Tag: Racing

Artie's Storm, under Emma-Jayne Wilson, got by one foe and then held off another in Saturday's $150,000 Durham Cup (G3) at Woodbine.

A pair of multiple graded stakes-placed talents, namely, Wolfie's Dynaghost and Algiers (Ire), vied for early control in the 1 1/16-mile main track feature for 3-year-olds and up, with the former taking command into the first turn. Wolfie's Dynaghost, an eight-time winner from 23 starts, was a length in front of slight favorite Treason, while second choice Algiers sat third through a spirited opening quarter in :24.55. Artie's Storm, sent off at 5-1, was fifth of seven.

Wolfie's Dynaghost continued to call the shots through a half-mile in :48.22, followed by Treason, Algiers and War Court, while Wilson kept the 5-year-old son of We Miss Artie out of Tiz Stormy, by Tiznow, in fifth, but well within striking range of their rivals.

It was still Wolfie's Dynaghost on the front end turning for home, as Algiers and jockey Robert Havlin, pinned down along the rail, looked for a path to engage the front-runner. Artie's Storm had something brewing to the outside and began to come with a spirited run in early stretch.

Artie's Storm wrested the lead away from Wolfie's Dynaghost but was quickly confronted by Algiers, who had split the pair. At the wire, Artie's Storm was a half-length winner for trainer and owner Paul Buttigieg. Algiers was a neck ahead of Wolfie's Dynaghost for second. Treason was fourth.

The final time was 1:41.08. War Bomber (Ire) and U S Army Corps were scratched.

“I wanted to be within range,” said Wilson. “That was the whole thing. Paul said to Rick [assistant trainer, Hayashi], 'Just make sure he's within range and he'll give you that kick.' That's what it was for me, getting that range, getting that split and getting that seam.”

It was a welcome result for the connections, who had watched the dark bay, a multiple graded stakes winner, contend with a few setbacks since the spring.

“He had a lot of problems early with his feet and his blood was all out of whack,” noted Hayashi. “It just took a long time to get him to where he is today. I've got to give a lot of credit to our blacksmith, John Staples. The horse had nothing but bruised feet all the time, and John came up with these protective shields for him. Since he's had them on, he's turned the corner.”

That gave Wilson confidence Artie's Storm could produce a big effort against top-notch competition.

“Knowing how good he was going and knowing that he had turned the corner, I expected a good kick. I was expecting a good kick and if I could get the trip, I could get the kick. And if I got the kick, I was hopeful that I could at least be second. You never want to run for second money, you ride for the win.

“Down the backside, as the pace was setting up, everything was tight and everyone was paying attention to where everybody was. I had a chance to move through the turn and get a line to the outside. Once I had that straight shot, if he gave me the kick like we all thought he could. … This is his home court, and he comes to play every time.”

With the win after finishing second in last year's edition of the race, Artie's Storm is now 7-5-5 from 22 starts.

“You can just see in this situation that it takes a village,” said Wilson. “Rick gave credit to Mr. John Staples, but it's more than that. I got to be on the glory stage and ride the horse in the race, but all spring, this is something they've been working on with this horse from the get-go to get him good, and they got him good. They earned this and they deserve it.”

Artie's Storm, who was bred in Ontario by Sunrise Farm, paid $13.80 for the win.

The post ‘It Takes A Village’: Connections Persevere With Artie’s Storm, Unlock Durham Cup Win appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Harrell Ventures' Lost Ark sailed to victory to lead a Todd Pletcher-trained trifecta in Saturday's off-the-turf running of the $500,000 Jockey Club Derby Invitational for sophomores at Belmont at the Big A, which was contested as a listed race going at 1 1/4 miles on the main track after it was originally slated as a Grade 3 event 1 3/8 miles on the inner turf.

Lost Ark, a half-brother to the Pletcher-trained reigning Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Nest, notched the second stakes score of his career with an off-the-pace move under Kendrick Carmouche, splashing home three-quarter lengths in front of rallying stablemate Classic Catch.

“He's [Lost Ark] shown a lot of ability on the dirt and I thought Kendrick did a good job of letting him run into that first turn and got a good position on our stablemate's outside shoulder,” said Byron Hughes, Pletcher's Belmont-based assistant. “He was able to kick home and got the job done.”

The son of Violence emerged from the outermost post 5 and kept back as Fearless Soldier broke best of all and drew clear to mark an opening quarter-mile in :23.91 and the half-mile in :48.21 over the sloppy and sealed main track.

Down the backstretch, the Pletcher-trained Classic Catch raced last under Florent Geroux after being squeezed at the start and made a move to split rivals Dataman and Anglophile in attempt of making an outside run at the top pair. Fearless Soldier held command into the turn as Lost Ark ranged up to his outside under steady coaxing from Carmouche.

Fearless Solider clung to a precarious lead along the rail at the top of the stretch as a paddling Lost Ark inched his way up to take charge nearing the sixteenth pole with Classic Catch giving chase down the center of the course to take up second. But there was no catching Lost Ark, who completed the course in 2:03.97 and become the first American-based horse to capture this event in its fourth running.

Classic Catch held place honors by 3 1/4 lengths over Fearless Soldier, who fended off Dataman by a head for show. Anglophile completed the order of finish. Measured Time, Faraday, Webslinger and Mondego were scratched.

Lost Ark wore blinkers for the first time in the afternoon, an equipment change Carmouche said allowed his colt to race comfortably near the front end rather than his usual stalk-and-pounce tactics.

“They put blinkers on him and I thought he should have been forward. They wanted me to put him forward,” Carmouche said. “I was sitting in a perfect spot the whole way around there. It was going to be whoever quickened at the end, and none of them quickened. We just galloped around there. I'm glad it came off the turf. I thought I had a decent shot on the grass, but I had an even bigger shot on the dirt.”

Whisper Hill Farm's Classic Catch, a dark bay son of Classic Empire, was a winner of an off-the-turf allowance going the 10-furlong distance last out on August 9 at Saratoga Race Course. Geroux said the decision to split rivals was necessary after his troubled break.

“The trip was OK. I got squeezed very hard leaving the gate and I think it cost me the race to be honest,” said Geroux. “I thought the fractions were pretty good and we didn't go too slow, but I had to make a move at the three-eighths pole and I think that's probably what I needed for the last eighth of a mile. I was just behind the eight ball from the beginning which is not ideal.”

Bred in Kentucky by Ashview Farm and Colts Neck Stables, Lost Ark, who is out of the A.P. Indy mare Marion Ravenwood, banked $275,000 in victory, rebounded from a third-place effort in the Grade 3 Saranac on September 1 at Saratoga Race Course where he made his turf debut. In addition to the Jockey Club Derby, Lost Ark also boasts a win in last year's Sapling over the Monmouth Park main track. He now boasts a record of 8-4-0-1 with total purse earnings of $538,600 and returned $9.70 for a $2 win ticket.

The post Lost Ark, Half To Champion Nest, Tops Pletcher-Trained Trifecta In Off-The Turf Jockey Club Derby appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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