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Speech Rallies Past Venetian Harbor To Record First Stakes Victory In Ashland

Getting a perfect trip under Javier Castellano, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' and Madaket Stables Speech ended her bout of seconditis with an emphatic victory over odds-on favorite Venetian Harbor in the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., on Saturday.

The Michael McCarthy-trained daughter of Mr Speaker tracked Venetian Harbor in second throughout, then took command in the stretch to win by three lengths, covering 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.26, a new track record. Venetian Harbor finished second, with Envoutante another 3 3/4 lengths back in third and Bonny South fourth in a race that gave 100-40-20-10 qualifying points for the Sept. 4 Kentucky Oaks.

Speech paid $10 to win as the second choice in the wagering.

Venetian Harbor, second to division leader Swiss Skydiver in the G3 Fantasy at Oaklawn last out on May 1, set the fractions of :24.04, :47.14 and 1:10.44 for the first six furlongs under Joel Rosario. Castellano had Speech lapped on Venetian Harbor's right hip much of the way, and the filly responded when asked by Castellano, taking command in the stretch after a mile in 1:34.90 and drawing away for the win.

Speech broke her maiden at second asking at Los Alamitos last December, then ran second in four consecutive races, including a hard-fought neck loss to Gamine in a May 2 allowance race at Oaklawn Park. Gamine came out of that race to win the G1 Acorn Stakes at Belmont Park by 18 3/4 lengths.

Returned to California after that narrow defeat, Gamine finished second to Swiss Skydiver in the G2 Santa Anita Oaks on June 6.

Speech now ranks second, with 160 Kentucky Oaks points, behind Swiss Skydiver. Swiss Skydiver was entered in Saturday's G2 Blue Grass Stakes against males, where she finished second.

Updated Kentucky Oaks Leaderboard

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Guarana Gives Brown 100th Grade 1 With Gutty Madison Win

An odds-on favorite for the fourth time in her six-race career, Three Chimneys Farm and Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings' Guarana had to fight off a stubborn Mia Mischief to win Saturday's Grade 1 Madison Stakes at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., by a half-length.

The victory was the 100th career Grade 1 win for trainer Chad Brown, who saddled his first runner in 2007 and picked up his initial Grade 1 in 2011 when Awesome Feather won the Gazelle Handicap.

Ridden by Jose Ortiz, Guarana covered seven furlongs in 1:21.70 on a fast track. Mia Mischief finished second, with Bell's the One 3 1/4 lengths back in third and Wildwood's Beauty fourth in the field of eight older fillies and mares.

Guarana is a 4-year-old by Ghostzapper out of Magical World, by Distorted Humor. She was bred in Kentucky by Three Chimneys Farm.

Guarana, breaking from the five post, led the way early, with Mia Mischief and Ricardo Santana Jr. putting on the pressure to her outside through an opening quarter mile in :22.95 and a half in :45.92. Approaching the furlong pole, Mia Mischief edged ahead of Guarana, six furlongs in 1:09.60, but Guarana came back on along the inside in the final sixteenth to get the win.

The victory was the fifth in six career starts for Guarana and her second of 2020 from as many outings. Unraced at 2, she won two G1s in 2019–the Acorn and CCA Oaks. Her only defeat came when second to Street Band as the 11-10 favorite in the G1 Cotillion at Parx Racing, her final start of the year.

Brown was not at Keeneland, but told the track's publicity department hitting 100 Grade 1 wins is “right up there near the top. It's a whole body of work from 12½ years now of training. It has to do with my team of co-workers, owners and horses both present and past. They all contributed to the 100 Grade 1s. God willing if everything stays intact, we'll work on the next 100. But we're going to enjoy this for now.

“(Guarana) showed her heart,” Brown said. “She showed that she's a very special horse, which we've known for a long time. I'm just so happy for the ownership group, especially Mr.(Goncalo) Torrealba (of Three Chimneys Farm), the original sole owner of the horse and the breeder. I've been associated with him and his family and horses for 17 years now going back to Bobby Frankel.

“To (get the 100^th Grade 1 win) with one of his horses is really special. He's a real fine man. Very loyal. He was the first one to call me and congratulate me.”

“To get another win over Keeneland's track ahead of the Breeders' Cup (with Guarana) is very important too. And my team has done a really good job. Our division in Palm Meadows had (Guarana) all winter and prepared her for Churchill. I left her with my assistant Whit Beckman and the Churchill division, and they've done a terrific job. I'm really proud of them.”

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Monomoy Girl Continues Comeback With Ruffian Victory

Monomoy Girl, the 2018 champion 3-year-old who missed all of her 4-year-old campaign, continued her comeback for trainer Brad Cox on Saturday, winning the Grade 2 Ruffian Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., by about two lengths over Vexatious, with Piedi Bianchi third in a field of five older fillies and mares.

Ridden by Florent Geroux, Monomoy Girl, a 5-year-old by Tapizar racing for Michael Dubb, Monomoy Stables LLC, The Elkstone Group LLC, and Bethlemen Stables LLC, paid $2.30 to win as the odds-on favorite and covered one mile on a good main track in 1:34.13.

Monomoy Girl tracked Mother Mother through opening fractions of :22.84 and :45.55 for the first half mile, moved to the lead without urging and took command at the top of the stretch after six furlongs in 1:09.40. Geroux gave her a couple of taps with his riding crop in the stretch and the issue was never in doubt.

The win was the 11th in 13 career starts for Monomoy Girl, whose 2018 victories included the G1 Kentucky Oaks and the G1 Breeders' Cup Distaff against older fillies and mares.

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War Of Will Adds To Grade 1 Résumé With Maker’s Mark Mile Victory On Keeneland Turf

Gary Barber's War of Will eased past longshot Parlor in the final yards to win the 32nd running of the $300,000 Maker's Mark Mile (G1) for 4-year-olds and up by a nose Friday afternoon at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky.

With Tyler Gaffalione aboard, War of Will raced in the clear after breaking from post 10 and tracked the pace set by High Crime and Parlor, who raced through fractions of :23.17 and :46.91.

Approaching the stretch, Parlor put away High Crime, completing six furlongs in 1:11.09. Under Florent Geroux, Parlor opened a daylight advantage but was unable to hold off the final surge from War of Will and Gaffalione.

“Getting the last race out of the way (May 25 Shoemaker Mile-G1 at Santa Anita on the turf) got the nerves out,” said Gaffalione. “Taking the blinkers off helped him relax beautifully going around there. And when I called on him he finished up nicely.”

Trained by Mark Casse, War of Will covered the mile on a firm turf course in 1:34.55. It is the first Maker's Mark victory for Casse and Gaffalione.

“We're so excited,” said Casse, who was not at Keeneland, where War of Will was saddled by assistant trainer David Carroll. “It's great for everybody. We're just so excited.

“Tyler gave him a tremendous ride,” Casse added. “I wasn't sure (at the finish if he won). I wasn't sure until they put (his number) up. (My wife) Tina and I were just jumping up and down. It's means so much to the horse. We love him so much. And it means so much for a stallion prospect and everything (to be a Grade 1 winner on dirt and turf). Gary Barber and I will have to talk about (if he goes back to dirt or remains on turf). But everyone knows how much we love him, and it's so wonderful.”

The victory was worth $180,000 and increased War of Will's earnings to $1,796,069 with a record of 16-5-1-2 that includes a Grade 1 dirt victory in last year's Preakness.

A Keeneland sale graduate, War of Will is a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred son of War Front out of the Sadler's Wells mare Visions of Clarity (IRE).

War of Will returned $13.80, $6.80 and $3.60. Parlor paid $20.40 and $7 and finished a neck in front of favored Raging Bull (FR), who paid $2.40 to show under Joel Rosario.

It was another half-length back to Without Parole (GB), who was followed in order by Emmaus (IRE), English Bee, Hembree, High Crime, Everfast and Next Shares.

“That was a tough one to lose,” said Mike Maker, Parlor's trainer. “He's had a tough trip last couple of times and I thought he had a good chance today. He ran his race. I sure thought he was going to hang on. He got out of the gate well and handled the turf well. No excuse. He was just second best.”

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