Tag: Racing

A total of 90 horses spread over eight races have been entered for next Saturday's 25th Claiming Crown, to be held for the first time since 2011 at Fair Grounds in New Orleans.

Trainer Mike Maker, whose all-time record 21 Claiming Crown victories include two last year at Churchill Downs, and Robertino Diodoro lead the way with seven entries apiece. For Maker, that includes four in the 12-horse $150,000 Claiming Crown Emerald at 1 1/16 miles on turf, headed by United Nations winner Therapist (G1). Diodoro's trio in the $200,000 1 1/8-mile Jewel's field of nine includes Lone Star Park's Steve Sexton Mile (G3) winner Frosted Grace.

Conceived to be a Breeders' Cup-style event for claiming horses, the Claiming Crown was created in 1999 by the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (NHBPA) and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA). The program Thoroughbred racing's workhorses, their owners, and trainers a day in the spotlight in recognition of their importance to filling out race cards across the nation.

“My owners like the Claiming Crown,” Maker said. “When we see a horse we think about claiming and they're eligible, that's a factor for sure. The Claiming Crown is great. I like the idea, too, that they're moving it around, drawing attention to different tracks and the event.”

The Claiming Crown races are conducted under starter-allowance conditions, meaning they are restricted to horses that have competed at least once for a certain claiming level or cheaper during a designated time frame.

Saturday's eight Claiming Crown races all are for horses 3 years old and up, with two of those restricted to fillies and mares. Headlining the card is the Jewel for horses that have started for a claiming price of $35,000 or less in 2022-23. Three other races — all on turf — offer a $150,000 purse and have a $25,000 claiming requirement. Those races are the Emerald; its filly and mare counterpart, the Tiara; and the Canterbury Tom Metzen Memorial at 5 1/2 furlongs.

The other Claiming Crown races are the $100,000 Rapid Transit ($16,000 claiming requirement) at six furlongs; $100,000 Glass Slipper ($12,500 claiming requirement) at a mile for fillies and mares; $75,000 Iron Horse Kent Stirling Memorial ($8,000 claiming requirement) at 1 1/16 miles, and $75,000 Ready's Rocket Express ($8,000 claiming requirement) at six furlongs. Each race has another $25,000 available in purses for accredited Louisiana-breds.

The fewest entries in a race is nine (the Tiara and Jewel), with four races attracting at least 12 entrants.

“We're thrilled with the response to the first Claiming Crown in New Orleans in 12 years,” said National HBPA CEO Eric Hamelback. “The Kentucky horsemen really hit the entry box. There's good representation from all over the Midwest, Louisiana, the Mid-Atlantic, and Florida. These races offer full fields and promise to be entertaining and provide challenging handicapping. One thing's for sure: Win or lose, everyone will eat well down there in the Big Easy. Without question, this would not have been possible without the support of the Louisiana HBPA.”

New York-bred Therapist was an eight-time stakes winner heading into 2022, when he was dropped into claiming races for the first time, being claimed for $80,000 and then for $25,000. That race made Therapist eligible for the Claiming Crown. Out-shook for Therapist for $25,000, owner Michael Dubb and Maker succeeded in landing the gelding for $50,000 in his next start. Two races later he won Gulfstream Park's Pan American (G2) as Plan B after a starter-allowance race didn't get enough entries to be used. Three races after that Therapist won Monmouth Park's United Nations (G1) at age 8.

The late-running Therapist is a horse who needs a certain set-up that didn't happen in his last two starts: eighth in Kentucky Downs' FanDuel Kentucky Turf Cup (G2) and seventh in Keeneland's Sycamore (G3).

“He's a horse who prefers firm going and he needs a (fast) pace, and he didn't get either in his last two starts,” Maker said.

While shortening up from 1 1/2 miles to 1 1/16 miles, Therapist also gets a class break, with Maker adding with a grin: “He should be the only Grade 1 winner in there.”

Among the other entries:

Trainer Joe Sharp's six entrants include 2022 National HBPA Claiming Horse of the Year Invaluable, last year's Claiming Crown Glass Slipper winner for Maker. Sharp claimed Invaluable for $25,000 during Churchill Downs' September meet.

In her last start, the 6-year-old mare was second in a Keeneland starter-allowance won by 12 3/4 lengths by Glass Slipper entrant Samarita. Owned by trainer Jose Rodriguez, it was Samarita's sixth straight victory.

Norm Cash's 6-year-old Beverly Park is back for another go at the $75,000 Ready's Rocket Express. A 29-time career winner, Beverly Park prevailed in 15 of his 30 starts last year but finished fourth as the heavy favorite in last year's Claiming Crown. This year he's won four races out of “only” 15 starts. But the year is young. After last year's Claiming Crown defeat, Beverly Park ran another four times before New Year's, with three wins and a second.

This marks the second straight year that the series has gone to a Churchill Downs Inc.-owned locale. The 2022 races were held for the first time at the company's flagship track in Louisville after a 10-year-run at Gulfstream Park in Florida. In addition to the National HBPA, TOBA and the host track, the 2023 Claiming Crown is being staged in conjunction with the Louisiana HBPA.

The Fair Grounds was host to a truncated version of the event in 2011, when the Claiming Crown moved from the summer to the late fall for the first time. Other past Claiming Crown venues include inaugural site Canterbury Park (1999-2001, 2003-2006, 2008-2010), Philadelphia Park (2002), Ellis Park (2007) and Gulfstream Park (2013-2021).

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Youalmosthadme overcame a buried inside trip, slipped through an opening along the rail, and wore down Halina's Forte in deep stretch to win Saturday's third running of the $215,000 Fern Creek by three-quarters of a length at Churchill Downs.

Youalmosthadme, trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, ran 6½ furlongs for 2-year-old fillies in 1:17.67 on a fast track. For Gaffalione, it was his fourth win on the Stars of Tomorrow II card.

The victory was worth $131,990 for owners Qatar Racing LLC, Swinbank Stables, Steve Adkisson, and Black Type Thoroughbreds and increased Youalmosthadme's earnings to $493,940 with a record of four wins in six starts. She is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Oxbow and won the $200,000 Kentucky Juvenile against open company on Kentucky Derby Week earlier this year.

“She settled down the backside,” Gaffalione said. “I really had a lot of horse underneath me turning for home when she went through the opening at the rail. I don't think she won't go a mile. Maybe we can see her go a little further next year. She'll get some time off after this and hopefully come back better than she's been this year.”

Sent off as the odds-on 3-5 favorite, Youalmosthadme returned $3.56.

Fibber finished third, another 6¼ lengths back behind Halina's Forte.

Saratoga Secret, Field Lass, Ma Rae's Girl, Pinotslilgirl, Sharp Tune, Bella Haze, Irish Maxima and Talkin in Cursive completed the order of finish. Wellareyouhappynow was scratched.

Bred in Kentucky by Pope McLean, Marc McLean, and Pope McLean Jr., Youalmosthadme was produced by the Good and Tough mare Good Gator. John A. Hancock bought her from Pope McLean for $12,000 at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

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BC Stables LLC's Just Steel sat just off a fast contested early pace, swung five-wide at the top of the lane, and powered home down the stretch to score  in Saturday's third running of the $222,505 Ed Brown for 2-year-olds at Churchill Downs

Sent off at 12-1 odds, Just Steel won by 2½ lengths over Agoo. Booth, the odds-on 3-5 favorite after a dominant maiden win at Keeneland in October, prompted the early pace but regressed and faded to fifth.

Trained by 88-year-old Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas and ridden by Joel Rosario, Just Steel covered the 6½ furlongs on a fast track in 1:16.91.

“I think this horse is just coming along and getting better,” Lukas said. “I thought Joel (Rosario) gave him a perfect ride. What I was most encouraged about was how he lengthened his stride down the lane. … I think eventually we will go back to two turns. He's by Justify and should be in his wheelhouse. I think he could be a Kentucky Derby-type horse.”.”

A 2-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Justify out of the Fastnet Rock (AUS) mare Irish Lights (AUS), Just Steel improved his record to 2-1-1 from seven starts. He added the $135,245 winner's share to his bankroll and increased his earnings to $240,795.

Just Steel returned $27.08 as the 12-1 seventh betting choice in the field of eight juvenile sprinters. Agoo finished a length in front of third-place finisher Normandy Hero.

Molly's Town, Booth, Gabarra, Bowstreet and Divieto completed the order of finish. Bye Bye Liam was scratched.

The winner was bred by Summerhill Farm. He was a $500,000 purchase at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where he was offered by Eaton Sales.

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Trainer Phil D'Amato hit the trifecta at Del Mar Saturday in the $200,000 Seabiscuit Handicap (G2). His runners finished first, second, and third in the 1 1/6-mile grass headliner, with Madaket Stable's Easter leading the parade and proving best by a half-length.

The 5-year-old French-bred by the Australian stallion Exosphere had to wait and wait in the lane for room to run, but once he got clear and jockey Antonio Fresu hit the gas, Easter surged to the front in the last 100 yards and earned the first-place prize of $120,000.

Finishing second was the 11-10 favorite and last year's Seabiscuit winner, Hong Kong Harry, who had a half length on Balnikhov.

“Obviously, I got Hong Kong Harry in the race right next to me and so I sat behind him,” Fresu said. “…My horse was pretty keen in the first part of the race, and so I was trying to relax him as much as I could along the way. I just tried to get him in a nice rhythm. When we came for home, I could see Hong Kong Harry was loaded in front of me…and the last 200 yards there was an opening and I took it. My horse just exploded. He seems like a very nice horse, and hopefully he has a very bright future.”

Easter was winning his first graded stakes and increased his bankroll to $447,910 for registering his sixth score in his 18th start. He finished the distance in a rapid 1:39.96, just :46 hundredths off the track record of 1:39.50 set by Fly to Mars in the 2018 California Dream' Stakes.

“I saw Easter was kind of stuck behind there and thought maybe he was going to get second,” D'Amato said. “Antonio said he was able to find daylight and then he exploded. He said within a couple of strides he made up all the ground like nothing. It's nice to see all three of my horses run well and the best horse won today. Maybe it's 'Harry' next time and maybe it's Balnikhov after that.”

As the second choice in the field of eight, Easter returned $5.40 to his backers. He had come into the D'Amato barn less than a month ago after running a series of races mostly in the East out of the barn of conditioner Graham Motion.

Easter was bred by Aleyrion Bloodstock and is out of the Exceed And Excel mare Excellent Girl.

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