The TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will not only close out “Future Stars Friday” at the World Championships Nov. 6 at Keeneland, it should also bring down the curtain on who will be the champion 2-year-old male of 2020.
Tag: Racing
Dutton Voted 2020’s Horse Of The Meet At Emerald Downs
Dutton, undefeated in three starts including two stakes, was voted the 2020 Emerald Downs Horse of the Meeting.
Trained by Howard Belvoir and ridden by Jennifer Whitaker, Dutton notched victories in the Gottstein Futurity and WTBOA Lads Stakes and finished the campaign three for three with a meet-leading $71,500 for Rising Star Stable VIII.
A Washington-bred by Noosito, Dutton debuted Aug. 27 with an overwhelming 9-length victory in the WTBOA Lads at 6 ½ furlongs, followed by a 14-length triumph against allowance foes at 6 furlongs. In the Gottstein, Dutton was racing head and head with Coastal Kid when the latter ducked out sharply, allowing Dutton to cruise home by 2 ¼ lengths in 1:43.15 for a mile and one-sixteenth.
In addition to Horse of the Meeting, Dutton was honored as the meet's Top Washington-Bred. He is the 16th Washington-bred in 25 seasons to win Horse of the Meeting and joins Name for Norm (1996) as the only 2-year-olds to win the honor.
Alittlelesstalk and Unmachable also received votes for Horse of the Meeting and Top Washington-Bred. In fact, all three finished with two stakes wins and an allowance victory on their resumes.
Alittlelesstalk (4-3-1-0-$63,550) won races short and long, dominating the Emerald Distaff and prevailing in the Washington Cup Filly and Mare Stakes along with an early-season allowance dash. A daughter of 2004 Washington Horse of the Year Demon Warlock trained by Roddina Barrett, Alittlelesstalk was unanimously voted Top Older Filly or Mare. In 2019 she was voted Top 3-Year-Old Filly, and her overall Emerald Downs' record s 7-4-0 in 14 starts for owners Tim Floyd, Kelly Dougan and Barrett.
Unmachable (5-3-1-1-$65,225) also was versatile, winning the Seattle Slew Stakes at 6 ½ furlongs and Muckleshoot Tribal Classic vs. older horses at a mile and one-sixteenth. Trained by Jack McCartney for owner Tawnja Elison, the son of Macho Uno was voted Top 3-Year-Old Male.
Trainer Frank Lucarelli and owners Chad Christensen & Josh McKee enjoyed a smashing season with Elliott Bay, voted Top Older Horse and Top Sprinter, and Time for Gold, voted Top 2-Year-Old Filly for dominating victories in the Angie C Stakes and Barbara Shinpoch Stakes.
Daffodil Sweet, trained by Chris Stenslie and owned by Jody Peetz and Steve Shimizu, scored three victories including a score in the Coca-Cola Stakes and was voted Top 3-Year-Old Filly.
Omache Kid, the only horse to win four races, was voted Top Claimer.
Alex Cruz captured the riding title with 72 wins, 20 more than runner-up Juan Gutierrez, capping his inaugural Emerald Downs' season with five wins on closing night. Cruz also rode at least one winner the final 25 days of the season (Aug. 6 to Oct. 29).
Lucarelli won his second straight training title and seventh overall while Christensen, his main client, repeated as the track's leading owner. Lucarelli saddled 42 winners in 38 days while Christensen, who raced horses in partnership with McKee, topped the owners' standings with 24 wins.
Gutierrez was voted Top Riding Achievement for overtaking Gallyn Mitchell as Emerald Downs' all-time leading jockey. Historic victory No. 1,420 came aboard 5-year-old mare Stay in Grace on Oct. 14.
The Longacres Mile, in which the Blaine Wright-trained Anothertwistafate returned from a 16-month layoff to dominate by 4 ¼-lengths, was voted Race of the Meeting.
Nick Lowe was the leading Quarter Horse trainer for a second consecutive season and swept all three stakes Aug. 20.
Trainers Jorge Rosales and Sharon Ross received the Martin Durkan Award for leadership, cooperation and sportsmanship, while Cerapio Figueroa was voted the Lindy Award by his fellow riders for accomplishment and sportsmanship throughout the meeting.
Other awards included Stephanie Fiorito being named 2020 Exercise Rider of the Year and Taylor Brady being chosen as Jockeys Valet of the Year.
Harbor the Gold was the leading stallion for the seventh straight year and ninth in the last 10, and surpassed Slewdledo as Emerald Downs' all-time leading sire.
Emerald Downs 2020 Season Honors
Horse of the Meeting: Dutton (WA)
Top Washington-bred: Dutton
Top Older Horse: Elliott Bay (WA)
Top Sprinter: Elliott Bay (WA)
Top Older Filly or Mare: Alittlelesstalk (WA)
Top 3-Year-Old Male: Unmachable (WA)
Top 3-Year-Old Filly: Daffodil Sweet (CA)
Top 2-Year-Old Male: Dutton (WA)
Top 2-Year-Old Filly: Time for Gold (WA)
Top Claimer: Omache Kid (WA)
Race of the Meeting: Longacres Mile
Leading Jockey Wins: Alex Cruz (72)
Leading Jockey Stakes Wins: Juan Gutierrez (4), Eddie Martinez (4)
Leading Trainer: Frank Lucarelli (42)
Leading Trainer Stakes Wins: Frank Lucarelli (5)
Leading Owner: Chad & Josh (24)
Leading Horse Wins: Omache Kid (4)
Leading Horse Stakes Wins: Alittlelesstalk (2), Dutton (2), Time for Gold (2), Unmachable (2)
Leading QH Trainer Wins: Nick Lowe (3)
Top Riding Achievement: Juan Gutierrez becomes No. 1 all-time
Top Training Achievement: Frank Lucarelli wins second straight title and seventh overall, also leading stakes trainer
Leading Apprentice: Joree Scriver (4)
Durkan Award: Sharon Ross, Jose Rosales
Lindy Award: Cerapio Figueroa
Jockeys Valet of the Year: Taylor Brady
Exercise Rider of the Year: Stephanie Fiorito
Leading Sire Wins: Harbor the Gold (38)
Emerald Downs Horse of the Meeting
2020-Dutton (WA)
2019-Anyportinastorm (FL)
2018-Sippin Fire (WA)
2017-Mach One Rules (WA)
2016-O B Harbor (ORE)
2015-Stryker Phd (WA)
2014-Stryker Phd (WA)
2013-Herbie D (BC)
2012-Class Included (KY)
2011-Noosa Beach (WA)
2010-Noosa Beach (WA)
2009-Assessment (KY)
2008-Wasserman (WA)
2007-The Great Face (WA)
2006-Flamethrowintexan (FL)
2005-No Giveaway (WA)
2004-Demon Warlock (WA)
2003-Youcan'ttakeme (WA)
2002-Flying Notes (KY)
2001-Makors Mark (WA)
2000-Edneator (WA)
1999-No Curfew (WA)
1998-Wild Wonder (KY)
1997-Kid Katabatic (BC)
1996-Name for Norm (WA)
The post Dutton Voted 2020’s Horse Of The Meet At Emerald Downs appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
Dayoutoftheoffice ‘Right Where We Want Her to Be’ Heading into Breeders’ Cup
Tim Hamm developed a business plan when he became a trainer in 1996, and he showed uncommon discipline in adhering to it. When horses got very good, he typically got out.
Almond Eye First Japanese Horse To Capture Eight Grade 1 Titles
Overwhelming favorite Almond Eye showcased another compelling performance and claimed a back-to-back Tenno Sho (Autumn) title on Sunday, the first since Symboli Kris S in 2002 and 2003. While she is now the sixth horse to mark seven JRA-G1 wins, the 5-year-old Lord Kanaloa mare has gone down in history to become the first JRA horse ever to capture eight G1 titles over turf including the 2019 Dubai Turf.
This is the sixth triumph by a filly/mare this year in G1 races opened to both male and female runners, renewing the record of five set in 2008. Following the Victoria Mile victory with Almond Eye, trainer Sakae Kunieda now boasts a total of 18 JRA-G1 wins while jockey Christophe Lemaire has now 32 JRA-G1 wins in his pocket, his latest registered last month in the Sprinters Stakes with Gran Alegria. This is Christophe's third consecutive Tenno Sho (Autumn) victory following the 2018 version with Rey de Oro and 2019 with Almond Eye, and fifth consecutive Tenno Sho victory, a new JRA record, which includes the 2019 and 2020 Spring version with Fierement.
Almond Eye was placed in handy position, in fourth to fifth, after breaking from stall nine while Danon Premium led the field two to three lengths in front of Daiwa Cagney and Kiseki in that order. Chasing the three into the stretch, the star of the show had no trouble finding her stride, steadily accelerating to inherit the lead from Danon Premium just after the furlong pole and pulled away while holding off the strong enclosure of Fierement for a half-length victory.
“Today, the mare was relaxed before the start and we were able to break well. She showed a great turn of foot in the straight but ran out of steam a bit climbing the hill. The others were gaining on us but she didn't give up. I have to admit, to win the eighth G1 title was a big pressure, but she didn't let us down—her performance was awesome. Her future lay in the hands of the owner and trainer but I would very much like to ride her again,” commented a slightly teary Christophe Lemaire after the race.
Fifth pick Fierement traveled in around 10th behind Chrono Genesis and switched to the outside after struggling to find a clear path at the top of the stretch. Accelerating impressively with the fastest last-three-furlong speed and although unable to tag the winner, this year's victor of the spring version dug in well to cross the wire a neck in front of Chrono Genesis for second.
Second favorite Chrono Genesis sat in front of Fierement in the early stages, circled wide for the stretch run and with the second-fastest late drive, swooped pass the pacesetter less than 100 meters out but was caught by the runner-up at the wire.
The post Almond Eye First Japanese Horse To Capture Eight Grade 1 Titles appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
