Tag: Racing

Godolphin homebred With The Moonlight will look to build upon a strong win in the Grade 3 Saratoga Oaks Invitational as she returns just 13 days later in the Grade 2, $200,000 Lake Placid, a 1 1/16-mile inner turf test for sophomore fillies.

Trained by Charlie Appleby, With The Moonlight scored the first graded win of her career when pouncing from 1 1/2 lengths off the pace set by Contemporary Art and securing a 1 3/4-length victory over McKulick, who had previously bested her in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational in July at Belmont Park.

“We couldn't be happier with her,” said Chris Connett, traveling assistant to Appleby. “She's doing well and eating up and giving us all the signs you want to see – positive vibes.”

The Lake Placid will mark the third American start for the daughter of Frankel, a venture that comes on the heels of a strong European campaign to start her career. Last year, she scored a maiden victory at second asking in August at Chelmsford and followed with an allowance coup at Wolverhampton. This year, With The Moonlight was an open-lengths winner of the Pretty Polly in May at Newmarket one start before an uncharacteristic 11th in the Group 1 Epsom Oaks in June, her last outing before coming stateside for the Belmont Oaks.

With The Moonlight will now cut back by a furlong from the Saratoga Oaks and by 1 1/2 furlongs from the Belmont Oaks, something Connett said will be to her benefit.

“The run at Belmont was really as far as she wants to go, so coming back in trip is really not a bad thing for her,” said Connett. “She shows plenty of pace and travels really strongly in her races. We're very pleased with her.”

While the 13-day turnaround will be With The Moonlight's shortest rest between starts, she has experience racing with short spacing between, breaking her maiden at Chelmsford just 18 days after a debut fourth in allowance company at Newmarket last summer.

Connett said he expects the quick turnaround to give the filly no issue.

“Back in Europe, it wouldn't be uncommon for that to happen,” Connett said. “She's come out of her run really well and we couldn't be happier with her.”

Connett added that With The Moonlight has blossomed physically since beginning her American campaign.

“Physically, she's done wonders. She's always been a tall filly, but kind of on the leaner side,” Connett said. “Since she's been here in America, she's done really well. She's grown and filled out. Even from her last run, she looks phenomenal.”

With The Moonlight will exit the inside post in rein to Luis Saez, who takes over riding duties from William Buick.

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown has four chances to secure a fourth win in this event as he sends out Consumer Spending, Dolce Zel, Eminent Victor and Haughty.

Klaravich Stables' Domestic Spending was last seen finishing third behind With The Moonlight and stablemate McKulick in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks, making up ground late under Manny Franco to be bested just 1 3/4 lengths. Earlier this year, she won the Grade 2 Wonder Again over yielding turf at Belmont and the Memories of Silver at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Franco retains the mount from post 4.

Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb and Robert LaPenta's Dolce Zel was a last out winner of the Grade 3 Lake George on July 22 at the Spa, winning a dramatic photo over stablemate and returning rival Eminent Victor in the one-mile test over firm going. It was the second graded win for the daughter of Zelzal, who captured the Grade 3 Florida Oaks in March at Tampa Bay Downs in her first stateside outing. She followed with placings in the Grade 2 Appalachian at Keeneland and Grade 3 Edgewood at Churchill Downs.

Irad Ortiz, Jr., the rider in each of her four American starts, has the call again from post 5.

Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group, Louis Lazzinnaro and Michael Caruso's lightly-raced Eminent Victor looks to make the grade after her tough loss in the Lake George. A daughter of Mr. Z, Eminent Victor became her sire's first stakes winner when she won the Wild Applause on June 25 at Belmont by a half-length. The effort ended a nine-month respite that came after a solid third-place effort in the Grade 1 Natalma in September at Woodbine.

Eminent Victor will exit post 3 with Flavien Prat in the irons.

Bradley Thoroughbreds, Belmar Racing and Breeding, Cambron Equine and Team Hanley's Haughty will also be making her first start since the Belmont Oaks, where she finished ninth after tracking in third and tiring under Flavien Prat. The Empire Maker bay was a close third in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in November at Del Mar before returning with authority to post a 4 3/4-length score in the Penn Oaks six months later at Penn National.

Joel Rosario picks up the mount from post 6.

Trainer Christophe Clement will hope to see Canisy relish a cutback by a half-furlong after grinding out a gutsy win last out in a nine-furlong first-level allowance on July 14 at the Spa. Owned by Blue Devil Racing Stable, Canisy was a winner at first asking on May 1 at Belmont Park and followed with a close runner-up finish to Spirit and Glory in a June 16 allowance at Belmont.

Clement's assistant, Miguel Clement, said that turning back in distance slightly should be fine for the daughter of Point of Entry.

“She's doing very well,” Clement said. “She's lightly raced and improving all the time. She pleases us with every run. I think she has a lot of ability and I don't think the distance will be an issue for her. She's quite versatile in the mornings and she should be able to run with them in the afternoon.”

Canisy will emerge from post 7 with Hall of Fame rider Javier Castellano aboard.

Completing the field are Grade 2-winner Sail By [post 2, Jose Lezcano] for trainer Leah Gyarmati and Lake George third-place finisher Koala Princess [post 8, Trevor McCarthy] for conditioner Arnaud Delacour.

The Lake Placid is slated as Race 8 on Saturday's 11-race program, which is headlined by the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama in Race 10 and includes the $150,000 Smart N Fancy in Race 9. First post is 12:30 p.m. Eastern.

Saratoga Live will present daily coverage and analysis of the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

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When Hall of Fame trainer Jack Fisher saw his esteemed steeplechaser Snap Decision was assigned a field-high 164 pounds for the Grade 1, $150,000 Jonathan Sheppard Handicap, he nearly decided against running the son of Hard Spun in the 2 3/8-mile test for older horses. But Snap Decision answered the challenge with aplomb, posting an impressive open-lengths victory on Wednesday at Saratoga Race Course.

The Jonathan Sheppard was the fourth start this year for Bruton Street-US's Snap Decision, who was last seen finishing third over the flat in the Colonial Cup on July 27 at Colonial Downs. It was his third career Grade 1 triumph, and second this year after successfully defending his title in the Iroquois in May at Percy Warner.

Ridden to victory by Graham Watters from post 6, Snap Decision briefly allowed Chief Justice to lead the field of seven, but quickly established command with Chief Justice tracking in second. There were few tense moments for Snap Decision throughout as positions remained unchanged around the firm inner turf course for a second time.

Approaching the final turn, Snap Decision increased his margin to 10 lengths as Chief Justice tired and Going Country came under a strong ride from Danny Mullins to chase in second. But there was no catching a runaway Snap Decision, who extended his margins with ease to cross the wire 13 1/4 lengths clear under a celebrating Watters in a final time of 4:32.88.

Going Country finished second 3 1/2 lengths ahead of Redicean with Belfast Banter completing the superfecta. Song for Someone, Down Royal and Chief Justice completed the order of finish. Historic Heart was scratched.

Snap Decision has run a majority of his races from off the pace, but Fisher said going to the front made sense as the most accomplished horse in the field.

“That was kind of my call,” said Fisher. “I told him that he was on the best horse, so I told him, 'Don't go crazy fast if they want to go crazy fast.' If not, just go and be on the lead and say, 'Come and get me.'”

Watters agreed on being forwardly placed, noting his prominent victory in the Iroquois earlier this year.

“We jumped off, everybody jumped off sharp. He's drawn wide but I didn't want to get trapped in behind the other horses, I wanted to just let him run and jump so I passed the guys around the turn the first time and got to the front,” said Watters. “Just had to get them and let him do his thing, run and jump. I won the Iroquois back in May on him, did the same thing, pistol whipped on there and that seems to be the best tactic on him.

“He's got the biggest engine by far of any horse I've ever ridden,” Watters added. “I just let him use it. Simple.”

Fisher said while he was concerned about the weight going into the race, Snap Decision proved it was no issue with his strong performance.

“It could have been [a problem] on the turn, but the way he jumped at the last [fence] and the way he stood back at the last kind of far, that tells me they have enough energy left,” Fisher said.

With another top victory under his belt, Fisher said Snap Decision will likely turn his attention to the Grade 1 Lonesome Glory slated for September 15 at the Belmont at the Big A fall meet.

Watters, who stood up and waved to a cheering crowd as he and the fan favorite crossed the wire, said horses as talented as Snap Decision are worth celebrating.

“Look, I'm 30 years of age, I've been riding for 15 years and he's a horse of a lifetime and if I'm just mentioning the horse's name, I get emotional about him,” said Watters, who has ridden Snap Decision in each of his seven graded stakes outings. “He's an absolute legend of an animal. He's a tiger. All I've got to do is unleash him. I'll never come across another one of him. I've just got to soak it all up.”

Snap Decision, who was graded stakes-placed over the flat prior to becoming a jumps specialist, began his career with Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, finishing third in 2017 in the Grade 3 Palm Beach at Gulfstream Park and the Better Talk Now at Saratoga. He made his first start over jumps for Fisher in April 2019 at Charlotte and since then, the 8-year-old bay gelding has reinvented himself, scoring his first Grade 1 win in the 2021 Iroquois to cap a memorable nine-race win streak that included two novice victories at the Spa.

Bred in Kentucky by Phipps Stable, Snap Decision improved his impressive record to 35-13-7-7 with earnings of $822,334. He returned $3.10 for a $2 win wager as the 1-2 post-time favorite.

Keri Brion, trainer of Going Country and winner of this event last year with subsequent Champion Steeplechaser The Mean Queen, said her lightly-raced runner-up showed heart in his effort after finishing third at the novice level just two weeks ago.

“I am delighted with him. He was the most inexperienced horse in the race, obviously he got the weight which is why I took the chance,” said Brion, noting Going Country's field low weight of 140 pounds.

“I couldn't be any more proud of him. I'm thankful that Danny came here to ride him and gave him a great ride,” Brion added. “He's a fun horse and he was not expensive so you can't be too upset with running second to Snap Decision. We'll get him with The Mean Queen in a couple of weeks.”

Live racing continues Thursday at Saratoga with a nine-race card, featuring the $150,000 NYSSS Statue of Liberty in Race 9. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern.

Saratoga Live will present daily coverage and analysis of the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

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Eleven hopefuls, including Woodbine Oaks winner Moira, and Grade 3 Marine victor Rondure, will vie for top prize in the $1 million Queen's Plate, first leg of the OLG Canadian Triple Crown, highlighting an outstanding stakes-filled Sunday card of racing at Woodbine.

The 163rd edition of the Queen's Plate, North America's oldest continually run race, contested at 1 ¼ miles on the Woodbine Tapeta, is the curtain raiser for the tri-surface series for Canadian-bred 3-year-olds.

Wando, bred and owned by the late Gustav Schickedanz, was the last horse to accomplish the feat, in 2003, while becoming the seventh to record the unique triple. The $400,000 Prince of Wales, run at 1 3/16 miles on the dirt at Fort Erie on September 13, is the second leg. The $400,000 Breeders' Stakes, at 1 ½-miles over the world-renowned E.P. Taylor Turf Course at Woodbine on October 2, concludes the series.

The Queen's Plate breakfast festivities, co-hosted by Woodbine TV personality/commentator/handicapper Jeff Bratt, and Woodbine track announcer, and held at Woodbine's newly opened Stella Artois Terrace, was attended by several of the race's connections, and included remarks from Jim Lawson, CEO of Woodbine Entertainment.

The double-draw format was in place for the post-position draw, with the order of selection first established and the connections then choosing their post positions. The connections of Dancin in Da'nile selected first and chose post 7.

This year's running of the Queen's Plate presents a mix of accomplished horses, owners, trainers, jockeys, rising stars, and live longshots. The filly, Moira, will carry 123 pounds, while all other starters carry 126 pounds.

Trainer Kevin Attard, seeking his first Plate triumph, will be represented by Moira, winner of the Woodbine Oaks Presented by Budweiser, on July 24.

To be ridden by Rafael Hernandez for ownership group X-Men Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, and SF Racing LLC, the daughter of Ghostzapper-Devine Aida will look to duplicate the success of other fillies who have netted the Oaks-Plate double, a list that includes Inglorious (2011), Lexie Lou (2014), and Holy Helena (2017).

Fashioning a record of 3-1-0 from four starts, including wins in the Stella Artois Fury Stakes in June and the Woodbine Oaks, the latter a 10 ¾-length romp, Moira arrives at the Plate at the top of her game.

“Typically, when you win the Oaks, depending on how impressive they are doing it, you always have to think of the Queen's Plate,” said Attard. “It's something we have always had in the back of our minds, and we geared her campaign so the Plate would be her third race of the season and she'd be fresh.”

Last year, Attard sent out Munnyfor Ro to win the Oaks and a solid fifth in the Plate.

The winner of 619 career races and multiple Sovereign Award finalist in the top trainer category is hoping to add another celebrated stakes victory to his impressive résumé.

“It's about taking it one step at a time. You can make all the plans as you want, and sometimes they don't work out the way you planned them out. We have been lucky enough that she has done everything we wanted her to until this point and stayed sound and stayed healthy.”

Rondure, who will have Flavien Prat in the irons, has been equally impressive in the leadup to Sunday's race.

Previously trained by Danny Vella, and now in the barn of Katerina Vassilieva, the Borders Racing Stable homebred turned heads after an emphatic 5 ½-length triumph in the Grade 3 Marine on July 2.

“He's just a wonderful horse in every way,” said Vassilieva. “It's a real pleasure to watch him race and give everything he has every single time.”

The son of Oxbow-Carat Weight brings a 2-1-0 mark from five starts into the biggest race of his career.

“He's not overly large in stature, but he's stout,” said Vassilieva. “He has a stout, muscular body and a big heart. He loves to sleep. Every day, around 10:30 or 11, he eats his breakfast and then goes to sleep. You will find him around that time, every day, sprawled out in his stall. Which is always a good sign to me, that he knows how to rest and relax.”

Danny Vella, who won the 1994 Plate with Basqueian and the 2012 running with Strait of Dover, will go for the hat trick with The Minkster.

Bred by Dr. Tan Hyka, and owned by Sea Glass Stables, LLC, the son of English Channel-Cabriole was undefeated in his three starts heading into the Plate Trial.

“He had a little bit of a setback,” said Vella, after the sixth-place finish in the Plate Trial. “He had a bit of heat exhaustion and the 'thumps' (caused by an electrolyte imbalance) after the race. That's probably what bothered him in the stretch there, and he's recovered very well and is training better than ever.”

After a first-time out win on October 2 of last year, The Minkster was magnificent in his next start, the Coronation Futurity.

Now, the bay colt, with regular rider David Moran once again aboard, will look to get back to his winning ways in the $1 million Canadian classic.

“He's doing super,” said Vella. “I'm getting excited about the Queen's Plate. It's been a while since I had Basqueian, and even a while since Strait of Dover, but I think he's as talented as those horses.”

Trainer Mark Casse, who won the 2014 Plate with Lexie Lou and the 2018 running with Wonder Gadot, will be represented by the duo of Sir for Sure and Hall of Dreams.

Bred (Norse Ridge Farm) and owned (Heste Sport Inc.) by René and Darlene Hunderup, Sir for Sure stamped himself as a major Plate contender after taking the Plate Trial on July 24.

A bay son of Sligo Bay (IRE)-Serena's Rose, Sir for Sure is 2-1-0 from five starts.

His latest effort drew top marks from Casse.

“The Plate Trial was actually my second choice,” said the dual hall of fame conditioner. “Two days before the Plate Trial, there was an Ontario-sired allowance going a mile and a quarter, and I was trying to find the easiest path to the Queen's Plate because he's a little behind from the injury. But the race didn't go. René [owner, Hunderup] was good with running him in the Plate Trial, so we did. I didn't need him to win, I just needed him to show he still wanted to play the game. I thought it was powerful and he got a great ride from Declan [jockey, Carroll].”

Hall of Dreams, second to his stablemate in the Plate Trial, is owned by Gary Barber, Wachtel Stables, Peter Deutsch, and Leonard Schleifer.

Bred by Joey Gee Thoroughbreds, the son of Lemon Drop Kid-Hallnor is 1-4-0 from seven starts.

“He ran really well,” offered Casse, in reference to the Plate Trial. “There was some stuff that happened at the top of the lane with Sir for Sure, and looking at it, I thought it could have gone either way. If they had taken him down, I wouldn't have been shocked. He had a bit of a troubled trip, but the good news is that the extra eighth of a mile won't hurt his feelings.”

Patrick Husbands, a two-time Plate winner, including his Triple Crown victory with Wando in 2003, once again gets the call.

Josie Carroll, who has three Plate wins to her name, including in 2020 with Mighty Heart, will get a shot at her fourth with Duke of Love.

Owned by MyRacehorse, the son of Cupid-Tell the Duchess finished a troubled fourth in the Plate Trial. After being blocked in late stretch, the bay colt, with Justin Stein aboard, found room late and finished strongly.

Stein, who won the 2012 running of the Plate with Strait of Dover, believes the best is yet to come for the sophomore who has a 2-1-0 record from six starts.

“I don't think we've seen the best of him yet,” said the veteran rider. “He's grown up, yet he's still growing up. I can't wait to ride him in the Plate.”

Harry Rice, East Coast Racing Manager with MyRacehorse, is anticipating another strong effort from Duke of Love.

“I think we're just seeing the beginning of something special. I've been in racing my whole life and if we were to win this, I'd cry my eyes out. That's just how I am. Big wins, I get emotional. It's awesome.”

Causin' Mayhem, trained by Todd Pletcher (who won the 1998 Plate with Archers Bay) for owner-breeder Chiefswood Stables, finished third in the Plate Trial, in what was his third lifetime start.

A son of Into Mischief-Five N Forty, Causin' Mayhem finished second in his career bow this March at Gulfstream Park. The bay colt broke his maiden next time out at Belmont, ahead of his bronze performance in the Plate Trial.

Rob Landry, who won the 2004 Plate with Niigon (also a Chiefswood homebred), and currently holds the reins as the operations General Manager, hopes the lightly raced Ontario-bred can step up and tackle the 1 ¼ miles on Sunday.

“A homebred is extra special,” said Landry. “You're involved in the whole program from start to finish. To win with a homebred is really gratifying, as a breeder that's what you aim for, you want to win the big races.”

Dancin in Da'nile, a Sam-Son Farm homebred, will look to back on track after a fifth in the Plate Trial.

Trained by Gail Cox, who teamed with five-time Plate winner Sam-Son Farm and El Tormenta to win the 2019 running of the Grade 1 $1million Ricoh Woodbine Mile, the dark bay son of Pioneerof the Nile-Dance Again is 1-1-1 from five lifetime starts.

Dancin in Da'nile won at first asking last August and went on to finish second to Plate rival The Minkster in the Coronation Futurity Stakes last October.

“He's run well in every race, and he always tries,” said Cox. “I would say that his best racing attributes are that he's rateable and easy to ride.”

A bay son of Hunters Bay-Lady Marchfield, Hunt Master has reached the podium in all six of his starts, racking up two wins, two seconds and a pair of thirds.

Conditioned by Angus Buntain for Susan Rasmussen's Openwood Farm, the gelding will make his first stakes appearance in the Plate.

Hunt Master heads into Sunday's race off a second-place finish in a 1 1/16-mile race over the Woodbine Tapeta on July 15.

“I think he's a good little sort of grinder, an off-the-pace stamina sort,” said Buntain. “I'm very excited about him. We don't know if my guy will particularly love the distance, at speed, so to speak. That's going to be a real test for him. It's a big jump up in class, but he is bred for it.”

Emma-Jayne Wilson, who piloted Mike Fox to Plate glory in 2007, will be in the saddle on Sunday.

Multiple stakes winner Ironstone is trained by William Armata, son of 2002 Plate-winning trainer Vito Armata.

“I've got a lot of people telling me what I'm crazy, with the distance,” said the younger Armata. “But I guess we'll find out on August 21. Anything can happen, and my father probably proved that to everybody.”

Owned by Tequesta Racing Inc., and Jupiter Leasing Co., Ironstone, 2-3-3 from nine starts, has posted a trio of thirds in his past three outings, including his most recent engagement, the Grade 3 Marine Stakes.

Last year's winner of the Simcoe and Clarendon Stakes will be ridden by leading rider Kazushi Kimura, who returns to action after an on-track spill in July.

Canadian Hall of Fame trainer Sid Attard, who finished second in last year's race with Stronach Stables' homebred Riptide Rock, will look to go one better this time around, as he sends out Shamateur.

Bred and owned by Stronach Stables, the son of 2015 Plate winner Shaman Ghost will make his fourth career stakes appearance on Sunday.

Shamateur arrives at the Plate off a second in a 1 1/16-mile turf race on July 1.

“He loves to go out there and train,” said Attard. “When he works, he won't pull up, the son of a gun. The [Queen's Plate] distance should be good for him – it's just the company, you know?”

Sunday's card also features a trio of standout stakes action: the Grade 2 $200,000 Canadian Stakes Presented by the Japan Racing Association (second jewel in the Ladies of the Lawn Series), the Grade 2 $200,000 King Edward Stakes, and the $125,000 Sweet Briar Too Stakes.

First race post time for Sunday is 12:25 p.m. (ET), with the featured Queen's Plate scheduled for 5:42 p.m. (ET). The national Plate broadcast will be televised on TSN and CTV starting at 4:30 p.m.

For the latest information, fans can follow @WoodbineTB on both Twitter and Instagram.

FIELD FOR THE QUEEN'S PLATE

Post – Horse – Trainer – Owner – Jockey – Morning Line Odds

1 – Hall of Dreams – Mark Casse – Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable, Peter Deutsch, and Leonard Schleifer – Patrick Husbands – 12-1

2 – Shamateur – Sid Attard – Stronach Stables – Luis Contreras – 30-1

3 – Ironstone – William Armata – Tequesta Racing Inc. and Jupiter Racing Co. – Kazushi Kimura – 12-1

4 – The Minkster – Danny Vella – Sea Glass Stables, LLC – David Moran – 10-1

5 – Duke of Love – Josie Carroll – MyRacehorse – Justin Stein – 5-1

6 – Rondure – Katerina Vassilieva – Borders Racing Stable Ltd. – Flavien Prat – 3-1

7 – Dancin in Da'nile – Gail Cox – Sam-Son Farm – Shaun Bridgmohan – 30-1

8 – Moira – Kevin Attard – X-Men Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, and SF Racing LLC – Rafael Hernandez – 5-2

9 – Hunt Master – Angus Buntain – Openwood Farm – Emma-Jayne Wilson – 30-1

10 – Sir for Sure – Mark Casse – Heste Sport Inc. – David Carroll – 8-1

11 – Causin' Mayhem – Todd Pletcher – Chiefswood Stable – Antonio Gallardo – 6-1

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Fille d'Esprit had a couple of stakes wins on her resume, but her victory in the $150,000 Seeking the Pearl Stakes at Colonial Downs Aug. 16 had special meaning for one of her owners who traveled from Las Vegas for an afternoon of racing that featured the fourth leg of the 2022 Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championships Series (MATCH).

The 6-year-old Maryland-bred mare by Great Notion was claimed by Carl Ianotti's CJI Phoenix Group and No Guts No Glory Farm for $10,000 in August 2020 and since then has won eight races, three of them stakes, despite a setback that forced her to miss almost eight months of racing from December of 2020 to August 2021.

Ianotti turned 65 the day before the Seeking the Pearl and also recently had his last radiation treatment. He was overwhelmed after Fille d'Esprit, with regular rider Xavier Perez aboard, rallied along the rail from sixth on the far turn to win the seven-furlong stakes that attracted a strong field including graded-stakes winner Caribbean Caper, who entered the race undefeated in five starts.

“I'm a cancer survivor,” Ianotti said. “My wife has been very supportive as have John and Gina Robb (of No Guts No Glory Farm), and the horses have been the best therapy for me. As for this horse, what can I say? She's a blessing from God.”

Perez, who rides most of the horses trained by John Robb, sent Fille d'Esprit early from post position one and then elected to sit behind a wall of horses battling for the lead through the fast fractions. Fille d'Esprit had to check slightly as a horse was backing out of contention but she regrouped, took the inside route and eventually pulled clear to win by 1 1/4 lengths over Kalypso, who closed from sixth early in the race.

“It all worked out in our favor,” Perez said.

Fille d'Esprit, with 10 wins in 19 starts, now has 22 points after three MATCH Series starts and is eligible for bonus money. She is tied for first with Kaylasaurus in the Filly and Mare Sprint—Dirt division with one division leg remaining for 2022.

Kaylasaurus shipped to Colonial Downs the day before the Seeking the Pearl in anticipation of her fourth series start but was scratched the morning of the race by veterinarians. David Bushey of Bush Racing Stable, one of four partners in the mare, said she would be evaluated and a decision made thereafter.

“She was doing great with two really nice works going into (the race),” he said. “While we are disappointed she couldn't compete, the horse always comes first for us.”

Pennsylvania-bred Kaylasaurus was claimed for $25,000 last November and since then her record in stakes is two wins, two seconds and a third in six outings.

Chesapeake Stakes

The Scherr Boys' Necker Island crossed the line first in the $150,000 event at six furlongs, but after a 10-minute examination by stewards of the final sixteenth of a mile he was disqualified and placed third for interference with third-place finisher Factor It In, who was placed second. That gave the victory to second-place finisher Jalen Journey, who was claimed in his previous start for $50,000 by Built Wright Racing, which is owned by trainer Norman Cash.

Jalen Journey, ridden by Angel Arroyo, finished a neck behind Necker Island. It was his first start in the 2022 MATCH Series.

“He has been working great—he had a bullet work a week ago (in Kentucky),” Cash said. “We claimed him for $50,000 and figured the only place to go is a stakes (to keep him from being claimed). It took him four or five races to get in shape this year (for Steve Asmussen) and we figured we would jump in and get a horse that looked like he is on the way up. He has a ton of back class.

Jalen Journey, a 7-year-old ridgling by With Distinction, won for the 10th time in 22 starts and cleared the $600,000 mark in earnings.

The result of the six-furlong Chesapeake had little impact on the standings in the 3-Year-Olds and Up Sprint—Dirt division. Beren, who remains the leader with 17 points after two starts, was entered in the Chesapeake but his connections in July indicated he most likely would compete in a Pennsylvania-bred stakes Aug. 22 at Parx Racing, where he is based and where the final round of MATCH competition will be held Oct. 3.

Threes Over Deuces, who is tied with two others with 10 points but is eligible for bonus money after three starts, also scratched from the Chesapeake.

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Old Nelson

Merriebelle Stable's Didia, a winner of two Group 1 stakes and a Group 2 stakes in her native Argentina, is now two-for-two in the United States at Colonial Downs after a come-from-behind score in the 1 1/16-mile Old Nelson.

Ridden again by Vincent Cheminaud for trainer Ignacio Correas IV, Didia, a 4-year-old Orpen filly, went from eighth to first in a tight pack in the stretch to finish a neck ahead of Alma, with In a Hurry 1 3/4 lengths back in third. She won an upper-level allowance race at Colonial Downs in her U.S. debut.

“We've always had high expectations for her but that doesn't always (translate into performance),” Correas said. “But she is doing things the way we want. It's a different way of racing in America—there are things they need to learn. But this was a great spot for her.”

Didia isn't eligible for MATCH Series bonus money, which overall totals more than $400,000 this year. Stuart Janney III's In a Hurry, with her third series start, now is eligible for bonus money and picked up another 5 points to solidify her position in second in the division with 17 points.

William Pape's Deciding Vote, who rallied from far back early to finish a close sixth, didn't get a big piece of the $150,000 purse but picked up 5 bonus points for her fourth series start and 1 point for her finish position. The 5-year-old Mr. Speaker continues to hold the lead in the Filly and Mare Long—Turf division with 26 points and is now the overall MATCH Series leader heading into the fifth and final leg.

Timory Ridall's Tic Tic Tic Boom, who finished eighth but not that far back, also picked up 6 points overall in the Old Nelson and secured third place in the division with 15 points. She is trained by Alan Bedard at Parx, where the final leg will be held.

Buckland Stakes

Mark Grier's Eons, who won both of his MATCH Series starts, rallied well for fourth in the 1 1/8-mile $150,000 Buckland and now leads the division with 23 points after three starts. Should he compete at Parx in October, he would earn 5 bonus points on top of points for finish position and could be in contention for the overall title.

The Buckland also had an international flavor as the winner, HPG Thoroughbreds' King Vega, was making his fifth U.S. start after beginning his career in Great Britain. Trained by Graham Motion and ridden by Angel Suarez, King Vega, who normally comes from off the pace, found himself on the lead soon after the start and coasted home by 1 1/2 lengths over Militarist, with English Tavern another 1 1/2 lengths back in third.

“It was not the plan at all to be on the lead at all,” said Suarez, who is based at Delaware Park but often rides at other Mid-Atlantic racetracks. “I'd like to thank the owners and Graham Motion for letting me ride. The idea was to be fairly close and then catch up, but Plan B worked out pretty good.”

English Tavern picked up 5 points and his total of 12 points puts him in second in the division, but he needs to start at Parx in October to be eligible for bonus money. Beacon Hill, fifth in a dead heat in the Buckland, now has 10 points and is eligible for bonus money.

The nine-race card at Colonial Downs generated total pari-mutuel handle of $3.94 million, one of the highest of the 2022 meet.

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