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Brown Stablemates Viadera And Blowout Could Face Off Again In Grade 1 Matriarch

Trainer Chad Brown reported that his one two-finishers of Saturday's Grade 3 Noble Damsel, Viadera and Blowout, both emerged from their efforts in good shape and will likely square off once more in the Grade 1, $300,000 Matriarch on November 29 at Del Mar.

Owned by Juddmonte Farms, Viadera notched her second stakes victory in her third start in the United States in the one mile test over the Widener turf, where she was placed at the rear of the field early on, saved ground to the inside and prevailed to get up at the right time by a neck under jockey Joel Rosario.

“He rode a really good race,” said Brown, who secured a fifth straight victory in the Noble Damsel. “He was able to save some ground and she was able to get up at the last jump.”

Rosario also piloted Brown-trained Off Limits (2017) and Uni (2018) to Noble Damsel triumphs, both of whom won the Matriarch at the end of their respective years.

Viadera, a 4-year-old bay daughter of Bated Breath, arrived at the Noble Damsel off a narrow victory in the De La Rose on July 17 at Saratoga, where she defeated stable mate Noor Sahara (fourth in the Noble Damsel) by a neck. A victory in the Matriarch would give Juddmonte Farms a record seventh triumph in the race after previously winning with champions Ryafan (1997), Heat Haze (2003), and Intercontinental (2004).

But it was Blowout who Brown said impressed him the most. Peter Brant's consistent daughter of Dansili out of Group 1 winner Beauty Parlour set torrid fractions on the front end, and the favorite still had enough left to hang on for second.

“Those were just insane fractions,” Brown said. “It showed the heart and the talent that she has to nearly still pull it off. It was remarkable to me. I was most impressed with her. Both horses ran terrific and so far, they look good. If they do well this next month, we'll point them both to the Matriarch.”

Never off the board and never beaten more than three-quarters of a length in 10 lifetime starts, Blowout is still in search of her first graded stakes win but scored triumphs in the Wild Applause last June and the Pebbles last September going one mile over the Widener turf.

“She's very consistent,” Brown said. “She's been very unlucky in a couple of her losses, but she's a developing horse with a lot of ability and super well-bred as well. I'll believe she'll have her day winning a graded stakes.”

Earlier on the card Brown saddled the Brant-owned American West to a debut victory going a one-turn mile over the Belmont main track, where she earned a 65 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort. The juvenile daughter of Curlin is out of stakes placed Jacaranda, who is a half-sister to leading second crop sire Constitution.

“She came out of the race well, we'll talk to Peter Brant about what we'll do with her and just see how she trains,” Brown said.

Bred in Kentucky by Alpha Delta Stable, American West was purchased for $925,000 from the Mill Ridge Sales consignment at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

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Popular At Claim Box, Cupid’s Claws Finds Marathon Distance To His Liking In Tokyo City Cup

Claimed out of his last three starts on turf, 5-year-old gelding Cupid's Claws tried dirt for the first time Sunday, waltzing to a 7 1/4-length win in the marathon Grade 3, $100,000 Tokyo City Cup at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Ridden by Flavien Prat, who collected his second stakes win on the day, he got a mile and one half in 2:30.12.

With the starting gate set at about the half mile pole, Cupid's Claws was unhurried in the initial run to the far turn and was fourth, about two lengths off of favored pacesetter Tizamagician as the field crossed under the wire for the first time. From there, Prat was able to save ground while in close attendance to the pace and shifted three-wide outside of Tizamagician and Combatant with a quarter mile to run.

Full of run at the top of the lane, Cupid's Claws gained the advantage a furlong out and darted clear late as much the best.

Claimed out of a third-place finish for $50,000 going a mile and one eighth on turf Sept. 5, Cupid's Claws was trying stakes company for the first time and paid $17.00, $6.20 and $3.00.

Owned by Flawless Racing, Masino Racing Stable, Brian Flanagan and Michael Jarvis, Cupid's Claws, a 5-year-old Kitten's Joy gelding, picked up $60,000 for the win, boosting his earnings to $172,296. A winner of two turf starts and one race on synthetic Tapeta, Cupid's Claws is now 18-4-2-3 overall.

Tizamagician, who was ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, was the narrow second choice at 2-1 and outfinished Combatant by 1 ¼ lengths and returned $3.40 and $2.60.

With $39,101 bet to win on Combatant, he was the actual favorite by just five dollars at 2-1 and paid $2.40 to show with Umberto Rispoli up.

Fractions on the race were 25.22, 49.72, 1:14.82, 1:39.75 and 2:04.52.

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Patience Pays Off As Shared Sense Victorious In Oklahoma Derby

Into August, Godolphin's Racing operation and trainer Brad Cox had considered running Shared Sense in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby. When they opted out, the G3 Oklahoma Derby was chosen as the next stop for him and on Sunday, he came through for those connections at Remington Park in Oklahoma City, Okla.

Godolphin's top option for the Kentucky Derby for most of the year was a horse named Maxfield. When he left the Derby trail with an injury, Shared Sense became a possibility for the run for the roses the first Saturday of this month. He was a late bloomer, however, winning his first stakes race on July 8 when he took down the G3, $300,000 Indiana Derby at Indiana Grand. While he earned 20 points to qualify for the Kentucky Derby field, he would have had to be supplemented for $45,000 if they wanted to take on Tiz the Law and Authentic. The connections opted to keep him on a different route and that's when he came to Remington Park.

“We just didn't feel like he had the turn of foot coming out of the gate that you need to be in position to run against horses like those in the Kentucky Derby,” said Blake Cox, who represented his dad, Brad Cox, at Remington Park. “We always thought he was a nice horse, but he still needed to learn some things.”

A perfect example of Shared Sense's lack of a turn of foot came after he won the Indiana Derby and was entered back in the $200,000 Ellis Park Derby on Aug. 9. If a horse doesn't have the temerity to get position out of the gate as Cox mentioned, it can be an even tougher task to beat this class of horse from the outside 12-post position. That's what he drew for the Ellis Park Derby and he left the starting gate dead last. He was behind the field down the backstretch of that race and did close, but could do no better than fifth.

That's when Blake Cox said his father, Brad, talked to Godolphin representatives and they opted out of Kentucky for Oklahoma to give him more experience.

Brad Cox, the second-leading trainer in the country behind Remington Park leading trainer Steve Asmussen, has stable earnings of more than $11 million this year. Cox became the first trainer to win the Oklahoma Derby in back-to-back years, having also scored in the 2019 edition with Owendale.

Shared Sense, a 3-year-old Kentucky-bred colt by Street Sense out of the Bernardini mare Collective, was made the betting favorite at 9-5 odds, and pulled away deep in the stretch for a two-length victory over Mo Mosa (5-1) in second. Lightly raced Liam, making his first start against winners, and first stakes try, ran third at 26-1, another 2 1/2 lengths back.

A pair of horses with plenty of action on the tote board that didn't live up to the backing were Oklahoma-bred Rowdy Yates (5-1) in sixth and Dean Martini (4-1) in seventh. Rowdy Yates was trying to become only the third Oklahoma-bred to win this race but didn't have any rally into the stretch. Dean Martini pressed the pace into the stretch but backed up over the final furlong.

Jockey Richard Eramia took comfortable rein on Shared Sense down the backstretch of the 1 1/8-mile race on the main track, sitting fifth.

“I had a little hold on him and he was relaxed behind horses,” said Eramia. “I knew I had a lot of horse left and the best horse in the race.”

Eramia and Shared Sense put a head in front at the top of the lane before drawing off from their competition.

Shared Sense hit the finish line in 1:49.88 over the fast surface. The final time was well off the stakes and track record, set in 1998 by Classic Cat in 1:48. Shared Sense chased fractions set by Liam of :24.11 for the first quarter-mile, :48.96 for the half-mile, 1:13.75 for three-quarters of mile, and 1:38.14 for the mile.

Shared Sense earned $120,000 for the win, his fourth from 10 starts to go along with two seconds while boosting his overall bankroll to $447,745 lifetime. He was bred in Kentucky by the owner. Shared Sense was not the top money earner in this nine-horse field, going in, but he was coming out, proving he is learning his craft.

The complete order of finish in the Oklahoma Derby was Shared Sense, Mo Mosa, Liam, Avant Garde, Salow, Rowdy Yates, Dean Martini, Code Runner and Creative Plan.

Remington Park racing continues into a new month with a Thursday-Saturday schedule on Oct 1-3. The first race nightly is at 7:07pm-Central.

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Tenfold Faces Strong Field In Defense Of Pimlico Special Title On Friday

Winchell Thoroughbreds' Tenfold, who has enjoyed some of his finest career moments at Pimlico Race Course, will get the chance once again to display his affinity for the when he returns to the Baltimore, Md., track to defend his title in the historic $250,000 Pimlico Special (G3) Friday, Oct. 2.

The 50th running of the Pimlico Special for 3-year-olds and up, back to its original distance of 1 3/16 miles after being contested at 1 1/4 miles for the first time last year, is the headliner on a 10-race program that also serves as a preview for the Claiming Crown, offering winners an automatic berth to the main event Dec. 5 at Gulfstream Park.

Friday also marks the midpoint of a spectacular three-day Preakness weekend lineup that boasts 16 stakes, nine graded, worth $3.35 million in purses featuring the 145th Preakness (G1) Saturday, Oct. 3. First race post time Friday is 12:40 p.m.

A 5-year-old homebred son of two-time Horse of the Year and Hall of Famer Curlin out of the Tapit mare Temptress, Tenfold can become only the second two-time winner of the Pimlico Special following the Hall of Famer Challedon, who captured back-to-back editions in 1939 and 1940.

“The race goes back decades. It's one of the most renowned races in Maryland and it was a big deal to win it last year,” Winchell racing manager David Fiske said. “We're feeling pretty good. For one reason or another, he seems to put out some of his best efforts at Pimlico.”

Tenfold came from far back to split horses in the stretch and get up by a neck in last year's Pimlico Special over favored You're To Blame, with Cordmaker another neck back in third. Tenfold was on the other side of that decision in his only other trip to Baltimore when he was third, beaten a half-length and a neck respectively by Justify and Bravazo in the fog-shrouded 2018 Preakness.

“The Preakness in the fog was one of the most exciting races I've ever witnessed,” Fiske said. “The fog added another layer of suspense, and to be that close to a Triple Crown winner. I don't think he was beaten more than a length.”

Tenfold found himself trailing all but one horse in his most recent effort, the 1 1/8-mile Charles Town Classic (G2) Aug. 28, before rallying late to be fourth and just missing third by a neck to Runnin'toluvya.

“He doesn't tend to be all that forwardly placed anymore. His first couple races he went almost wire to wire, but at Charles Town he was just too far back and you had to be pretty close to the lead,” Fiske said. “It seemed to be favoring speedier horses that night. But, you pay your money and you take your chances.”

Tenfold has won four races and more than $1.1 million in purse earnings from 19 starts, his other graded victory coming in the 2018 Jim Dandy (G2). In addition to the Preakness, he ran third in the Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) in June and the New Orleans Classic (G2) in March.

“He worked well the other day and he's been training well. He's a big, pretty horse that's sound and always seems to be knocking on the door,” Fiske said. “He always shows up. He always kind of teases us a little bit. He'll train well or he'll run a really nice race and then he doesn't back that up. But, he keeps trying. We've had some interest of late from stallion farms since he's a Curlin and out of Tapit mare and he's a big, pretty thing that is sound and durable.”

Joe Bravo is named to ride Tenfold from Post 5 in a field of nine.

Another multiple graded-stakes winning millionaire that ran third in the Preakness and returning for the Pimlico Special is Rupp Racing's Owendale. The 4-year-old Into Mischief colt was beaten a nose for second behind War of Will last spring, but has won three stakes since – the Ohio (G3) and Oklahoma (G3) derbies last year and the one-mile Blame May 23. He exits a runner-up finish in the 1 1/16-mile Alysheba (G2) Sept. 4 and will have Hall of Famer John Velazquez aboard from Post 8.

Hillwood Stable's Cordmaker could be rounding into form just in time for another try at the Pimlico Special. Based at Laurel Park with trainer Rodney Jenkins and bred in Maryland by trainer Katy Voss and the late Bob Manfuso, the 5-year-old Curlin gelding had his season opener delayed until July 5 and ran fifth in his first three starts, all allowances, the latter two at seven furlongs. Last out, he was a willing third to Harpers First Ride in the 1 1/16-mile Deputed Testamony Sept. 5 at Laurel. Victor Carrasco returns to ride from Post 1.

MCA Racing Stable's Harper's First Ride will be making his second foray into graded competition in the Pimlico Special, having had a two-race win streak snapped when he was fifth in the 1 1/8-mile Monmouth Cup (G3) July 18. Since then he closed to be second in an open allowance in the Parx mud Aug. 12 and was a popular 3 ¼-length winner of the Deputed Testamony, his seventh career win and first in a stakes.

“He came out of the last race good and he's doing good. I was impressed with his last race. He beat a really nice horse in Cordmaker. He's run with good horses before, too, and it hasn't been easy for him but he does good,” trainer Claudio Gonzalez said. “All the time this horse shows me he can improve little by little and can get better and better. I believe he can run longer than the mile. It all depends if he has a good trip. He likes to run one way. He has one pace, that's why it's very important the trip we have with him. It doesn't matter where you put him, if he's in the clear he's going to make it.”

Angel Cruz, up for each of Harpers First Ride's last two wins, gets the return call from outside Post 9.

Michael Dubb, Bethlehem Stables and Gary Aisquith's Monongahela, a Grade 3 winner of more than $500,000 in purses, is entered to make his second start since joining Laurel trainer Brittany Russell. Winless in five tries since taking the 1 1/16-mile Swatara for Pennsylvania-breds last fall, the 6-year-old gelding ran last of four in a one-mile optional claiming allowance Aug. 20 at Delaware Park.

“He's awesome. When we ran at Delaware I thought, 'Let's just run him because it might be a softer spot and a spot to pick his head up,'” Russell said. “I probably didn't train on him enough and long enough to really know what we had. Then he kind of ran a clunker so we kind of scratched our heads afterward. I tweaked his training routine a bit after that and he seems like he's responding. He's doing really well so I figured we'd go in and take a look.”

Russell's husband, jockey Sheldon Russell, was still recovering from a broken wrist when Monongahela last ran, but will be in the irons from Post 2. The trainer hoping their familiarity from the mornings will prove advantageous.

“There was a getting to know him period and I think we did that. He's certainly classy and he just kind of does what he has to do in the morning,” Brittany Russell said. “Then it was sort of letting the rider get to know him, which is where Sheldon comes in, so I'm hoping he might be the magic formula. He's worked him quite a few times and has kind of got him figured out. I don't know if that can translate to the afternoon, but I feel better if Sheldon's on him so at least we can get a line on where we are.”

Main Line Racing Stable and Alexandria Stable's Someday Jones is a 7-year-old son of 2004 Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness winner Smarty Jones with 11 career wins, three in stakes, including the 1 1/8-mile Native Dancer last December at Laurel. Beaten twice Laurel stakes over the winter before the coronavirus break, Someday Jones won his July 6 return at Delaware and was second in the 1 1/16-mile Storm Cat Sept. 7 at Parx.

“His first race back at Delaware was good. He was probably about 75 percent and he won, and I think he's gone forward since then,” trainer John Servis said. “The last race just didn't set up for him. The winner just got loose on the lead and really controlled the pace, and he made a nice run at him through the stretch and just couldn't make up any ground on him. He's coming into this race really good.”

Servis, who also trained Smarty Jones, lined up Trevor McCarthy to ride Someday Jones, a winner of nearly $650,000 in lifetime purses that has been third or better in 20 of 29 starts. They will break from Post 4.

“He is a war horse. I had one of the owners send me his Thoro-Graph sheet for the last three, four years and he has just been the model of consistency. It's unbelievable how consistent his numbers are,” Servis said. “It'd be something to have a barn full like that. He's a special horse. And he's a barn favorite. Everybody loves him.”

Plus Que Parfait, winless since taking the UAE Derby (G2) last March but most recently second in the Charles Town Derby, and multiple stakes winners Clubman, seventh in last year's Pimlico Special, and Forewarned, seventh at Charles Town, complete the field.

The Pimlico Special was created in 1937 by Alfred Vanderbilt, the master of Sagamore Farm, as the first major stakes in the United States set up as an invitational, and was won by Triple Crown champion War Admiral. The following year, he was upset by Seabiscuit in what Sports Illustrated called the “Race of the Century.”

Revived in 1988 by the late Maryland Jockey Club president Frank De Francis, the Special's illustrious roster of winners includes Triple Crown winners Whirlaway, Citation and Assault and modern-day Horses of the Year Criminal Type, Cigar, Skip Away, Mineshaft and Invasor.

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