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Favorite Julias Dream Rolls Home In Turfway’s Gowell

Talla Racing's 2-year-old filly Julias Dream pressed the pace from second and withstood swift early fractions before grabbing the lead in the stretch and drawing off to win Saturday's $125,000 Gowell Stakes by 4 1/4 lengths at Turfway Park.

Trained by Michael McCarthy, Julias Dream improved her overall mark to three wins from four starts. She was ridden to victory in the Gowell Stakes by Luan Machado while completing six furlongs in 1:11.21.

In the early stages of the race, Baraye was fleet-footed from the rail under jockey Gerardo Corrales but was quickly joined to her outside by Julias Dream. The duo clocked an opening quarter mile in :22.15 and half mile in :45.29. As the field entered the stretch, Julias Dream poked her head in front of her speedy rival and began to draw clear as they entered the final furlong.

Baraye was able to hold the runner-up position by a neck over the fast-closing Pipit. They were followed in order by Pinotslilgirl, Candi Girl, Trial, Edge of Town, Secret Glenda, Kerlo's Cause, and Logistics.

Julias Dream was bet down to the 5-2 post time favorite and paid $7.86 for the victory.

Julias Dream is a daughter of Flameaway out of Cinnamon Girl, by Meadowlake. She was bred in Kentucky by David Soblick.

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Road To Kentucky Oaks: Alpine Princess Makes All The Pace In Untapable

Fighting through and winning the early battle for positioning in and out of the first turn, Full of Run Racing and Madakat Stables' Alpine Princess wired five fillies in Saturday's $100,000 Untapable at Fair Grounds.

Though Alpine Princess' lead seemed insurmountable, stablemate West Omaha never quit through the stretch to finish two lengths back at the wire, securing the Brad Cox-trained exacta. Alpine Princess covered the one mile and 70 yards in 1:43.08 to earn 10 points toward a possible start in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) next spring. West Omaha collected five Oaks points.

Breaking from the rail and brushing an outer foe, Alpine Princess found herself in the rear at the outset, but her jockey Florent Geroux urged her through the encroaching outside fillies unscathed and into command of the field with first-time router Legadema in chase mode at her tail. After scrambling through the first turn three-wide, West Omaha took a tracking position in fourth.

Traveling comfortably in :24.27 and :48.29 through a half mile, Alpine Princess grew bold, adding distance to her lead at every call, as Legadema began to fade turning for home. West Omaha and Sistina Chapel were coming on, but the latter could not match strides and crossed the wire three lengths behind West Omaha in third for trainer Ken McPeek, earning three Oaks points. Legadema held on for fourth and two points. Band of Gold managed fifth and one point.

Sent off as the 8-5 favorite, Alpine Princess returned $5.40 for the win.

“It wasn't my plan to go to the lead,” Geroux said. “But she broke well and I was going to get squeezed pretty hard leaving there, so I just took the best option and that was to let my filly run and not take a very strong hold going into the first turn. I had to give her a couple of reminders right at the end. She was getting a little lost the last furlong. She's a very honest filly. We've liked her from the beginning. I don't see many fillies on this circuit right now who blow my mind. We know the route to take (toward the Kentucky Oaks).”

Alpine Princess's first stakes victory ratcheted her career earnings up $210,810 to match her 5-3-0-1 record.

Last year's Untapable winner, Pretty Mischievous, would go on to win the Rachel Alexandra (G2) and finish second in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) en route to an eventual score in Kentucky Oaks.

Alpine Princess was bred in Kentucky by Betz/DJ Stables, Peter V Lamatia, and Classic Empire Syndicate. Produced by the Curlin mare Le Moine, she sold to Full of Run Racing for $190,000 at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where Betz Thoroughbreds consigned her.

The Road to the Kentucky Oaks through Fair Grounds picks back up on Jan. 20. Fasig-Tipton sponsors Fair Grounds' 2024 series for 3-year-old fillies. The Fasig-Tipton Tremé Triple consists of the Silverbulletday Stakes (Jan. 20), the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra (Feb. 17), and the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) (March 23). The name of the race series is a tribute to the historic Tremé neighborhood of New Orleans that borders Fair Grounds.

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Road To Kentucky Derby: Track Phantom Impresses In Gun Runner In Year’s Final Derby Prep

Track Phantom left heavy favorite Nash toiling in his wake nearing the stretch and continued on to win the $100,000 Gun Runner on Saturday at Fair Grounds. The son of Quality Road, trained by Steve Asmussen, earned 10 points toward a spot in the 150th Kentucky Derby (G1) next May.

After pressing the speed-and-fade Next Level through the :23.61 first point of call, Track Phantom made a deft move at the three-furlong pole and sustained the momentum to lead through the first half-mile in a swift :46.93. Although he had the 1-2 favorite Nash and Snead in pursuit across Fair Grounds' long homestretch, the rising star held sway to the wire, stopping the clock at 1:44.42 for 1 1/16 miles. Snead was second, 1 3/4 lengths in front of 1-2 favorite Nash in third.

L and N Racing, Clark Brewster, Jerry Caroom, and breeder Breeze Easy's Track Phantom returned $11.80 for the victory.

“It's impressive that both of his two turn races have been victories, and it was a good field today,” Asmussen said. “I actually thought they went too fast in the middle, you know, :46 4/5 here in a two-turn race, you don't see horses see it out very often. He's obviously a very good horse who has some room to physically develop and we have him right where want to be at this stage of his career.”

Named for one of the all-time greats, the initial Gun Runner was won by the Asmussen-trained Epicenter two years ago. That colt would later take down both the Risen Star (G2) and Louisiana Derby (G2) in advance of a runner-up performance in the Kentucky Derby.

“Gun Runner was such a special horse for us,” said Asmussen, who conditioned the 2017 Horse of the Year. “He got started during his 2-year-old, 3-year-old season here, which put him on the map, and the things he went on to do were obviously very special.”

In town to ride just this one race, Christian Torres piloted Track Phantom to the 1 1/4-length win over Snead. It was the up-and-coming jockey's first career Fair Grounds win from just three local mounts.

“He broke sharp for us like we expected,” Torres said. “Going into the first turn I was trying to let the one horse (Next Level) go and save (my horse). On the backside, he kind of relaxed a little bit, but I knew we were going a little bit fast. The way he was traveling, he felt comfortable and he was well in hand. I just waited until we turned for home to really ask him and when he did, he just took off.”

After settling near the back through the opening half mile, Snead made a wide move with intention though the far turn, setting his sights on the leaders, and making quick work of Nash. Trained by Brendan Walsh and guided by Jareth Loveberry, Snead kept coming at Track Phantom but fell short. The son of Nyquist earned five Derby qualifying points.

“That was a huge one,” Walsh said. “I'm delighted. You'd like to think he'd improve more because he's that type of horse and that the further he goes the better he'll get. He ran at that horse again right at the end. I don't think the pennies dropped with this horse still. He's so laid back. When things really click with him, who knows (what he could do) if he keeps going the right way.”

Nash stalked the front-runners and tried to muster a bid in the homestretch but could never find a run to match strides with the top two. The son of Medaglia d'Oro earned three points toward a possible start in the Run for the Roses.

“I thought he got a good trip,” Cox said. “Sat behind what we thought was a hot pace. Horse on the lead kept going. No excuses that I can see. He was getting passed by a horse on the outside. I don't know. We'll see how he comes out of it. Disappointing. We'll see if we can bounce back. I thought he'd show a little more today.”

Footprint finished in fourth for trainer Ken McPeek to receive two points, and Track Phantom's stablemate Risk It earned one point for his fifth place finish. Neat and Next Level rounded out the order of finish.

Having broken his maiden last out on Churchill Downs' “Stars of Tomorrow II” card, the newly minted stakes winner now boasts a record of 4-2-1-1 record and $165,000 in the bank along with a promise note for more.

The Kentucky-bred is out of the Into Mischief mare Miss Sunset. Consigned to the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale by Taylor Made Sales Agency, the bay colt sold to L&N Racing for $500,000.

The Road to the Kentucky Derby through Fair Grounds picks back up on Jan. 20 with the 1 1/8 miles Lecomte (G3). On Feb. 17, the Derby dreamers will be tasked with 1 1/8 miles in the Risen Star (G2), and the last New Orleans stop before the first weekend in May comes on March 23 with the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) which is run at 1 3/16 miles.

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Laurel Roundup: Greeley and Ben, Double Crown, Saddle Up Jessie, Headland Shine In Stakes Action

What is true of some fine wines is also proving true of and Greeley and Ben. Darryl Abramowitz's 9-year-old gelding keeps getting better with age, recording his 25th career win Saturday at Laurel Park with a come-from-behind victory in the $100,000 Dave's Friend Stakes.

“He's just a wonderful horse, a horse that every owner would love to have, and he's a dream come true,” Abramowitz said after the son of Greeley's Conquest rallied from behind to win the six-furlong stakes by a half-length over Dollarization.

Abramowitz claimed Greeley and Ben for $40,000 in September 2022, at Saratoga, and the gelding has rewarded him with four wins in seven starts for the current owner.

“For the 40 at Saratoga, I said I'll take a shot,” Abramowitz said. “That's what this game's about. It's about dreams, and the dream came true.”

Cowan took the lead briefly in mid-stretch before a wild scramble ensued involving several horses. But Greeley and Ben, with jockey Jevian Toledo in the irons, swept past the leaders in late stretch to pull off the victory, his 25th in 42 lifetime starts, finishing in a time of 1:10.93. Greeley and Ben ($13.60) is trained by Horacio De Paz.

“I expected him to be more forwardly placed,” Abramowitz said of the gelding, who was last in the field of 10 for part of the race. “And when I saw him in the back, my heart started beating. But when I saw him coming on, I said this horse is gutsy. He knows how to find the wire. He always seems to find the wire. And he was coming, and he made it again.”

Dollarization settled for second, a head in front of No Cents.

Abramowitz said he plans to continue racing the gelding as a 10-year-old.

“This horse loves donuts and hot dogs,” he said. “He makes everybody happy. He makes the whole barn happy. I'm going to be on cloud nine for another week after this.”

Double Crown Springs Upset In Robert T. Manfuso

Built Wright Stables' Double Crown sprung a mild upset in the $100,000 Robert T. Manfuso Stakes, not only corralling race favorite Offaly Cool toward the top of the stretch, but outdueling him to the wire to prevail by a nose in the 1 1/16-mile event.

Sent off at odds of 10-1, Double Crown ($22.20), sat just behind Offaly Cool while saving ground along the rail in the early going under jockey Jeiron Barbosa, angled to the outside at the top of the stretch, and turned in a determined run to the wire to barely overtake the favorite. It was 2 ½ lengths further back to third-place finisher Magic Michael.

With Offaly Cool coasting through early fractions of :24.45, :49.12 and 1:13.99, Double Crown maintained close position before mounting his winning charge. Final time was 1:44.65.

Trained by Raymond Ginter Jr., the 6-year-old Maryland-bred son of Bourbon Courage notched his ninth win in 44 lifetime starts.

Saddle Up Jessie Wins Going Away In Carousel Stakes

Michael J. Ryan's Saddle Up Jessie recorded her first stakes victory in the $100,000 Carousel Stakes, and made it look easy, winning by 4¾ lengths.

The 4-year-old More Than Ready filly, forwardly placed behind front-running Peyton Elizabeth in the 1 1/8-mile stakes for fillies and mares, took command at the top of the stretch and pulled away for a convincing victory under jockey Jevian Toledo. Hybrid Eclipse was a distant second, 4 ½-lengths in front of Lady Brew.

Trained by Brittany Russell, Saddle Up Jessie ($4.20) has won four of her six races since being claimed in January at Santa Anita for $20,000.

Saddle Up Jessie was making her first start in stakes company on Saturday, facing a field of five rivals, and sat behind early fractions of :25.99 and :50.98 before drawing off in a winning time of 1:53.76.

Headland Comes Out on Top In Willa On The Move

Thomas Brockley's battle-seasoned Headland prevailed in a front-running duel with Dream Chaser in the $100,000 Willa On The Move Stakes before drawing off for a 1½-length victory in the 6½-furlong test for fillies and mares.

The 7-year-old mare was claimed three times in 2023, with the most recent of those coming in August for $62,500.

Ridden by jockey Angel Cruz for trainer George Weaver, Headland ($4.80) found herself in a front-running battle with Dream Chaser along the backstretch, with opening fractions of :22.73 and :46.70, before taking charge in the lane to register her 11th victory in 44 lifetime starts. She finished the race in 1:18.46.

Apple Picker, the even-money favorite, finished second. Dream Chaser, who crossed third under the wire, was disqualified to fourth for causing interference in the upper stretch with Moody Woman, who was placed third.

Headland, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Paynter, was making her 11th start of the year, but just the first of her career at Laurel.

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