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Blowout Scores Front-Running Victory In Churchill Distaff Turf Mile

In each of her last seven starts, Chad Brown-trained Blowout was in front in the early stages of her races, so it was not surprising to see jockey Flavien Prat put Peter Brant's 5-year-old Dansili mare in front when the field raced past the Churchill Downs grandstand for the first time in Saturday's Grade 2 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile in Louisville, Ky.

When the field reached the far turn, with about three-eights of a mile to run, Blowout had opened a commanding lead of about eight lengths. It wasn't insurmountable, however, as the field began to close in on Blowout at the top of the stretch. New York Girl and Abscond looked as though they might run past the front-runner, and then New York Girl came flying late.

But Prat had just enough horsepower left to get to the finish in front with Blowout, crossing the wire with a half-length to spare in 1:36.30 for the one mile on firm turf. The fractions were :24.28, :48.39, 1:12.99 and 1:24.71. Irish-bred New York Girl, trained by Bill Mott and ridden by John Velazquez, finished second, a head in front of Brendan Walsh-trained Zofelle, ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., The latter nosed out Abscond, who finished fourth, with Got Storm fifth and She's Got You sixth. Jakarta was scratched.

Sent off as the 9-5 favorite, Blowout paid $5.80 for the win.

“She was running so easy up front and I thought the times were not that fast, so I was very happy,” said Prat. “Then when we came to the eighth pole, they all came after me and it looked like they might go by. But when she saw them, she regrouped and fired up again and we won it.”

Bred in England by the Wildenstein family's Dayton Investments Ltd., Blowout was produced from Deep Impact mare Beauty Parlour, winner of the 2012 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French 1,000 Guineas). She was purchased by Brant as a foal in Ireland at the Goffs November Sale in 2016.

“She has a tendency to wait on horses and we preferred to have a target but when the 1 scratched she found herself on the lead,” said Brown. “I thought Flavien did an excellent job settling her down, as you can see, she can be a little difficult to handle. I thought once they turned for home they were going to close in again and she was going to wait for horses but he said when she had the horses behind her, she kicked in again, thankfully. It's very rare for me (to have a horse build a big lead), as you know a lot of my horses come from off the pace but we learned with this horse to let her do her thing and that's where she wants to be. Mr. Brant was really determined to get a Grade 1 with her, it's a wonderful family; he owns the mother. She was so close in the Matriarch and she did what Blowout does when she makes the lead, she waits on horses. A lot of her defeats are not due to fatigue it's that she likes to wait on horses. She can be difficult; she wants to be forward, and she pulls, but she's actually better with a target. And it's hard to find two-turn races for her with a target because she's so fast. She had it momentarily in the Matriarch but when she surged to the lead, she lost it and waited. I thought that might happen today turning for home; as easy as the fractions were for her, :48, you'd think she'd be gone, and sure enough they closed in on her because she will wait for horses. I thought they'd (the others) be a little closer than that. I was surprised with how far in front she was at one point. But guided by the fractions, looking at it, from a stamina point there was no issue. At that point it was mental. She'll be heading to the Just a Game at Belmont next.”

Winner of three races, with seven seconds and one third from 11 starts, including the Wild Applause Stakes and Pebbles Stakes at Belmont Park in 2019, the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile was her first graded stakes score.

Prat first rode Blowout in her most recent start, the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes at Del Mar last Nov. 29, where she lost by a nose to Brown stablemate Viadera.

Owner Peter Brant (right) with Blowout and jockey Flavien Prat

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Jose Ortiz Claims Jockey Title During Aqueduct Spring Meet; Brown Tops Among Trainers

A short spring slate at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y., saw familiar faces finish atop the leaderboards for the jockey and trainer standings, as Jose Ortiz outlasted his brother, Irad Ortiz, Jr., by a 24-17 win margin after the boutique 11-day meet's finale on Sunday.

Trainer Chad Brown recorded 10 wins to pace all conditioners, while Peter Brant and Noda Brothers each compiled four wins to tie for the top owners mark.

The Ortiz brothers dominated the standings in the three-week meet, combining for 41 victories out of the 95 total races contested.

Jose Ortiz' winning campaign was bolstered by his April 11 effort in which he won with 5-of-6 mounts, including piloting Regal Glory to victory in the featured $100,000 Plenty of Grace. Ortiz won with his first four mounts on the day and teamed with Brown to capture the Plenty of Grace.

It marked the first meet title for Ortiz on the NYRA circuit since the 2020 Belmont Park fall meet. Ortiz, who was New York's leading jockey for the entire 2020 campaign, compiled a record of 24-10-10 in 68 mounts and earnings of more than $1.3 million for the spring meet.

Ortiz capped the meet on a high note by winning Sunday's $200,000 NYSSS Park Avenue aboard Shaker Shack.

“It's a big deal,” Ortiz said. “We're happy with where we are and it sets us up for the Belmont meet.”

Ortiz, 27, last won the Aqueduct spring meet in 2014, which was the first of his now 10 individual meet titles.

“It's nice to win and I'm also happy for Irad; he's had a great start of the year,” Ortiz said about finishing 1-2 with his brother. “He congratulated me earlier and said he's proud of me, and that means a lot.”

Ortiz, Jr. posted a valiant runner-up effort despite riding at Keeneland from April 7 – 11, traveling to Churchill Downs to breeze Kentucky Derby-contender Known Agenda on April 16 and to Oaklawn Park on April 17 to pilot Letruska to victory in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom.

The 28-year-old Ortiz, Jr. won with a record-tying 6-of-11 mounts on the Wood Memorial Day card, including the meet's lone Grade 1 aboard Mischevious Alex in the $300,000 Carter Handicap along with Grade 3 scores in the $250,000 Gazelle with Kentucky Oaks-contender Search Results and with Drain the Clock in the $200,000 Bay Shore.

“It's been more of the same from them: immense natural talent combined with tremendous work ethic,” said Brown of the Ortiz brothers' success. “When those two things meet, you're going to win a lot of races.”

Third-place finisher Kendrick Carmouche, who finished with 12 wins, guided the Pletcher-trained Calumet Farm homebred Bourbonic to a record 72-1 upset in the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino to earn his first Kentucky Derby mount in the 100-40-20-10 point qualifying event.

Brown, a four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer, also notched his first meet title since the Belmont fall, compiling a record of 10-4-4 with 31 starters for a 32.26 winning percentage. Brown's horses earned $766,450. Todd Pletcher was second with six wins while Linda Rice was third with five.

Brown, who last won the Aqueduct spring meet in 2018, got off to a quick start, saddling Search Results to victory in the Grade 3, $250,000 Gazelle for sophomore fillies on Wood Memorial Day April 3. Search Results, piloted by Ortiz, Jr., earned 100 qualifying points to the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks for her 2 3/4-length effort in the 1 1/8-mile contest. It was the third time in his career Brown won the Gazelle.

“I'm very appreciative; it was a long winter just preparing for this meet,” Brown said. “Our program is tailored around NYRA, mostly, just getting the horses ready all winter. After missing a lot of last year, this year's start has been more traditional for us. It feels good and gives us a sense of normalcy to get back on track with how we point our horses to begin their seasons in April in New York.”

The 42-year-old Brown also compiled stakes wins on back-to-back days, starting with Delaware's triumph in the Danger's Hour on April 10 and following with Regal Glory in the Plenty of Grace. Brown is the defending leading trainer in New York for the last six years, finishing atop the standings in every campaign since 2015.

“New York is our home base, so we try to have the horses ready to run here,” Brown said. “All the credit goes to my team for having these horses ready for this meet. I'm also thankful for our owners, who have been extremely patient. They pay a lot of bills all winter to not run much, but they trust the process of coming up to New York and running for generous purses on nice, fresh racing surfaces.”

Brant saw half of his starters earn winner's circle trips, compiling a 4-1-2 record in eight starts with earnings of $205,950. The meet-leading troika of Brant-Brown-Ortiz made up the winning connections of Regal Glory in the Plenty of Grace. Brown trained all of Brant's winners, including non-stakes scores with Brazillionaire, Kuramata and Flighty Lady.

Noda Brothers, comprised of trainer Orlando Noda and Jonathan Noda, went 4-0-2 in 10 starts for earnings of $111,185. Orlando Noda trained all of the partnership's winners, with Choose Happiness, Vintage Hollywood and Daria's Angel giving the duo three wins in three days from April 15-17 to secure a tie with Brant.

Thoroughbred action shifts to Belmont Park for the 48-day spring/summer meet that runs from Thursday, April 22 through Sunday, July 11.

The spring/summer meet will offer its highest ever overnight purse schedule supported by significant monetary increases across most race categories, including maiden special weight races featuring a purse of $90,000, while horsemen participating in the claiming ranks will compete for purse money ranging up to $100,000.

A total of 59 stakes races worth $16.95 million in purses will highlight the meet, including the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes set for June 5.

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Familiar Faces Atop Aqueduct Spring Standings

Jockey Jose Ortiz defeated his brother Irad Ortiz, Jr. 24-17 to come out on top of standings for Aqueduct's 11-day spring meet. Leading trainer Chad Brown recorded 10 victories, while his owner Peter Brant tied Orlando and Jonathan Noda's Noda Brothers with four wins to share the owner's title.

“It's a big deal,” Ortiz said. “We're happy with where we are and it sets us up for the Belmont meet… It's nice to win and I'm also happy for Irad; he's had a great start of the year. He congratulated me earlier and said he's proud of me, and that means a lot.”

Irad Ortiz currently leads all jockeys in the nation by wins and purse earnings.

“I'm very appreciative; it was a long winter just preparing for this meet,” said Brown, the New York Racing Association's leading trainer for the last six years. “Our program is tailored around NYRA, mostly, just getting the horses ready all winter. After missing a lot of last year, this year's start has been more traditional for us. It feels good and gives us a sense of normalcy to get back on track with how we point our horses to begin their seasons in April in New York.”

Racing on the NYRA circuit now moves to Belmont Park for the 48-day spring/summer meet that runs from Thursday, Apr. 22 through Sunday, July 11.

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Practical Joke Filly Tops Strong Opening To Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale

The Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale got off to a strong start with eight lots selling for 200,000 guineas or more and a top price of 360,000 guineas for Tally-Ho Stud's Practical Joke filly.

A total of 65 of the 76 offered lots sold for 6,485,000 guineas, at an average of 99,769 guineas and a median of 80,000 guineas, and a clearance rate of 86 percent.

The top lot on the opening session of the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale was the Practical Joke filly out of Purr and Prowl who realized 360,000 guineas to the bid of agent Alex Elliott. The Tally-Ho Stud consigned filly was purchased on behalf of Peter Brant's White Birch Farm.

“She is a beautiful filly and she is going back to the U.S. and to Chad [Brown], who trained Practical Joke,” said Elliott. “She has been very highly thought of from day one, Roger has raved about her all along. I am delighted to get her, I think she is a perfect filly to go back to the States.

“She is a May foal, she is going to need a bit of time, but she is the one. She did everything. She is a typical Craven Sale type – scopey with quality and will need bit of time, but the more time I think you can give them, the better they can be.”

By the U.S. sire sensation Into Mischief, the Ashford Stud-based stallion Practical Joke was a dual Grade 1 winner as a 2-year-old and finished third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, whilst at three he won the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Stakes at Saratoga.

Consignor Roger O'Callaghan, who previously sold the G1 Natalma Stakes winner La Pelosa at this sale in 2018, commented;

“She is as good a filly as I have had to breeze. She has been a genuine natural from the start. I bought her as a foal with Archie St George, she didn't make the yearling sale and we brought her here. The sire line through Into Mischief is magic.”

Stroud Coleman's Matt Coleman and Peter Swann's Cool Silk Partnership secured the Night of Thunder filly out of Militate for 265,000 guineas, the second highest priced filly on the opening day. The filly is from a classic Juddmonte family with her granddam being the Group 3 winner Orford Ness, dam of the Group winners Weightless and Main Aim, the latter also runner-up in the G1 July Cup.

Swann, who has enjoyed such great success from the breeze-ups, was keen to talk about his purchase:

“We thought her breeze was excellent. She is a real specimen, very strong. She has got a great pedigree – if we can win a race with her we are half way there aren't we? She did the job well. We are delighted and she is the sort of breeze-up horse we are always looking for – she is just built for it, she is not too long in the leg. We just felt it was worth a go,” said Swann, who was wearing a Scunthorpe United face mask as chairman of the football club.

He added: “We don't know a trainer yet, we are just going to wait – I haven't accessed my phone yet, I am sure there will be calls. We have got some great trainers that we use, whoever gets her will do a great job. Of the immediate plans, we will assess her over the next 24 hours and then decide.”

Continuing with plans for the new filly, Swann said: “We hope we can have a go at Royal Ascot, and try and win the bonus before everyone else! That would be nice. We are looking forward to Royal Ascot and hope the filly takes us there.”

Of the success he, Cool Silk and Coleman have enjoyed from breeze-up purchases, Swann said: “I think we have had 62 winners now. We've been doing it a long time.”

The sale was a pinhooking triumph for consignors Star Bloodstock who purchased her last autumn at Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale for 95,000 guineas.

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