderboard with 70 points.

Alvarado will guide Modernist from post 3.

Godolphin homebred Mystic Guide, a Ghostzapper chestnut out of multiple Group 1-winner Music Note, will make his stakes debut for trainer Mike Stidham.

Mystic Guide made his first two starts at Fair Grounds, including a debut third in a six-furlong sprint in February ahead of a five-length maiden score when travelling 1 1/16-miles on March 21.

He finished a closing second last out in a June 4 Belmont allowance contest at 1 1/16-miles won by Tap It to Win, who exited that effort to run fifth in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes.

Stidham said the lightly raced colt, who earned a career-best 89 Beyer Speed Figure at Belmont, will appreciate the stretch out in distance in his first start at Saratoga.

“We knew going in we were at a little disadvantage. Our horse is more of a two-turn, mile and an eighth type horse than a one-turn horse,” said Stidham. “The horse that won stole away on the lead and we kicked in late. We were making up ground at the end and he galloped out real big.

“We were pleased with his effort given that a one-turn mile and a sixteenth isn't really his cup of tea,” added Stidham. “I think the extra distance gives him a better chance. He doesn't come from too far back, but he has a good run when he kicks into gear and I think the Saratoga course will suit him well finishing how he does.”

The improving colt breezed a half-mile solo in 48.80 on the Fair Hill dirt Saturday in preparation for his second start off the layoff.

“The track was wet but he got over it well and handled it well,” said Stidham. “He went real comfortable with a good gallop out. I was very pleased with the work.”

Jose Ortiz will ride Mystic Guide for the first time from post 6.

“Jose rides Saratoga well and we we're looking to have a top rider that knows the course,” said Stidham.

Todd Pletcher will saddle Mathis Stable's Candy Tycoon as the bay son of Twirling Candy makes a return to graded-stakes action. Last out, Candy Tycoon finished second in a May 2 optional-claiming tilt at Oaklawn Park won by Rushie, who came back to finish third in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby with a 97 Beyer.

A maiden winner in January at Gulfstream Park, Candy Tycoon was second in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth in February and a troubled sixth in the Grade 1 Florida Derby, both at the Hallandale oval.

Candy Tycoon will exit post 5 under Hall of Famer John Velazquez, a two-time Peter Pan winner.

Imperial Racing's Celtic Striker, a bay son of Congrats purchased for $100,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, will aim for a first graded-stakes win.

Trained by Ray Handal and bred in Kentucky by Stoneview Farm and Craig D. Upham, Celtic Striker was a frontrunning 19 3/4-length winner last out on June 25 at Belmont in the 1 1/16-mile Easy Goer, which was reduced via scratches to a match race with Sonneman.

Manny Franco will retain the mount on the three-time winner from post 4.

Global Thoroughbred and Top Racing's Caracaro earned a lofty 92 Beyer when graduating at second asking on January 11 in a Gulfstream Park maiden. Trained by Gustavo Delgado, the Uncle Mo bay was a $95,000 purchase at the 2017 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.

He has trained at Gulfstream Park West for his return to action and will be piloted by Hall of Famer Javier Castellano from post 7.

Paul Pompa, Jr.'s Country Grammer, a Tonalist bay trained by four-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown, graduated at second asking in a nine-furlong maiden tilt at the Big A. Country Grammer lost his footing at the start of the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth where he made a wide bid for fifth. Last out, off a more than three-month layoff, he finished third behind Tapit It to Win and Peter Pan-rival Mystic Guide in the June 4 allowance tilt at Belmont.

Country Grammer will emerge from post 2 under Irad Ortiz, Jr.

Rounding out the field are Mo Hawk, a $925,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase trained by Rodolphe Brissett and to be piloted by Joel Rosario from the inside post ; New York-bred Chestertown, a $2 million purchase at the March 2019 OBS 2-Year-Olds In Training Sale trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, will exit post 8 under Ricardo Santana, Jr.; and Katazarelli, a two-time winner, will leave post 9 under Dylan Davis for trainer Tom Amoss.

The Peter Pan is slated as Race 9 on Thursday's 10-race card, which offers a first post of 1:10 p.m. Eastern. Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the 40-day summer meet on FOX Sports and MSG Networks. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Saratoga Race Course, and the best way to bet every race of the 40-day summer meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, NYRA Bets is currently offering a $200 new member bonus in addition to a host of special weekly offers. The NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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