Authentic proved he is the real deal with a powerful front-running 2 ¼-length victory against stablemate Improbable in the $6 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic on Saturday at Keeneland Race Course
Tag: Racing
Monomoy Girl Dominant in Distaff, Fan-Favorite Whitmore Shines in Sprint
The horse of a lifetime gave her many connections a sweet parting gift Nov. 7 at Keeneland. For the fans, it was the chance to follow champion Monomoy Girl through what may have been her final start, a showdown with the best of her division at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. Good racehorses don’t often run on into their older years, but in her 5-year-old season, the daughter of Tapizar delivered.
Royal Flag Flies Late To Capture Turnback The Alarm Stakes
W.S. Farish's Royal Flag arrived at the Grade 3, $100,000 Turnback the Alarm off of three straight placings against stakes company, but finally prevailed when saving ground along the rail and displaying a late kick to capture the 1 1/8-mile event for fillies and mares over the Aqueduct main track.
The 4-year-old daughter of multiple champion-producing stallion Candy Ride broke sharply from post 2 under Trevor McCarthy and secured a spot to the inside as Graceful Princess commanded the pace into the first turn through splits of 24.38 and 49.52 seconds over the fast main track.
Approaching the far turn, Graceful Princess gave way as Nonna Madeline and Mrs. Orb raced in tandem on the front end with Royal Flag in pursuit. At the top of the stretch, McCarthy angled Royal Flag three paths to the outside and was in front past the sixteenth pole to win by by 2 ¼ lengths in a final time of 1:54.08.
Mrs. Orb finished 1 ½ lengths ahead of third-place finisher Nonna Madeline. Another Broad and Graceful Princess completed the order of finish.
“She comes from off the pace, but I got a great trip,” McCarthy said. “I was able to save some ground and then got her outside and she gave me a great kick. She's a nice filly and she gave me everything she had. As soon as she came off the turn, I went lefthanded and then went back to the right and she really accelerated and went right by the other two horses.”
McCarthy said he came prepared for Saturday's race.
“I did a lot of homework on this race,” said McCarthy. “It was a five-horse field and I watched every horse about three or four times and kind of figured out where they were going to be and where the best spot for my horse would be and where she would feel comfort-wise. You have a bunch of plans in your head of what can work out and you take it from the break and figure out which plan you are going to use.”
Trained by Chad Brown, who sent out 2016 Turnback the Alarm winner Lewis Bay, Royal Flag was previously a hard-fought second to Nonna Madeline in the Lady's Secret at Monmouth Park after acquiring graded stakes black type when second in the Grade 3 Shuvee at Saratoga and third in the Grade 3 Molly Pitcher at Monmouth Park.
Royal Flag, the even-money favorite, returned $4.10 and bolstered her career earnings to $245,520 through a consistent record of 8-4-2-2.
Bred in Kentucky by her owner, Royal Flag is out of the multiple black type producing Mineshaft mare Sea Gull, who also produced five-time graded stakes winner Catalina Cruiser and multiple stakes winner Eagle.
Live racing resumes on Sunday at the Big A, featuring the Grade 3, $100,000 Nashua [Race 9, 3:47 p.m.] for 2-year-olds going a one-turn mile over the main track. First post is 11:50 a.m. Eastern.
The post Royal Flag Flies Late To Capture Turnback The Alarm Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
Saturday Undercard: Nashville Sets Track Record, Spill Mars Second Race
The China Horse Club and WinStar Farm showed off a talented young sprinter in the opener on Breeders' Cup Saturday at Keeneland, sending out Nashville for a track record-setting victory in the $125,000 Perryville Stakes. The 3-year-old son of Speightstown ran six furlongs over the fast main track in 1:07.89, annihilating the previous record of 1:08.43 set by A.P. Indian in 2016.
(Note: the run-up for today's Perryville was 55 feet, while the run-up for A.P. Indian's previous track record-setting performance was 34 feet.)
Trained by Steve Asmussen and ridden by Ricardo Santana, Jr., the 1-9 favorite Nashville grabbed the lead at the start and easily ran away from the field, setting fractions of :21.54, :43.87, and :55.61 without turning a hair. Santana never touched his whip down the lane, cruising under the wire an easy winner by about three lengths over Wild Wes.
Asmussen could have sent the colt to the Breeders' Cup Sprint later on the card, but elected to take an easier route with the inexperienced Nashville.
Bred in Kentucky by Breffni Farm, Nashville is out of the unraced Mizzen Mast mare Veronique from the family of multi-millionaires Giacomo and Tiago. Nashville was a $460,000 yearling purchase at the 2018 Keeneland September sale, and has gone undefeated in his first three starts by a total of over 20 lengths. His earnings now stand at $157,200.
The day's second race, the Lafayette Stakes, saw a spill at the top of the stretch mar the action when Absolutely Aiden broke down. Both Dinar and Strike That were also affected and unseated their riders, but galloped out unharmed and were corralled by outriders before being taken back to their respective barns. Trainer Cherie DeVaux Tweeted that Dinar was find other than minor abrasions.
Absolutely Aiden was loaded onto the equine ambulance.
All three jockeys affected by the incident escaped unharmed, and were checked out at first aid and approved to ride their remaining mounts. They are: Tyler Gaffalione (Dinar), Chris Landeros (Absolutely Aiden), and David Cohen (Strike That).
Midnight Sands also appeared to stumble over the stricken horse, and was eased down the stretch by jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. He also walked off the track under his own power.
Sleepy Eyes Todd won the Lafayette for trainer Miguel Silva and jockey Joel Rosario.
In the third race, the Fort Springs Stakes, trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Luis Saez teamed up with Merneith to defeat Motivated Seller by a neck at the finish. The 3-year-old filly is sired by American Pharoah.
Merneith has been a part of Baffert's recent medication controversy: after finishing second in the fourth race on July 25 at Del Mar, the filly returned a positive test for Dextrorphan, a cough suppressant.
The post Saturday Undercard: Nashville Sets Track Record, Spill Mars Second Race appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
