Tag: Racing

Wolfie's Dynaghost, a 5-year-old son of Ghostzapper, put on a front-running tour de force to win Sunday's $175,000 Autumn Stakes (G2) at Woodbine.

Trained by Jonathan Thomas for owner-breeder Woodslane Farm, the gelding arrived at the 1 1/16-mile main track race for 3-year-olds and up off a third in the Durham Cup (G3) at the Toronto oval on October 7.

Supplemented to the Autumn, multiple graded stakes placed Wolfie's Dynaghost earned his first graded triumph courtesy of a flawless performance on a cloudy gray afternoon at Woodbine.

Sent on his way at 7-2 in the compact field of six, the bay, with leading rider Kazushi Kimura aboard, was engaged by multiple graded stakes victor War Bomber (IRE) and Win for the Money in the run to the first turn.

Wolfie's Dynaghost was a half-length clear of War Bomber through an opening panel timed in :24.71, followed by Win for the Money, 3-5 choice Tyson, Artie's Storm, and Luckman.

In front by a length through a half in :48.44, Wolfie's Dynaghost, making his third appearance at Woodbine, remained unfettered on the front end in the leadup to the final turn, with little change in positioning throughout the field. Coming off the turn for home, Wolfie's Dynaghost, still running comfortably on the lead, began to pull away from his pursuers and held a 2½-length advantage at the stretch call.

From there, the only thing left to decide was second place, as Win for the Money and 40-1 Luckman dueled for the runner-up spot, with the former three-quarters of a length clear of his rival at the wire.

The final time for Wolfie's Dynaghost's 4½-length victory was 1:42.52.

“I felt like he had a nice, high cruising pace, and I just kept him steady and just kept it going from the beginning,” said Kimura. “He was really relaxed on the backstretch and just took off from the three-eighths. It was a magnificent race.”

It was the ninth lifetime win, accompanied by a pair of seconds and five thirds from 24 starts for the Kentucky-bred, whose travels have taken him to Florida, New York, Kentucky, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.

Wolfie's Dynaghost, whose dam is the Dynaformer mare Dynaire, returned $9.70 for the win.

The post Wolfie’s Dynaghost Makes All For Autumn Triumph, First Graded Score appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Nice Guys Stables' Where's Chris outdueled the even money favorite Book'em Danno in deep stretch to earn his first stakes coup in Sunday's 49th running of the listed $150,000 Nashua for 2-yer-olds going a one-turn mile at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Where's Chris, by Twirling Candy, turned the tables on Book'em Danno following a distant third to that foe in an off-the-turf edition of the six-furlong Futurity on October 8 at Belmont at the Big A. The dark bay colt appeared to have no issue with the added ground Sunday, putting an end to Book'em Danno's unbeaten record in three starts to win by three-quarters of a length under Isaac Castillo.

The victory only added to a prosperous weekend for trainer Rick Dutrow Jr., who saddled White Abarrio to victory in Saturday's Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Santa Anita.

Breaking from post 4 in the five-horse field in the Nashua, Where's Chris tracked the early foot of Book'em Danno, who held a half-length advantage through an opening quarter-mile in :23.50 and a half in :47.47 over the fast main track. Billal sat a close third along the rail with graded stakes winner Yo Yo Candy just off his flank and Private Desire, who was slow from the gate, a distant fifth.

At the top of the stretch, Book'em Danno and Where's Chris were in gridlock with the former maintaining a head advantage at the stretch call. But Where's Chris got the better of his rival in the final strides to the finish line, stopping the clock in 1:36.75. Book'em Danno finished 5 1/2 lengths ahead of Billal, who fended off Private Desire's late rally to finish third. Yo Yo Candy completed the order of finish.

The win was the second trip to the winner's circle in three starts for Where's Chris, who two starts ago was a five-length winner on debut in September going six furlongs at Belmont at the Big A.

“He's a nice horse and the trainer [Dutrow] and horse's team did a very good job with him,” said Castillo, who piloted Where's Chris in the Futurity. “I knew I had a lot of horse and the horse looked like he was a good horse. I just tried to do the best for him.”

Jose Ortiz, aboard Book'em Danno, said his horse may have been hindered by the added distance.

“I thought he ran well. [Where's Chris] ran well last time out so I think he liked the distance today and my horse, I'm not sure he wants to go that long,” said Ortiz, who piloted Book'em Danno in his Futurity score. “He's by Bucchero, five furlongs. I let him run throughout the chute and see what happened and what kind of pace developed in front of me, but nobody really wanted to go, so I decided to go throughout the chute. I had very decent fractions. I was very happy passing the half-mile, but I didn't have enough horse.”

Where's Chris banked $82,500 in victory, which over doubled his lifetime earnings to $139,000. He returned a cool $41.60 as the highest price in the field.

Bred in Kentucky by The Neuman Group, Where's Chris is out of the stakes-winning and Grade 1-placed Lemon Drop Kid mare Sea Queen. Mike Maker bought him for $20,000 at the OBS Spring Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale, where Mayberry Farm consigned him.

The post Dutrow-Trained Where’s Chris Springs 19-1 Surprise In Nashua appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Tejano Twist rallied from the back of the pack to shoot past odds-on 3-5 favorite Bango in deep stretch and win Saturday's 15th running of the $300,000 Bet On Sunshine Stakes (Listed) at Churchill Downs by 1½ lengths over Miles Ahead. Bango finished another length back in third in his attempt to collect his record 12th Churchill Downs victory.

“He ran a good race just wasn't good enough tonight,” said Bango's trainer Greg Foley.

Tejano Twist, owned by Jackie Slawson's JD Thoroughbreds and Joey Keith Davis, clocked six furlongs in 1:09.27 under jockey Chris Landeros for trainer Chris Hartman.

The win was worth $178,800 and made Tejano Twist a millionaire. The 4-year-old's record improved to 8-6-4 and $1,092,104 from 27 career starts. Saturday's race marked his fourth career stakes win after earlier winning the 2021 Lively Shively, the 2022 Steel Valley Sprint in 2022 and the Whitmore (G3) earlier this year.

“He ran great,” Hartman said. “He's had a really good year and this was a great addition to it.”

Sir Alfred James set the pace by leading the field of nine older horses through splits of :21.75 and :44.47 as Bango tracked from third and Tejano Twist relaxed behind the entire field. Bango made a three-wide move around the turn and went for the record as he grabbed the lead with a furlong to run. Tejano Twist, along with Miles Ahead, were rallying down the stretch and swept past the leader inside the final sixteenth of a mile.

“I'm really proud of how he ran tonight,” Landeros said. “He broke a little slow but they went pretty fast up front. Turning for home I was loaded and he really came home strong.”

Tejano Twist returned $11.36as the 9-2 second betting choice.

Necker Island, Sir Alfred James, Manny Wah, Empire of Gold, Exxel, and Awesome Aaron completed the order of finish.

Tejano Twist is a gelded son of Practical Joke out the Cuvee mare Haley's Lollypop. He was bred in Kentucky by Tom Durant.

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