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Mo Mosa Wins Steve Sexton Mile For First Graded Stakes Triumph

Coming off a stakes win on the bullring at Fonner Park, Perry and Denise Martin's homebred Uncle Mo colt Mo Mosa found a muddy track to his liking at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas, on Monday night, coming from just off the pace to win the Grade 3, $400,000 Steve Sexton Mile Stakes by 3 1/2 lengths.

Ridden by Ramon Vazquez for trainer Michael Maker, Mo Mosa was clocked in 1:37.15 for the mile and paid $48.60 as the second longest shot in the field of seven older runners.

Multiple graded stakes-winning sprinter C Z Rocket, sent to Lone Star by trainer Peter Miller, finished second as the 8-5 favorite, with Silver Prospector finishing third and Hunka Burning Love, who set the pace for the first six furlongs, fourth. Sheriff Brown, Warrior's Charge (the 9-5 second choice compromised by a very slow start) and Harvey Wallbanger completed the order of finish. By My Standards was scratched.

David Cabrera, the rider of Hunka Burning Love, claimed foul against C Z Rocket alleging stretch interference, but stewards allowed the original order of finish to stand.

Hunka Burning Love raced off to the early lead, opening up two lengths after a quarter mile clocked in :24.70. C Z Rocket applied pressure to his outside through a half-mile in :47.83, and that pair was joined further to the outside by Mo Mosa around the far turn, the six furlongs timed in 1:11.55.

Under strong urging from Vazquez, Mo Mosa poked his head in front with a furlong remaining (the seven-furlong fraction was 1:23.95), then widened the advantage down the stretch.

The win was the fourth in 16 career starts for Mo Mosa, who was produced from the Eskendereya mare Roughing. Second in the G3 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park last year, the colt's only previous stakes win came in the Bosselman Pump and Pantry/Gus Fonner Stakes on April 24.

The race, formerly the Texas Mile, was renamed in 2017 to honor the memory of the late Steve Sexton, the respected racing executive who was part of the management team when Lone Star Park opened in 1997.

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Former Illinois Governor Sounds Off On Intended Sale Of Arlington Park

Former Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar, a horse owner-breeder and racing enthusiast, has called on current Gov. J.B. Pritzker to use his influence to stop Arlington Park in Arlington Heights from being sold for development by its owner, the publicly traded Churchill Downs Inc.

Edgar's comments, made to DailyHerald.com, came after the suburban newspaper's editorial board similarly called for Prizker's involvement in preventing the closure of Arlington Park. “If he showed true interest in saving Arlington Park, it would be saved,” the editorial said of Pritzker.

“Churchill Downs has shown a willingness to exert great force and influence to control the conduct of racing and gaming in Illinois,” the editorial stated. “An equal show of resolve now from the governor could be the right thing for the many communities and interests that have relied on Arlington Park for so long.”

In his comments to the paper, Edgar suggested that Pritzker has leverage in the awarding of additional casino licenses Churchill Downs is seeking in Waukegan and downtown Chicago.

“When you're giving out (casino) licenses, you've got to think what's in the best interest of the state,” Edgar said. “And if an entity has not really done what's in the best interest of the state, I'm not sure why you'd continue to give them more licenses.”

Edgar told DailyHerald.com he got to know Pritzker when both served on the board of directors of the advance deposit wagering company Youbet.com in 2007. Pritzker's investment company was reported to be Youbet's largest shareholder. Churchill Downs acquired Youbet in 2009.

Arlington Herald editorial

Former Gov. Edgar's comments

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Cox: Belmont Stakes Triumph Can Add To Essential Quality’s Legacy

The last few years have brought trainer Brad Cox to new heights of the sport. Cox has saddled multiple high-quality graded stakes winners, with Essential Quality among his highlights. The Tapit colt will look to add to that legacy and give Cox his first win in a Triple Crown race when he competes in Saturday's Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

The Belmont Stakes Racing Festival runs from Thursday, June 3, through Saturday, June 5, and is headlined by the 153rd running of the Belmont Stakes. The festival will encompass 17 total stakes, including eight Grade 1s on Belmont Stakes Day, capped by the “Test of the Champion” for 3-year-olds in the 1 1/2-mile final leg of the Triple Crown.

A potential favorite for the Belmont, Essential Quality started his career 5-for-5 before running a competitive fourth last out in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, finishing just one length back to winner Medina Spirit in the 1 1/4-mile first leg of the Triple Crown.

The Godolphin homebred earned the Eclipse Award for champion 2-year-old after winning the G1 Breeders' Futurity in October at Keeneland and followed with a victory in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile over fellow Belmont Stakes-contender Hot Rod Charlie.

Essential Quality was one of four Breeders' Cup winners for Cox in 2020, with Monomoy Girl [Distaff], Knicks Go [Dirt Mile] and Aunt Peal [Juvenile Fillies Turf] also getting their picture taken. That successful weekend at Keeneland helped earn Cox his first career Eclipse Award for Outstanding Trainer.

“This horse has put us in this position and we feel very fortunate to be a part of it,” Cox said. “He's accomplished so much already, being a champion 2-year-old. But at some point, he'll be retired to stud and it's our job now to continue to add to his legacy. A Grade 1 win at 3 is going to be huge for this horse and we're hopeful it can happen in the Belmont.”

Cox will be saddling his first contender in a Belmont Stakes, which this year returns to its famed 1 1/2-mile distance. He has come close to winning an American Classic twice, with Owendale running third in the 2019 Preakness and Mandaloun finishing second, just a half-length back to Medina Spirit, in the Kentucky Derby earlier this month. Mandaloun will not be part of the Belmont Stakes field, but Essential Quality, with earnings of more than $2.4 million through six starts, gives his conditioner a formidable contender.

“It's a great feeling to be in this position and have a realistic shot,” Cox said. “He gives us a fantastic opportunity on Saturday.”

Essential Quality is expected to arrive at Belmont on Tuesday morning. The Kentucky bred breezed five furlongs in 59.40 seconds on Saturday over the Churchill Downs main track. That bullet work was in company with 4-year-old filly Bonny South, who will also be shipping to New York to run in the Grade 1, $500,000 Ogden Phipps going 1 1/16 miles on Belmont Stakes Day as part of a “Win and You're In” Breeders' Cup qualifier for the Distaff.

“He had a great work Saturday and looked great Sunday morning,” Cox said. “He'll ship Monday afternoon. But he breezed great and we're going in the right direction.”

Essential Quality has improved his Beyer Speed Figures in each of his six starts, culminating with his first triple-digit number when earning a 100 for his “Run for the Roses” performance.

Other expected contenders for Cox on a loaded 13-race Saturday card that will feature nine graded stakes and eight G1 contests will be Shedaresthedevil, who is also targeting the Ogden Phipps; Knicks Go for the G1, $1 million Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan that's a “Win and You're In” qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile; two-time G2 winner Travel Column for the G1, $500,000 Acorn for sophomore fillies going a one-turn mile; and Caddo River, fresh off the Triple Crown trail, shortening to seven furlongs for the G1, $400,000 Woody Stephens presented by Nassau County Industrial Development Agency.

Cox will also send out Kinenos for the two-mile G2, $500,000 Belmont Gold Cup for 4-year-olds and up on the Widener turf course on Friday.

For information and details on Belmont Stakes Racing Festival hospitality offerings, ticket packages and pricing, visit BelmontStakes.com. For full terms and conditions, visit https://www.belmontstakes.com/tickets.

For comprehensive information on health and safety protocols in effect for the Belmont Park spring/summer meet, please visit: https://www.nyra.com/belmont/visit/plan-your-visit.

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Magic On Tap Holds Off Shooters Shoot In Triple Bend

With his well-fancied stablemate empty a furlong from home, Bob Baffert's Magic On Tap rallied three-deep to take Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Triple Bend Stakes by two lengths at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Ridden for the first time by Juan Hernandez, who collected his second consecutive stakes win on the day, Magic On Tap got seven furlongs in 1:23.54.

As expected, Baffert's Eight Rings, a Grade 1 stakes winner at age 2 and idle since Aug. 1, rocketed out of the gate under Flavien Prat, but was soon headed by Lambeau, who broke from post two with Edwin Maldonado.

This pair raced as a team into and around the far turn, with Magic On Tap sitting third, about a length off the lead a quarter mile out. From there, Lambeau dropped back at the rail and despite the fact he remained on his left lead, Magic On Tap gained the advantage in mid-stretch and went on to an impressive win in his sixth career start.

“My horse, he helped me a lot, he broke really sharp and I was behind the speed all the race then when I hit the quarter pole, I asked him to go and he responded really well,” said Hernandez, who was aboard for the first time today. “It looked like he was playing, he was looking around. He never changed leads. I asked him a couple of times and he didn't want to do it, so I let him alone because he kept running. It didn't matter if he changed leads or not, he just kept going.”

A 5-year-old full horse by Tapit, out of the Street Sense mare Aubby K, Magic On Tap, who is owned and bred in Kentucky by Summer Wind Equine, cut back in distance following a 23 ¾ length defeat in the G2 Californian Stakes going 1 1/8 miles at Santa Anita on April 17 and paid $13.20, $6.00 and $3.00 while off at 5-1 in a field of five older horses.

With his first stakes win in-hand, Magic On Tap banked $120,000 for his efforts and improved his overall mark to 6-3-2-0 while boosting his earnings to $228,800.

“I was afraid of a speed duel, where we would wear each other out,” said Baffert. “Eight Rings was coming off a layoff, so with fractions like that, it was crazy. I threw the other horse (Magic On Tap) in there. I was looking for an allowance race for the horse and then I decided to throw him into the stakes race.

“He is bred to be a good one. It was good to get a stakes win for him after he disappointed in the Californian. He is still a little green, but he has been working really well. I was disappointed for Eight Rings, but you gotta get the trip. I thought we could run one-two today.”

Trained by Peter Eurton and ridden by Umberto Rispoli, Shooters Shoot rallied from last to finish second at odds of 5-1 and paid $5.40 and $2.80 while finishing 1 ¾ lengths in front of Exaulted.

The second choice at 2-1 with Abel Cedillo, Exaulted paid $2.20 and finished 2 ¾ lengths in front of 8-5 favorite Eight Rings.

Fractions on the race were 22.10, 45.03 and 1:10.14.

(Hernandez won the previous race, the Grade II Charles Whittingham Stakes, with the David Hofmans-trained Award Winner).

First post time for a nine-race card on Sunday is at 1 p.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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