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Connections Considering Jerome, KY Derby Points For Debut Winner Dune Road

Blue Devil Racing Stable's homebred debut winner Dune Road is possible to make his next start in the $150,000 Jerome on Jan. 6 at Aqueduct Racetrack. The one-turn mile for sophomores offers 10-5-3-2-1 Kentucky Derby (G1) qualifying points to the top-five finishers.

Trained by Carlos Martin, the Kentucky-bred Speightstown gelding graduated Dec. 8 with a gate-to-wire performance under Kendrick Carmouche in a one-turn mile maiden claimer. The dark bay marked fractions of :22.97, :46.53 and 1:12.39 through six furlongs over the fast main track, then kicked clear at the quarter pole en route to a 2 1/2-length score in a final time of 1:38.10. He garnered a 68 Beyer Speed Figure.

“I was surprised he showed that much speed. In the morning, he had always been steady and didn't show 22 and change speed, but he broke so sharp that Kendrick just left him alone,” Martin said. “I was pretty happy. He was ready to run but the way we usually prepare our horses, you would hope they keep improving moving forward. We don't crank them to the gills first time out, so I'm optimistic that was a pretty good effort all things considered.”

Martin said he is hopeful that Dune Road will continue to improve with racing experience.

“He's still a work in progress. It took his mind a while to come around,” Martin said. “We gelded him three or four months ago and he's a little on the quirky side, but he was very professional in the paddock and in the race. He broke sharp and was on cruise control. I watched the replay and he was a little green not switching leads, so I still believe there's some improvement there.”

Dune Road, a half-brother to stakes winner Kentucky Ghost, is out of the graded stakes-winning After Market mare Closing Range, who is a half-sister to graded stakes winner Stupendous Miss.

“He's a compact horse — more a medium size. He's got a lot of Speightstown in him even though he's not chestnut,” Martin said. “He's a handy, athletic type of horse — well-made and solid.

“The dam has had a couple nice horses like Kentucky Ghost, who has earned over half a million,” Martin added. “He has an interesting pedigree, so he's a horse that hopefully can get better and distance doesn't seem like it will be an issue. He'll run on.”

Martin said he has nominated Dune Road to the Jerome and will keep an eye on how tough the race comes up.

“The 'non-winners of one' is the day before and if the Jerome is coming up light, you have to consider all the options,” Martin said.

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Wolfie’s Dynaghost Takes Prairie Bayou On Front End

Woodslane Farm's well-traveled homebred Wolfie's Dynaghost returned to Turfway Park Saturday night and held off a late bid by Cellist to win the 28th running of the $125,000 Prairie Bayou Stakes.

Wolfie's Dynaghost, who triumphed in the TwinSpires Kentucky Cup Classic March 25 at the Northern Kentucky track, completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.51 under jockey Tyler Connor for trainer Jonathan Thomas.

The speedy Wolfie's Dynaghost had no early pace pressure as the field broke from the starting gate, and Connor was able to rate him through composed early fractions of :24.17 and :47.27 through a half mile. Around the far turn, Wolfie's Dynaghost extended his lead to two lengths while clocking six furlongs in 1:10.87. However, in the stretch, Wolfie's Dynaghost began to get leg weary and had to hold off the big, late strides of Cellist. Calling on all his reserves, he dug down deep and held off that rival by a head for the victory.

Wolfie's Dynaghost was well-backed in the wagering and closed as the heavy 4-5 favorite. He returned $3.98 for a $2 win wager. Runner-up Cellist finished 4¼ lengths in front of third-place finisher Hush of a Storm.

Like the King, who won the 2021 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3), completed the superfecta and was followed in order by Kitodan, Tiz the Bomb, Leave It to Kitten, and Ocean Atlantique.

Wolfie's Dynaghost, who entered off a victory in the Autumn (G2) Nov. 5 at Woodbine, banked $74,814 for his victory in the Prairie Bayou to improve his overall earnings to a stout $923,719. His impressive career record stands at 25-10-2-5.

Kentucky-bred Wolfie's Dynaghost is a 5-year-old gelded son of Ghostzapper out of the Dynaformer mare Dynaire.

Thomas reported Saturday morning on the Horse Racing Radio Network that Wolfie's Dynaghost would likely receive some time off before his 6-year-old campaign and could defend his title in the Kentucky Cup Classic.

Next year's Prairie Bayou Stakes was one of four local stakes contests that were upgraded by the American Graded Stakes Committee. The race will now be a Listed event along with the Big Daddy and Latonia Stakes. The Kentucky Cup Classic also received an upgrade from a Listed race to a Grade 3.

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Baffert-Trained Wynstock Pulls 13-1 Upset In Los Alamitos Futurity, Favored Stablemate Third

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert won his eighth Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) in 10 years on Saturday, but it wasn't with the 2-year-old most were expecting.

Wynstock, the longest-priced entrant of the trio Baffert saddled in the $200,000 race, led virtually all the way at 13-1 odds, then survived a stewards' inquiry to earn his second consecutive win since he was stretched out.

The victory was especially sweet for Baffert because Wynstock, a New York bred son of Solomini and the Flatter mare Timberlea, is owned by Dr. Edward Allred, the owner of Los Alamitos, and F. Jack Liebau, the vice president of the Los Alamitos Racing Association. He was bred by Empire Equines LLC.

After beginning his career by disappointing twice as the favorite in races at 6½ furlongs, Wynstock dominated maidens by 7½ lengths going a mile Oct. 15 in his first collaboration with jockey Kyle Frey.

The surprising result – the chestnut was also 13-1 that day – enabled Frey to retain the mount in the Los Alamitos Futurity, and Wynstock responded with a half-length victory over 4-1 second choice Stronghold. The Baffert-trained Coach Prime, the 4-5 favorite, was another half length back in third.

Stewards Luis Jauregui, David Nuesch and Kim Sawyer conducted an inquiry into some bumping between Wynstock and Stronghold inside the final eighth of a mile, but ruled both horses contributed to the incident and there was no change to the order of finish.

Wine Me Up, the third Baffert entrant and 19-10 second choice, and Ace of Clubs completed the order of finish.

Pushing his earnings to $162,740, Wynstock, who was purchased from the Caliente Thoroughbreds consignment for $700,000 at the OBS April Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale, covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.53. He returned $29.40 for the win making him the highest-priced winner of the Futurity since the race has been run at Los Alamitos.

Stronghold, racing around two turns for the first time, outfinished Coach Prime by a half length for second.

“To have this moment is special,'' said Baffert. “I'm so excited. I'm just so happy (for Dr. Allred). He and I go way back. He bought this horse and trusted me.

“I thought (Wynstock) would be on the lead today because when I sent him long the first time that's how he won. I couldn't believe he got beat twice going short before that because he had shown so much in the morning.

“When he went long we put (Frey) on him and he got him away from there so I told Kyle I'd leave him on this horse because they get along great together.

“This horse looked outstanding coming into the paddock today. He was on his toes and actually looked like he was going to run in the Champion of Champions. He's a stout, beautiful horse.

“(Coach Prime) was sort of in and out the whole way. He got a little warm behind the gate and got shuffled back a bit. He's still green.''

The Los Alamitos Futurity was Frey's first graded stakes success in Southern California and his second stakes win at this venue. He had previously won the Dark Mirage Stakes in 2021 with Samurai Charm.

“Relaxing isn't an issue for this horse,'' said Frey. “Just getting out of the gate is and he did that perfectly today. He has the heart of a lion. He swelled up when (Stronghold) came up on our inside.'' (On the inquiry): “(Stronghold) got us first.''

The Los Alamitos Futurity provided Kentucky Derby (G1) qualifying points on a 10-5-3-2-1 basis, but only Stronghold (5points) and fifth-place finisher Ace of Clubs (1 point) earned points. Baffert-trained runners are ineligible for points because of Churchill Downs Inc.'s ban of the trainer from entering horse in the Derby and other races through 2024.

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El Encinal Springs 14-1 Surprise In Prestigious Carlos Pellegrini, Earns Breeders’ Cup Berth

El Encinal (ARG) pulled a 14-1 upset and earned a Breeders' Cup berth Saturday evening when capturing the Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini Internacional (G1) at Hipodromo de San Isidro just outside Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Craftily ridden by Eduardo Ortega Pavon, El Encinal split rivals in midstretch of the 2,400-meter (about 1 1/2-mile) turf race before getting up in the final strides to nail No Fear (BRZ) by a head in a thrilling finish.

The Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini Internacional, the most prestigious race in South America, is the first Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In race of the 2024 season. With his narrow victory in a field of 14 3-year-olds and upward, El Encinal earned an automatic starting slot in the 2024 running of the $4-million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) through the series.

After the top two finishers, it was about two lengths back to Treasure Island (ARG) in third. Jazz Seiver (ARG), part of a favored entry, was fourth.

The triumph was by far the most noteworthy in the nascent racing career of El Encinal. After being defeated in his first five starts, he now has won three of his last four. He was a nose winner of an August maiden race in his sixth start, then wheeled back to win the Group 3 Ensayo in September, both at San Isidro. His lone interim attempt resulted in a sixth-place finish behind Happy Happy Day (ARG) in the age-restricted Jockey Club (G1) on Oct. 7, also at San Isidro.

El Encinal is a chestnut 3-year-old colt by the Chilean sire Il Campione, a son of the noted late sire Scat Daddy, and was produced by the Argentine mare Asediada Emper, by Emperor Jones. Miguel Alberto Gomez trains the colt for the Stud Dona Pancha, perhaps best known to American racing fans as the owner of Calidoscopio (ARG), winner of the 2012 Breeders' Cup Marathon (G2).

Pavon had El Encinal nicely settled while saving ground in midpack for much of the Pellegrini while Happy Happy Day sped off to an open lead down the backstretch and into the turn. Down the long homestretch, Treasure Island first took over for Happy Happy Day, after which the filly No Fear made a sustained run to take full command with 100 meters to go. It was only a determined late run by El Encinal that snatched the win from No Fear in the shadow of the wire, with the winning time being 2:25.46.

The three-way Group 1-winning entry of Natan (ARG), Happy Happy Day, and Jazz Seiver – all owned by Stud Las Monjitas, the Argentine powerhouse stable – was the 19-10 favorite among 12 betting interests. No Fear (BRZ) and Treasure Island (ARG) were next, both at 7-2, with El Encinal among the middling choices at 14.25-1. Natan, a 25-length winner of the 2022 Jockey Club as a 3-year-old, was the major disappointment Saturday when failing to be a serious factor.

Befitting its status, the Pellegrini was the centerpiece of a festive day of racing at San Isidro, filled with music, parachute jumpers, and much more pomp and pageantry enjoyed by a large crowd. The race was first run in 1887.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race in the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which are scheduled to be run for the 41st time next Nov. 1-2 at Del Mar in Del Mar, California.

As part of the benefits of the Challenge series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for El Encinal into the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf. Breeders' Cup also will provide a travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. Any Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the pre-entry deadline of Oct. 21, 2024, to receive their rewards.

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