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More Than Looks Powers From Next To Last For Jefferson Cup Victory

More Than Looks displayed an impressive closing kick to rally from the back and easily win Saturday's 43rd running of the $200,000 Jefferson Cup for 3-year-olds at Churchill Downs by 2¾ lengths over Smokey Mandate.

Ridden by Cristian Torres and trained by Cherie DeVaux, More Than Looks had one horse beat in the early stages of the two-turn turf race as Gaslight Dancer dictated the pace and led the field of nine through early fractions of :23.77, :47.73, and 1:12.08. As the field left the final turn, More Than Looks still had one horse beat when he was asked for his best run and responded willingly with an impressive run down the center of the stretch to collar Smokey Mandate inside the final sixteenth of a mile.

“He settled well from just off the pace and closed strongly down the lane,” Torres said. “The pace wasn't too fast but he handled it well, and I'm proud of how he ran today.”

More Than Looks clocked one mile on the firm Matt Winn Turf Course in 1:36.55 and won for the fourth time in seven career starts for owner Anthony Bartolo's Victory Racing Partners.

The $119,280 winner's share boosted the More Than Ready colt's earnings to $453,215. Previously, More Than Looks finished third in the Hall of Fame (G2) on Aug. 11 at Saratoga after winning the $250,000 Manila (G3) in June at Belmont Park .

“I thought there would be a little more pace in the race when looking at it on paper,” DeVaux said. “The race ended up unfolding OK and he was able to close well. This was one of the first times he really put his head down and ran through the wire. Sometimes he got a little green and would hang a little bit once he got in front. I'm thrilled for all of the partners involved with this horse.”

More Than Looks paid $5.26 as the 8-5 favorite. Smokey Mandate, ridden by James Graham, finished 3 1/2 lengths to the good of third-place finisher Worthington.

Ocean Pointe was fourth and was followed by Noises Off, Ocean Vision (GB), Gaslight Dancer, Tiverton (GB), and Midnight West. Desert Duke and Endpoint were scratched.

Out of the Harlan's Holiday mare Ladies' Privilege, More Than Looks was bred in Kentucky by Hinkle Farms. He was a $130,000 Keeneland September yearling sale purchase from his breeder in 2021.

DeVaux said More Than Looks would likely be aimed at the $300,000 Bryan Station (G3) at Keeneland on Oct. 28 for his next start and a possible follow-up run in the $300,000 Hollywood Derby (G1) at Del Mar on Dec. 2.

The Jefferson Cup, which returned to the stakes schedule following a three-year hiatus, is named in honor of Jefferson County, the most populous county in Kentucky which Churchill Downs resides.

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Zozos Romps Gate To Wire In Ack Ack, Earns Breeders’ Cup Berth

Barry and Joni Butzow's homebred Zozos set a measured early pace and had plenty left down the stretch to turn back late runs from Stage Raider and Three Technique and win Saturday's 31st renewal of the $400,000 Ack Ack (G3) by one length at Churchill Down.

Zozos, a 4-year-old son of Munnings, ran one mile on a fast track in 1:35.32.

Florent Geroux rode the winner for trainer Brad Cox, who won the race for the second time in three years. Plainsman was victorious for Cox in 2021.

The Ack Ack is a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” event for the $1-million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1). By winning the race, Zozos will receive an entry-fees paid berth to the Nov. 4 race at Santa Anita along with a travel stipend.

Even through Zozos is guaranteed a berth in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, a trip to California is not definite.

“I think he's now a really good one-turn horse,” Cox said. “We'll see who's going where in the Breeders' Cup and make a decision on his next start soon. I don't know what we'd do if we don't go to the Breeders' Cup, but we'll let this horse tell us what's next. It's a lot to ask of any horse to make the trip from Kentucky to California against some of the best horses in the world.”

Seven of the last 10 Ack Ack winners – Pants On Fire (2013), Tapiture (2015), Tom's Ready (2016), Awesome Slew (2017), Seeking the Soul (2018), Mr. Money (2020) and Senor Buscador (2022) – used the race as a springboard to the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.

Breaking from post 5 in the field of seven older horses, Zozos went straight to the front and was able to set comfortable early fractions of :23.69, :47.10 and 1:11.41 despite being tracked early by Caddo River. Stage Raider chased from third along the inside and Three Technique was positioned near the rear.

Zozos kicked away from Caddo River at the head of the stretch as Stage Raider tipped out and Three Technique swung five-wide for their late runs, but Zozos had plenty of energy left to withstand their threats.

“He relaxed well on the front end and we were able to not go too fast early,” Geroux said. “I think he's a different horse going around one-turn like he did today.”

The first prize was $242,280 and increased Zozos' bankroll to $882,688 with a record of 7-1-0 from 11 starts. It was his third career stakes win but first against graded stakes company.

Zozos qualified to the 2022 Kentucky Derby (G1) where he finished 10th after running second in the Louisiana Derby (G2). Earlier this year, he won the $175,000 Knicks Go and $275,000 Hanshin at Ellis Park – both at one mile.

Zozos paid $3.54 as the odds-on 3-5 favorite. Stage Raider, the half-brother to 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify, finished a length in front of third-place finisher Three Technique.

O Besos was fourth and was followed by Caddo River, Seize the Night and Skyro.

Kentucky-bred Zozos is out of the Forestry mare Papa's Forest.

The race is named in honor of Cain Hoy Stable's 1971 Horse of the Year Ack Ack, who is enshrined in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. In his only Churchill Downs appearance, Ack Ack won the 1969 Derby Trial in 1:34.40 which was a track record for one mile that has since been eclipsed.

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Clapton Wears Down Trademark For Lukas Classic Triumph, Ultimate Goal Is Dubai

A fast early pace helped set up the closing kick of Clapton, who flew down the Churchill Downs stretch to narrowly edge Trademark by a head at the wire and win Saturday's 10th running of the $438,660 Lukas Classic (G2) for 3-year-olds and up.

Clapton, ridden by Cristian Torres and trained by Chad Summers, stopped the teletimer in 1:48.79. Summers won the Lukas Classic five years ago with the popular New York-bred Mind Your Biscuits.

“There were three races this weekend we could've ran in: the Woodward (G2) in New York, the Awesome Again (G1) in California and here in the Lukas Classic,” Summers said. “I tried to handicap them and see what race would fit this horse best. I figured there would be the most speed in this race. That benefitted our running style.”

A recent private purchase by Sheikh Rashid Bin Humaid al Nuaimi's RRR Racing, Clapton was sent to the post as the 8-1 fourth betting choice in the field of eight for the Lukas Classic.

In the early stages of the nine-furlong race, he had one horse beat as Five Star General and a tracking Americanrevolution rattled off swift early fractions of :23.12, :46.66 and 1:10.83. Clapton tipped out six-wide at the top of the stretch and began to close into Trademark, who took over from the tired front-runners with three-sixteenths of a mile to run. Clapton finally caught Trademark in the final jump.

“I was very happy with the way he was traveling,” said Torres, who won three races Saturday at Churchill Downs, including the Jefferson Cup with More Than Looks. “Around the half-mile pole I could tell I had a lot of horse beneath me. I tipped him outside at the quarter pole and he kept coming with his run. It's been a great day and a great meet here at Churchill. Winning these big races is a great feeling.”

Overall, Clapton has won six of 24 starts with four seconds and six thirds. The $240,560 first prize boosted his career earnings to $823,450.

The Lukas Classic was Clapton's second stakes win this year. In April, he prevailed in the Ghostzapper (G3) over 1 1/16 miles at Gulfstream Park. He finished fourth in his previous start, the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Saratoga on Sept. 2.

His next target will be discussed by Summers and the owner.

“I'm so grateful to the owner for allowing me the opportunity to train this horse,” Summers said. “The goal is getting to the Dubai World Cup (G1). If that means taking us to the Breeders' Cup that would be great. But, the goal is getting him over to Dubai in March.”

Clapton returned $18.32. Trademark held for second, finishing another three-quarters of a length in front of third-place finisher Blue Devil.

Rattle N Roll, the 6-5 favorite, was fourth and was followed by Happy American, Americanrevolution, Whelen Springs and Five Star General. Warrant was scratched.

Clapton, a chestnut son of Brethren out of the Afleet Alex mare Alexandra Rylee, was bred in Florida by Arindel.

The Lukas Classic honors the iconic 88-year-old Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. The four-time winner of the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks and conditioner of 26 Eclipse Award-winning champions has been based at Churchill Downs' Barn 44 since 1989.

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Brocknardini Scores ‘Very Professional’ First Stakes Win In Selima

Thomas Brockley and Daryn Bedinotti's Brocknardini, stretched out and dropped in class off a nightmarish stakes debut against Grade 1 company just two weeks earlier, returned to the races in style with a 2¼-length victory in the $100,000 Selima on Saturday at Laurel Park.

The 94th running of the 1 1/16-mile Selima for 2-year-old fillies was the first of four stakes worth $500,000 in purses on opening weekend of Laurel's calendar year-ending fall meet, co-headlined by the $150,000 Laurel Futurity for 2-year-olds.

Brocknardini ($9.40), sent off as the third choice in a field of 10 at 7-2, covered the distance in 1:47.45 over a Dahlia turf course rated good. Her victory continued an outstanding season for New York-based trainer George Weaver, who is 16-for-44 on the year with 2-year-olds including 13-for-30 on the grass.

“I've been blessed to ride for George a lot in the past. I have a lot of confidence in him and what he says, so when he says he thinks we're live I've got full faith in him,” winning jockey Joe Rocco Jr. said. “I just went out there confident and she ran that way, so it all worked out.”

Brocknardini was away alertly and settled in the clear in fifth as Carmelina, a stakes winner on dirt in her last start trying turf for the first time, got out well and led through a quarter-mile in :24.77 and a half in :51.26, tracked by 17-1 long shot Flowers for Me with Hekate saving ground along the rail and Determined Sail, exiting a third in the Kitten's Joy on the Colonial Downs turf, racing fourth.

Flowers for Me ranged up to challenge Carmelina for the lead around the far turn while Rocco stayed patient on Brocknardini, tipping the Palace Malice filly out once straightened for home. Rocco set Brocknardini down for a drive to reel in Flowers for Me and turn back a spirited bid on the far outside from Yatta, a last-out maiden winner 23 days earlier at Kentucky Downs.

“She actually broke better than I thought. Not that I thought she'd break bad, but I thought she'd be a little slower early to get going and she actually broke really well and put herself in really good position and made my job a lot easier,” Rocco said. “I just tried to point her in the right direction. I was able to get out to where I thought the ground would be a little firmer down the stretch and I had a lot of horse to go to the wire.”

Flowers for Me held on to second by a neck over Yatta. It was 1 ¼ lengths back to favored Positive Carry in fourth, followed by Low Mileage, Determined Sail, Carmelina, Kissedbyanangel, Gorgeous Girl and Hekate.

Purchased for $35,000 out of Fasig-Tipton's Midlantic 2-year-olds in training sale in May at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium, Brocknardini broke her maiden at first asking by 4¾ lengths Aug. 2 at Saratoga against fellow New York-breds. The effort earned her a trip to Woodbine for the Sept. 16 Natalma (G1), where she hopped at the start, got fanned well wide and had to check in the stretch and wound up last of 13 though placed 12th via disqualification.

Brocknardini faced none of those issues in the Selima.

“Today she was very professional,” Rocco said.

Bred by Thirty Year Farm, Brocknardini was produced by the Bernardini mare Broad Stripes.

Saturday was the first day of racing on the grass at the fall meet, which opened Friday following the Maryland Jockey Club's boutique fall stand at historic Pimlico Race Course.

“It seems safe; it's just soft. I mean, it's fall racing on the turf,” Rocco said. “When it rains and it's not 90 degrees and sunny out it just takes longer to dry out but as long as it's safe for the horses and the riders that's the most important thing.”

First run in 1926, the Selima is named for the great English race mare who was imported to the U.S. in the 1750s by Benjamin Tasker Jr., manager of the famed Belair Farm in Prince George's County. The daughter of the Godolphin Arabian, considered 'Queen of the Turf,' also gained fame as a broodmare.

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