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Rushie Finds His Stride At Shorter Distance In Grade 2 Pat Day Mile

Formerly a contender for the 2020 Kentucky Derby, Rushie demonstrated a propensity for shorter distances in his decisive victory in the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile on Saturday at Churchill Downs. Jockey Javier Castellano kept the gray off early pacesetters Vertical Threat and Tap It to Win throughout the backstretch.

In his last start, a third in the Grade 2 Blue Grass, part of Rushie's finish could be attributed to his wide trip but in Saturday's race, his position sitting three wide throughout the Pat Day Mile did not take the bite out of his closing kick. Rushie and Castellano drew even with the early leaders and emerged from the final turn moving forward, holding off a late run from Sonneman at the wire.

Tap It To Win held on for third.

Rushie paid $7.80 to win. The final time for the mile was 1:34.41.

Michael McCarthy trains Rushie for Jim and Donna Daniell. He also has a third-place finish behind Honor A.P. in the G1 Santa Anita Derby earlier this summer.

Ocala Stud bred the son of Liam's Map and Colonel John mare Conquest Angel. Rushie was a $70,000 juvenile purchase by West Bloodstock out of the 2019 OBS March Sale, where he was consigned by Ocala Stud.

See the full chart here.

PAT DAY MILE QUOTES, courtesy Churchill Downs media office

Javier Castellano (winning rider, Rushie) — “I had the perfect trip. I was outside and took advantage of it. The way the race developed it was perfect, it was what I was looking for today. We sat two or three lengths off the pace and I kept track of those horses. When we turned for home, I asked him and the horse responded so well. I think the mile was perfect today for the horse. I'm glad we got it done.”

Michael McCarthy (winning trainer, Rushie) — “Part of me wanted to go with the Derby. The horse was training well all along but I can't thank the owners enough for supporting me. We ended up in the Pat Day Mile and were rewarded with a great effort. Hopefully this race sets us up for a solid fall campaign. I'm not sure which way we go from here. It's been a long day and a tough day yesterday in the Oaks (with Speech) so we're just going to savor this one and see what happens down the road.”

Manny Franco (rider, Sonneman, second) — “I'm really happy with the way he finished. Steve (Asmussen) has done a great job with him. I'm just happy with second. It changed the race (with the scratches of Cezanne and No Parole) because we thought there was going to be more pace in front. With the scratches, it wasn't too fast early.”

Steve Asmussen (trainer runner-up Sonneman and fifth-place finisher Echo Town): “The race didn't set up the way either one of them needed. Echo Town was kind of boxed in there, and then going too slow and then held up. Not ideal for him. Sonneman had trained really well and deserved the chance. But he'd have benefited from more pace as well. I think the two scratches really distorted the race.”

John Velazquez (rider, Tap It to Win, third) — “I thought he ran really well. I was hoping he held on for second but that's all he gave me. I was sitting perfect. I know the horse inside (Vertical Threat) had a little bit of speed so I could concede off him. He sat well, really nice and eventually when they came to me at the three-eighths pole I tried to hurry up and tried to keep my head in front of the other horse (Rushie) but he had too much horse.”

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Fancy Liquor Keeps Geroux’s Hot Streak Alive In American Turf

Florent Geroux continues to have a big weekend at Churchill Downs, following up his five-win Kentucky Oaks day with a victory aboard Sky Chai Racing and Sand Dollar Stable's homebred Fancy Liquor in the Grade 2 American Turf.

The 3-year-old son of Lookin at Lucky entered the $500,000 race off a victory in the listed Caesars Stakes at Indiana Grand, and was sent off as the third choice of seven runners at odds of 9-2. Fancy Liquor, trained by Mike Maker like third-place finisher Field Pass, closed from well off the pace to best Taishan by a half length on the wire, completing 1 1/16 miles over firm turf in 1:42.83.

“I wasn't expecting what we got, but it worked out,” Maker said. “So I'm very pleased. Field Pass is a stakes winner over this course and didn't quite run his race at Saratoga. Tyler (Gaffalione) didn't feel like he handled the softer going today but still ran a good race. Flo said he was loaded, on the gallop out and everything.”

On or near the pace in each of his five lifetime starts thus far, Fancy Liquor wasn't able to keep pace with the early speed in the American Turf. Geroux found himself at least a dozen lengths off the leaders entering the backstretch, but the French veteran didn't panic, guessing that the frontrunners would tire and come back to him.

There were three across the track in the heated early pace battle: American Butterfly on the rail, Sugoi between horses, and 6-5 favorite Smooth Like Strait on the outside. They blasted through early fractions of :23.04 and :46.48, pulling away by about eight lengths from 9-5 second choice Field Pass. It was another four or so lengths back to Fancy Liquor in fifth.

American Butterfly dropped out of the race nearing the far turn, and Sugoi quickly followed suit. By that point, Field Pass had started making up ground on the outside and took over the lead from Smooth Like Strait. Those two battled for several strides before Smooth Like Strait conceded, but the effort left Field Pass vulnerable as Fancy Liquor and Geroux swept up the middle of the course in the final eighth of a mile.

Fancy Liquor grabbed the lead and refused to let Taishan by in the final yards, crossing the wire a half-length the best. Field Pass held on to finish third over Smooth Like Strait.

Bred in Kentucky by his owners, Fancy Liquor is out of the 21-time winning Secret Romeo mare Brandys Secret. The colt won on debut at Gulfstream Park in February of this year, and finished third behind Field Pass next out on the synthetic at Turfway Park in the Jeff Ruby Steaks. Fancy Liquor was again best by Field Pass two starts later when third in the G3 Transylvania, but got away from his stablemate to win the Caesars Stakes in Indiana in his final prep for the American Turf. Overall, Fancy Liquor's record stands at 3-1-2 from six starts for earnings of over $450,000.

“This horse seems to be still learning,” Geroux said. “He broke really well but the horses in front of me were going really fast. He's shown in the past he's run well on the lead but he doesn't necessarily have to have the lead. The race I rode aboard him at Keeneland (the Grade III Transylvania) he came from just off the pace and we got beat by Field Pass that day but I know (Fancy Liquor) was still learning and getting better. Even back in the Jeff Ruby Steaks, where he beat us there, too, (Fancy Liquor) ran a really solid race.”

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‘She Can Run All Day’: Civil Union Gets Up In Time To Win Glens Falls Stakes

A well-spotted charge by jockey Joel Rosario got Civil Union to the wire when she needed it to prevail in Saturday's Grade 2 Glens Falls Stakes at Saratoga.

The 5-year-old War Front mare stayed tucked in on the rail from the inside post, while Beau Belle took command early on from her immediate outside, followed by Lovely Lucky. Luis Saez kept a tight hold on Beau Belle as the field entered the stretch for the first time in an opening quarter-mile of :26.76 seconds.

The three horses that led the pack heading into the stretch remained in the same positions heading out of it, with Beau Belle continuing to maintain an unhurried pace after they cleared a half-mile in :53.22 seconds. Rosario continued to keep Civil Union within striking distance in the pocket behind the two leaders, and he continued to wait patiently as the field entered the final turn through a mile in 1:44.61.

Beau Belle and Lovely Lucky began to put some separation on the rest of the field in the final bend, with Lovely Lucky and Jose Lezcano beginning to lodge her own challenge in earnest. Those two drew even heading into the straightaway, which left the space behind them open for Rosario to take Civil Union off the rail and three-wide.

While Beau Belle and Lovely battled up front in the final eighth of a mile, Civil Union gradually gained ground on the outside, while a pair of French-bred Peter Brant-owned horses began to stage threats of their own – Eliade on the rail and post time favorite My Sister Nat on the far outside. After setting all of the pace, the lead duo could not withstand the momentum of the late movers, and Civil Union took command within the final sixteenth, drawing clear a few strides before the wire to win by a length.

My Sister Nat joined Civil Union's outside momentum to finish second, while Beau Belle hung on bravely to finish third, ahead of fellow front-runner Lovely Lucky in fourth.

Civil Union completed the 1 3/8-mile turf race in 2:19.80 over Saratoga's firm inner turf course. She paid $6.50 to win as the field's second choice, and the win marked her first paring with Rosario in the saddle.

The winner raced as a homebred for Joseph Allen, and she was trained by Shug McGaughey.

Civil Union is a generational home-grown winner for Allen, who bred her dam, the unraced Unbridled's Song mare Photograph, campaigned second dam Black Speck as a homebred, and raced her third dam the Grade 1 winner Andover Way.

On the sire's side, War Front also raced as an Allen homebred, and has developed into one of North America's top commercial sires. He also campaigned War Front's dam, Starry Dreamer.

With Saturday's victory, Civil Union improved her lifetime record to four wins in seven career starts, with earnings of $451,672. This is her first career graded stakes victory, and her second overall stakes win, having come into a race off a victory in the listed River Memories Stakes at Belmont Park.

To view the race's chart, click here.

G2 Glens Falls Quotes – Courtesy of the NYRA Press Office

Shug McGaughey, winning trainer of Civil Union (No. 1, $6.50): “I think she can run all day. When she won the River Memories [July 12 at Belmont], she really punched hard from the eighth pole to the wire and she did the same thing today. It looks like when you ask her to go on and finish, she has it in her.

“I liked where we were behind the slow pace. I have a lot of confidence in Joel and I knew he knew where he was.

“She's trained very well since the end of Belmont and I thought she'd run well today. I was a little worried about the turf, but [it worked out]. I had a filly a few years ago named Apple Betty and she won the River Memories and I ran her back in the Waya and she finished fourth, so I said I wasn't going to do that with this filly. She's trained very well the whole time we've been up here.

Joel Rosario, winning jockey aboard Civil Union (No. 1): “She was moving really well but she took a little time coming out of the last turn and getting a hold of the turf. But as soon as I straightened her out, she was moving forward and from that point I was really confident.

“It was a slow pace but I was right there and just trying to keep my position. I knew the horses in front were going very easy and I thought with the slow pace they might keep going, but I was there. My horse was right there and she made everything easy for me.”

Jose Ortiz, jockey aboard runner-up My Sister Nat (No. 4): “She's got no speed at all. She broke a little weird and there was nothing I could do. The pace was very slow. I knew Tommy's [trainer Albertrani] horses [No. 2, Beau Belle; and No. 3. Lovely Lucky] both had speed. I couldn't really make a middle move, so I saved as much ground as I could and she gave me a great run turning for home.”

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Trio Of Fillies Take On The Boys In Del Mar Derby

Over the 76 years the race has been run, no more than a handful of fillies have stepped up to take on the boys in the Grade 2, $200,000 Del Mar Derby. That was until 2020 – the year that has turned everything and everyone sideways.

This year's edition of the “Derby” will have not one, not two, but three fillies ready to rock 'n roll with the guys. The 1 1/8 miles out of the track's diagonal turf chute looks more like a European heat, where the girls take on the boys all the time. It also adds a delicious dimension to a test that is the conclusion of the track's three-race grass series for sophs, led off by the RunHappy Oceanside Stakes and followed up by the La Jolla Handicap.

Sunday's three fillies – all with serious shots to win the race – are Barber or Wachtel Stable's California Kook, Benowitz Family Trust and Madaket Stables' Guitty and Ben and Sally Warren's Warren's Showtime.

The possible favorite in the race, though, appears to be the shipper Pixelate, a colt by City Zip who is in from the east coast to tackle the west coasters and making an appearance at his seventh racetrack in what will be his 11th lifetime start. Pixelate is owned by the powerhouse outfit Godolphin and is trained by the veteran Michael Stidham. He's run in seven straight grass stakes and has finished in the top three in all of them. Having leading rider Umberto Rispoli in the boot Sunday won't hurt his chances.

Here's the full field for the Del Mar Derby from the rail out with riders and morning line odds: BKB Stables or Sherman's American Farmer (Ricky Gonzalez, 20-1); California Kook (Flavien Prat, 5-1); Guitty (Evan Flores, 8-1); Pixelate (3-1); Todd or Shawn Hansen's No Slo Mo (Giovanni Franco, 30-1); Wertheimer & Frere's Kanderel (Juan Hernandez, 12-1); Warren's Showtime (Jose Velez, 6-1); John Sondereker's Kiss Today Goodbye (Drayden Van Dyke, 8-1); Paula Capestro's Dominant Soul (Edwin Maldonado, 20-1); Hronis Racing's Heywoods Beach (Jose Valdivis, Jr., 12-1); Alfred Pais' Margot's Boy (Tiago Pereira, 12-1), and Karl Pergola's K P All Systems Go (Abel Cedillo, 6-1).

California Kook, a daughter of Boisterous, most recently ran second in the G1I Del Mar Oaks locally on August 22. She's been first or second in five of her eight starts for trainer Peter Miller.

Guitty, a French-bred, was a close-up second in the San Clemente on the grass earlier in the meet. The late-running miss works under the watchful eye of the French trainer Leonard Powell.

Warren's Showtime, bred by his owners, has won five of 12 starts and has banked more than $460,000. She's a daughter of Clubhouse Ride, who was trained by Craig Lewis, the man who now trains Warren's Showtime.

The Del Mar Derby will be race No. 10 on the 11-race Sunday program and one of three stakes on the afternoon. First post Sunday is at 1 p.m.

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