The tears in the eyes of jockey Kendrick Carmouche told the story of the $250,000 Cigar Mile Handicap on a day of firsts and lasts in New York.
Tag: Racing
A Grade 1 First For Kendrick Carmouche As True Timber Takes Cigar Mile In Third Try
Calumet Farm's True Timber earned black type in the Grade 1, $250,000 Cigar Mile in each of the last two years. After a runner-up effort in 2018 and a third-place finish in 2019, the son of Mineshaft finally broke through on Saturday, taking command out of the turn and powering home a 5 1/2-length winner to capture the 32nd edition at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.
A storm-drenched day made for a sloppy and sealed main track, but the conditions did not faze True Timber, who broke sharp from post 5 under Aqueduct fall meet-leading rider Kendrick Carmouche and tracked in third position as New York-bred Mr. Buff led the six-horse field through the opening quarter-mile in 22.89 seconds and the half in 45.82.
Heading into the stretch, Carmouche set True Timber down, easily holding off late bids from runner-up and 13-1 longshot Snapper Sinclair and 4-5 favorite Performer to hit the wire in 1:36.49.
“I had perfect position leaving the gate and all the way around there,” Carmouche said. “Right before we got to the quarter pole, I pulled the trigger and I knew they were going to have to run me down from here.”
The win was a history-making one for Carmouche, who secured his first Grade 1 victory in a career that started in 2000. The Vinton, La., native had tallied six previous Grade 2 wins and will enter Sunday's Closing Day looking for another milestone, as he holds a four-win lead over Jose Lezcano [21-17] in a bid for his first career riding title at a New York Racing Association meet.
“It's my first Grade 1. I owe it all to my fans, my wife and kids and how much they stuck with me and kept me pushing and fighting in this game,” said an emotional Carmouche. “This means so much to me. This is the biggest win of my career and I hope I have many more blessed ones.
“It means a lot going into the winter meet,” he continued. “New York has really good racing and really good purses. Things are getting started back up in the country and the sky is the limit. We just have to keep on fighting.”
Carmouche needed six months to recover from a broken right leg suffered in a spill at Kentucky Downs in September 2018. He has won six graded stakes since returning and three this year, with True Timber joining Mischevious Alex in the Grade 3 Gotham and Fire At Will in the Grade 2 Pilgrim.
“I got hurt and things got set back a little bit, but with the type of person that I am – working hard and having a lot of heart and fight – it got me back to where I am today,” Carmouche said.
Winning trainer Jack Sisterson had reason to be confident in True Timber's ability to handle an off track, following his third-place finish in the Grade 1 Forego in August at Saratoga Race Course, garnering a season-high 98 Beyer Speed Figure.
“I got to give credit to True Timber, the farm, the incredible staff I have, and of course Kendrick,” said Sisterson, who took over True Timber's training duties in the summer when Kiaran McLaughlin retired to become a jockey agent. “I had all the confidence in the world when Kendrick texted me, 'I got you brother, don't worry', with a little peace sign.”
Returning to another sloppy track, True Timber won for the first time in 14 starts dating to September 2018 at Belmont Park. The now 6-year-old had finished second or third eight times in that stretch, including three consecutive third-place efforts to cap 2019 in the Grade 2 Kelso, Grade 3 Bold Ruler and Cigar Mile.
“As soon as I got the horse, the Cigar Mile was a year-end goal,” Sisterson said. “A lot of emphasis has to be put on how good a trainer Kiaran McLaughlin is. He had this horse before I did and sent him to me in such good shape. This shows how good of a trainer he really is.”
Sisterson won his second career Grade 1 after he won the Personal Ensign with Vexatious in August at Saratoga.
Off at 7-1, True Timber returned $16.60 on a $2 win wager. He improved his career earnings to $1.21 million.
“We'll make sure he comes out of it in good shape and talk to the farm about what the future might be,” Sisterson said. “Physically, he's beautiful to look at, and he's in great shape.”
Snapper Sinclair, trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen and ridden by Manny Franco, edged Performer by a neck for second.
“I was happy with the position that I got,” Franco said. “The pace in front of me was quick and I just tried to give my horse a breather. When I made my move, he really responded for me. I knew the horse in front had a lot and would be hard to catch, but my horse ran a great race.”
Performer, ridden by Joel Rosario from the inside post, saw his five-race winning streak snapped but kept intact his pristine record of on-the-board efforts, moving to 5-0-2 in seven starts.
“He broke just OK and I was a little further back than I wanted,” Rosario said. “It took him a little time to handle the track. Sometimes when the track is wet it's hard to come from where he was. He made his run from the outside and seemed to be comfortable there. But it was tough to catch up with the leader.”
King Guillermo, Mr. Buff and Bon Raison completed the order of finish. Firenze Fire, Mind Control and Majestic Dunhill scratched.
Live racing resumes Sunday at Aqueduct with Closing Day of the 18-day fall meet, offering three stakes on the nine-race card, including a pair of $250,000 New York Stallion Stakes Series races with the Great White Way and Fifth Avenue and the $100,000 Garland of Roses. First post is 12:20 p.m. Eastern.
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Malathaat Leads 1-2-3 Sweep By Curlin Fillies In Demoiselle
Shadwell Stable's Malathaat continued a perfect start to her career with a rallying score over Millefeuille in Saturday's Grade 2, $150,000 Demoiselle, a nine-furlong test for juvenile fillies at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Trained by Todd Pletcher, the Curlin bay was an impressive debut winner at Belmont Park in October ahead of a last-out 7 3/4-length romp in the Tempted, a one-turn mile on November 6 at the Big A.
Kendrick Carmouche established command aboard Traffic Lane into the first turn as Joel Rosario urged Millefeuille into second position to the outside of Malathaat, who exited the inside post under Hall of Famer John Velazquez.
Traffic Lane marked the opening quarter-mile in 23.69 seconds and the half-mile in 48.50 on the sloppy and sealed main track with Millefeuille pinned to her hip as Malathaat angled off the rail and was asked to maintain her position by Velazquez.
Millefeuille assumed the lead into the final turn as Traffic Lane gave way and Malibu Curl cruised into second position while Velazquez continued to work on Malathaat through three-quarters in 1:13.33.
With much to do as the field turned for home, Velazquez angled Malathaat outside of Malibu Curl at the quarter pole and began to pick up her feet inside of the slow-starting Cafe Society to take dead aim at the leader.
Millefeuille continued to find more inside the final furlong but Malathaat was making up ground with powerful strides and got up comfortably to secure the three-quarter length win in a final time of 1:52.36. It was 4 1/2-lengths back to Malibu Curl, who completed the trifecta by a length over Cafe Society.
The top three were all sired by Curlin.
The top four finishers earned 10-4-2-1 points toward the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, scheduled for April 30, 2021 at Churchill Downs.
Traffic Lane and Celestial Cheetah rounded out the order of finish. Dollar Mountain and Caramocha were scratched.
The victory marked the sixth Demoiselle win for Pletcher to lead all trainers, having previously scored with Smok'n Frolic [2001], Ashado [2003], Disposablepleasure [2011], Unlimited Budget [2012] and Stopchargingmaria [2013].
Pletcher said Malathaat struggled from the inside post.
“She wasn't comfortable inside,” said Pletcher. “I think she was unsure of the footing early on. In her first two starts, she had easy trips without much dirt in her face. I was worried at multiple points of the race. Sometimes drawing the rail is great and this time it seemed to have backfired on us a couple of times. In the final eighth of a mile, she was able to get into her comfort zone and rhythm and that's when she showed what she's all about.
“She did it with her ears pricked, so in the end, it was impressive that she could do that,” he continued. “Some lesser quality horses might have thrown in the towel at some stage, but when she got rolling, she was impressive.”
It was a record seventh Demoiselle victory for Velazquez, whose previous winners include Smok'n Frolic, Roar Emotion [2002], Sis City [2004], Mushka [2007], Unlimited Budget and Wonder Gadot [2017].
“Her class was what kept her going and got here there on time,” said Velazquez. “She was never comfortable and not running into a spot I wanted. She never really put that much effort into keeping a spot. Finally, when I tipped her out heading to the quarter-pole, she started running.
“When I got her out, she put her ears up,” added Velazquez. “Little by little, when she got to the other horses, she started going.”
The well-bred Malathaat, purchased for $1.05 million at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, is out of the Pletcher-trained Dreaming of Julia, who captured the 2012 Grade 1 Frizette at Belmont Park.
“I see some similarities [with Dreaming of Julia],” said Pletcher. “They are both nice fillies to be around and very professional in the mornings and very sweet around the barn. They are very easy to take care of and they both have shown they want to run long. Dreaming of Julia was a really high-quality filly and I think this filly is of the same ilk.”
Bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, Malathaat banked $82,500 in victory while remaining perfect through three starts. She returned $2.90 as the 2-5 mutuel favorite.
Live racing resumes Sunday at the Big A, Closing Day of the 18-day fall meet, with a nine-race card offering a pair of rich New York Stallion Stakes Series races, including the Great White Way for 2-year-olds and the Fifth Avenue for juvenile fillies, with purses of $250,000 each. Also featured on Closing Day is the $100,000 Garland of Roses at six furlongs for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up. First post is 12:20 p.m. Eastern.
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Jaxon Traveler A Perfect 3-For-3 After Maryland Juvenile Futurity
West Point Thoroughbreds and Melvin Delfiner's Jaxon Traveler, pressed from the gate by stakes winner Singlino, shook off his pursuer at the top of the stretch and once again approaching the wire to remain undefeated with a three-quarter length triumph in Saturday's $100,000 Maryland Juvenile Futurity at Laurel Park in Maryland.
The 39th running of the Futurity shared top billing on the nine-race program with Street Lute's victory in the 34th renewal of the $100,000 Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship, both for Maryland-bred/sired horses sprinting seven furlongs.
Jaxon Traveler ($2.60) completed the distance in 1:25.07 over a fast main track to improve to 3-0 lifetime in his stakes debut. Based in New York with Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, he has raced exclusively in Maryland where he was bred by Dr. and Mrs. A. Leonard Pineau.
“It's been a real treat to watch him develop. Each time he's shipped down to Maryland he's been a total professional,” said Dawn Lenert, West Point's chief of marketing and director of partner relations. “We're very lucky to have a horse like this. Our partners have come out to watch him and cheer for him, both here and on TV. It's just been a super treat for them to be associated with this type of horse.”
The margin of victory was the smallest for Jaxon Traveler following a 10-length maiden special weight romp in debut Sept. 25 at Pimlico Race Course and a four-length optional claiming allowance score Oct. 23 at Laurel. All three of his wins have come in front-running fashion.
“This was the closest a horse had hounded him in his career and there was definitely a couple of nervous moments, but he showed his colors and stayed in front,” Lenert said. “He's definitely a little more tired today than he's been. I kept saying, 'Where's the wire?' ”
Sent off at 1-5 in a field of seven, Jaxon Traveler had First State Dash winner Singlino at his right hip through a quarter-mile in 22.56 seconds and a half in 45.61, with Maryland Million Nursery runner-up Alwaysinahurry, Doubleoseven and Ain't Da Beer Cold leading the second flight.
Jaxon Traveler and jockey Johan Rosado got the jump on Singlino turning into the stretch and created some separation before Singlino came with another surge. Latin Spice rallied to be third, followed by Ain't Da Beer Cold, Alwaysinahurry, Doubleoseven and Hunter Joe.
“We'll talk to Steve. I know we wanted to see how he did today at seven [furlongs],” Lenert said. “We could stretch him out in the Jerome going a mile; however, Laurel just put up that Spectacular Bid going seven furlongs in January. He proved he could go seven today, we'll see what he does next time.”
The newly created $100,000 Spectacular Bid for 3-year-olds sprinting seven furlongs is among six stakes worth $550,000 in purses scheduled for the Jan. 16, 2021 program at Laurel.
Street Lute Too Tough in $100,000 Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship
Lucky 7 Stables' Street Lute sat a perfect stalking trip before powering to the lead and pulling clear, avenging the only loss of her career with her second straight stakes victory and fourth overall in Saturday's $100,000 Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship.
Ridden by Xavier Perez for trainer Jerry Robb, Street Lute ($6) is a neck shy of being undefeated through five starts, caught at the wire when second in the Oct. 24 Maryland Million Lassie by Miss Nondescript, who never threatened Saturday and finished seventh.
“Everything worked perfectly. Jerry was on the phone with me. He told me he wasn't going to be able to make it,” Perez said. “The race before the horse went to the lead and kept going and he asked me to go the lead if we can without using her. That was the plan and then the other two horses went to the lead. I know my filly can settle and she did. We had just a perfect trip.”
Street Lute settled in third as Liam's Missy, a 10 ¼-length maiden special weight winner last out at Belmont Park, and Lassie third-place finisher Trip to Freedom battled through splits of 22.70 and 45.29 seconds for the half. Perez tipped Street Lute to the center of the track once straightened for home and hit the wire 1 ¾ lengths in front.
Juror Number Four, fourth to Street Lute in the Small Wonder Sept. 26 at Delaware Park, trailed the field early before coming with a late rally on the far outside for second. Maxine's Tap Room, Buckey's Charm, Targe, Liam's Missy, Miss Nondescript, Heartful and Trip to Freedom completed the order of finish.
“She's getting better. This week I was getting on her every morning and I got to know her a little more. She's just improving every single day,” Perez said. “This means a lot because Jerry has stood by me for my ups and downs and he put me on the map again. I've been riding for him for three years now and he trusts me and I trust him. Hopefully it stays like this for a long time.”
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