Downs After Dark: Slip Mahoney Chases Stakes Win In Bourbon Trail, Taxed Leads Seneca Overnight Stakes

Gold Square's multiple stakes placed 3-year-old Slip Mahoney will try to win his first stakes contest in Saturday's third running of the $300,000 Bourbon Trail at Churchill Downs.

The 1 1/16-mile Bourbon Trail was carded as Race 7 at 9:05 p.m. The 11-race “Downs After Dark” program will start at 6 p.m. and feature the $300,000 Dogwood Stakes (G3) along with the $300,000 Harrods Creek and $175,000 Seneca Overnight Stakes.

In the Bourbon Trail, Slip Mahoney began his season on the Road to the Kentucky Derby when he was the runner-up finisher to Raise Cain in the Gotham (G3) at Aqueduct. Slip Mahoney has been primarily based with trainer Brad Cox's New York string where he defeated five rivals, including Harrods Creek Stakes competitor Mount Up, in a July 23 allowance contest at Saratoga. One month ago, Slip Mahoney finished a head behind his stablemate Tabeguache in the St. Louis Derby. Slip Mahoney will be ridden by Gerardo Corrales from post No. 2.

Another intriguing entrant in the Bourbon Trail is Petal Power Racing Stable's Super Derby winner Big Data. Trained by Michael Lerman, Big Data rallied from just off the pace in Louisiana Downs' Super Derby to defeat six rivals by three-quarters of a length. The son of Cloud Computing has only finished off the board once through eight starts. Jockey Emisael Jaramillo will have the call from post 7.

Here is the complete field for the Bourbon Trail from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

  1. Manaciata d'Oro (Manny Esquivel, Brad Cox);
  2. Slip Mahoney (Corrales, Cox);
  3. Denington (Corey Lanerie, Kenny McPeek);
  4. Shirl's Bee (Leparoux, Stewart);
  5. Oscar Eclipse (Cristian Torres, Brian Lynch);
  6. Lincoln Highway (Rafael Bejarano, Vicki Oliver); and
  7. Big Data (Jaramillo, Lerman).

The Bourbon Trail ® honors the profound history and proud tradition of “America's Official Native Spirit” when the Kentucky Distillers' Association (KDA) established the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® in 1999, a road trip-style experience for bourbon lovers to visit the Bluegrass State's signature distilleries.

The Kentucky Bourbon Trail ® and Bourbon Trail ® are trademarks/service marks of the Kentucky Distillers' Association used by Churchill Downs Inc. pursuant to license. The Kentucky Distillers' Association and its member distilleries ask that you please enjoy Kentucky Bourbon responsibly.

St. Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds and Robert Masiello's ultra-consistent Mount Up, a recent allowance winner at Saratoga, headlines a field of seven 3-year-olds entered in Saturday's third running of the $300,000 Harrods Creek Stakes.

The seven-furlong Harrods Creek will go as Race 8 at 9:39 p.m.

Mount Up, trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, has never finished worse than second in four-career starts. The son of Army Mule broke his maiden by a scant nose in late June at Belmont Park. One month later, Mount Up was second best in a first-level allowance event at Saratoga behind Slip Mahoney, a multiple stakes-placed Brad Cox trainee. Mount Up returned to the same allowance condition Aug. 20 and defeated nine rivals by a half-length. Mount Up will be ridden by Emisael Jaramillo from post No. 5.

Another Saratoga allowance winner that entered the Harrods Creek is Qatar Racing's Everso Mischievous. Like Mount Up, Everso Mischievous has yet to finish worse than second in four starts. Trained by Brad Cox, Everso Mischievous broke his maiden on Kentucky Derby Day by 2 ¼ lengths. Following that race, the son of Into Mischief battled Heartbreaker in a first-level allowance contest at Ellis Park but finished second by a head at odds of 2-5. Everso Mischievous shipped north to Cox's Saratoga string where he narrowly defeated Cape Trafalgar and eight other rivals by a neck. Jockey Cristian Torres has the mount from post 6.

Here is the complete field for the Harrods Creek from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

  1. Bourbon Bash (Jaime Torres, Wayne Lukas);
  2. Determinedly (Francisco Arrieta, Mark Casse);
  3. Loyal Company (Declan Cannon, Brendan Walsh);
  4. Bouncer (Ricardo Santana Jr., Mark Casse);
  5. Mount Up (Emisael Jaramillo, Todd Pletcher);
  6. Everso Mischievous (Torres, Cox); and
  7. Praetorian Guard (James Graham, Lou Linder).

Richard Bahde's former $50,000 claimer turned Grade II winner Taxed leads a field of seven 3-year-old fillies entered in Saturday's third running of the $175,000 Seneca Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs.

Taxed and her six rivals will go to post at 10:11 p.m. in Race 9.

Trained by veteran Randy Morse, Taxed has greatly rewarded her connections since being claimed on Nov. 20, 2022. On Preakness Day eve, Taxed powered past Hoosier Philly to win the Black Eyed Susan (G2) by 3 ¾ lengths. The daughter of Collected also sports runner-up efforts in the Fantasy (G3), Indiana Oaks (G3) and Martha Washington. Jockey Cristian Torres will have the call for the first time on Taxed in the Seneca from the rail.

Another stakes winner that entered the Seneca is Rigney Racing's Tepin winner Xigera. Trained by Phil Bauer, Xigera will make only her second start on dirt. Her only start on the main track came as a 2-year-old in the Alcibiades (G1) at Keeneland when she had a troubled trip to finish third. Xigera began her 3-year-old season in early June at Churchill Downs with an impressive 3 ½-length victory at one mile on turf. She followed that up with a gritty half-length score in the Tepin at Ellis Park. Xigera enters the Seneca following a disappointing sixth-place finish in the Saratoga Oaks Invitational (G3). The daughter of Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist will be ridden by Julien Leparoux out of post No. 7.

Here is the complete Seneca field from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

  1. Taxed (Torres, Morse);
  2. Sabra Tuff (Rey Gutierrez, Dallas Stewart);
  3. She's Lookin Lucky (Ricardo Santana Jr., Matt Shirer);
  4. Poblano (Francisco Arrieta, Brendan Walsh);
  5. Champagne Calling (Declan Cannon, Ian Wilkes);
  6. Fun and Feisty (Corey Lanerie, Kenny McPeek);
  7. Xigera (Julien Leparoux, Phil Bauer); and
  8. Nomadic Pride (Edgar Morales, Tom Amoss).

The post Downs After Dark: Slip Mahoney Chases Stakes Win In Bourbon Trail, Taxed Leads Seneca Overnight Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Ready To Venture Wins Seaway To Cap Lael Stables’ Graded Stakes Double At Woodbine

Lael Stables' homebred Ready To Venture (GB) looked right at home in winning the $150,000 Seaway Stakes (G3) on Sunday at Woodbine. It was a familiar result for the 5-year-old daughter of Kingman out of Wonderstruck, by Sea The Stars, who is now two-for-two at the Toronto oval after a stellar showing in the seven-furlong Tapeta race for fillies and mares. Last May, Ready To Venture romped to a 5¾-length score in a 6 ½-furlong race over the Tapeta. ​ Hai Bobbi, supplemented to the Seaway, emerged with the lead and was shadowed by Vantarsi, 3-1 choice Ticker Tape Home, and Il Malocchio through an opening panel in :23.11. Rafael Hernandez, aboard the Michael Stidham-trained Ready To Venture, settled the bay mare into fifth along the rail. A head in front through a half in :45.48, Hai Bobbi remained under pressure by Vantarsi, while Ready To Venture moved into fourth position as the field of nine picked up the pace heading into the turn for home. Hernandez had Ready To Venture rolling in early stretch and soon struck front but was then tasked with fending off Millie Girl, who was coming with her best run along the rail. On top by a head in early stretch, Ready To Venture continued on and reached the wire a 1¼-length winner in her graded stakes debut. Millie Girl was second, followed by Il Malocchio and Ticker Tape Home. Vantarsi, Hazelbrook, Talk to Ya Later, Hai Bobbi, and Purrfect rounded out the order of finish. The final time was 1:21.60. It was another satisfying result for Lael Stables, who one day earlier watched as She Feels Pretty won the Johnnie Walker Natalma Stakes (G1) for 2-year-old fillies at Woodbine and earned a fees-paid berth into the $1-million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1), to be run at Santa Anita on November 3. “It's not a great place to be,” said Hernandez, of having the rail post. “But when everything goes good, we ended up in the winner's circle. It doesn't matter how you start, it matters how you finish. At the three-eighths, I said, 'Man, I have horse.' I know my horse was running down the lane and I said whoever is coming is going to have to have run fast to get us.” It was the sixth win, along with four seconds and three thirds, from 20 starts for Ready To Venture, whose first eight starts came in England, before starting the North American chapter of her career in March 2022 with a third at Fair Grounds. She broke her maiden in her second start, on September 16, 2020, at Great Yarmouth. ​ Ready To Venture paid $16.30 for the Seaway win. The post Ready To Venture Wins Seaway To Cap Lael Stables’ Graded Stakes Double At Woodbine appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Former Claimer Accidental Hero Edges Sunbird In Spirited British Columbia Derby Duel

Accidental Hero collared pacesetter Sunbird midway on the turn, then battled that determined rival through the stretch to narrowly prevail in the CA$117,500 British Columbia Derby (G3) Saturday night at Hastings Racetrack. Ridden by Kimal Santa for trainer Larry Grieve, Accidental Hero scored by a head while notching his first stakes victory. He completed the 1 1/8-mile main track event in 1:50.05 and returned $4.40 at the 6-5 favorite in the field of five. Early fractions were :23.18 for the opening quarter, :47.54 for the half, 1:12.64 for six furlongs, and 1:37.48 for the mile. Sunbird outfinished Space for the runner-up spot by 5 3/4 lengths. A Kentucky-bred Mo Town colt campaigned by WYN Racing Stables Corp., Accidental Hero entered off a creditable third in the Canadian Derby (G3), in which Sunbird was fifth, Aug. 26 at Century Mile Racetrack. With Saturday's triumph, his career line improves to 3-4-3 from 13 starts and $150,834 in lifetime purse earnings. Accidental Hero, who was bred in Kentucky by Michael T. Barnett, is out of the Chatain mare Pardonmecomingthru. West Point Thoroughbreds landed the colt for $260,000 at the 2022 OBS March Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale, where Gene Recio consigned him. In took six starts for Accidental Hero to break his maiden, which happened March 10 at Turfway Park. Trainer Michael Puhich subsequently claimed from him West Point Thoroughbreds for Mark DeDomenico for $40,000 May 5 at Oaklawn Park. The bay colt made his next start for his current connections June 10 at Hastings where he finished last in the Ross McLeod Stakes. He proceeded to go winless in three more starts, all stakes, including the Canadian Derby, before Saturday's thrilling stakes breakthrough. The post Former Claimer Accidental Hero Edges Sunbird In Spirited British Columbia Derby Duel appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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