Tag: Racing

Aspenite, a 2-year-old colt by Constitution, is a blue collar horse. All he wants to do is go to work.

Sunday, Aspenite put on his hard hat again and did what he loves to do. Run.

Owned by Ron Winchell, who is a co-managing partner of Kentucky Downs, Aspenite broke his maiden when he won the 12th running of the $500,000 Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile by 31/4 lengths.

The race was the youngster's third outing in 36 days. The last time he ran was 11 days ago when he finished second in an allowance race at Kentucky Downs.

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen had no concern about bringing Aspenite back so quick.

“None,” he said. “He went back to the track feeling good, that it didn't knock him out. We left him here and he trained back over the racetrack and showed plenty of spirit and attitude. We felt really good about him today.”

Jockey Cristian Torres, riding the Kentucky Downs meet for the first time, was also making his debut on Aspenite. He went straight to the lead over the firm turf and stayed there. Torres said his mount was comfortable throughout as he set solid early fractions of :22.59 for the quarter and :45.25 for the half.

Torres was in no hurry to ask Aspenite to turn it on. That would come, he said, when he got to the quarter pole.

When the field turned for home, Aspenite had built a two-length lead and Torres was about ready to give him his cue.

“He was still in hand as we turned for home,” said Torres, who won three races on the day. “When I chased the rein on him, he took off. When we passed the quarter pole, I really asked him. I wanted to wait as long as I could and he was there for me.”

Aspenite poured it on in the final eighth of a mile as the lead grew to three lengths. Tough Little Nut, ridden by Jose Ortiz and trained by Chris Block, was also running in the stretch but he was never going to get to the winner.

Sent off as the 6-1 fourth choice, Aspenite covered the one-mile trip in 1:38.17 and paid $15.06 for the win.

Tough Little Nut, who came into this off a maiden win at Hawthorne on Aug. 20, was second, 2½ lengths ahead of the Brad Cox-trained Mozlzil, the 5-2 favorite.

Block said that 10-1 Tough Little Nut had some trouble on the far turn.

“Jose had to take up a little bit and it cost him some ground,” Block said. “I don't think it cost him the race – it was a nice horse that won it – but it might have been a little closer. I am just proud of him. We came up here from Hawthorne out of a little maiden special race up here to go against these guys. He showed up.”

Aspenite started his career with a fourth-place finish at Saratoga on Aug. 5 in a one-mile race that was taken off the grass.

Like he did in his debut, he showed speed in a $250,000 allowance race at 61/2-furlong  Aug. 31 at Kentucky Downs.

“He looked home free (Aug. 31) and just looked like he got a little lost here late,” Asmussen said. “Came back today and finished it off. He sees everything. That's just kind of how he is. He benefited from the experience and cashed in on a very good day.”

Of course, winning a race for Winchell, who is a long-time client for Asmussen was special.

“Obviously, Kentucky Downs is as fun as it can possibly be,” said Asmussen, who won two races Sunday and now has three for the meet. “We love to run horses here. We started off pretty slow but definitely picked it up nicely this week.”

After putting in plenty of work the last month, Aspenite will get some time off.

Aspenite is out of the Candy Ride mare Aspening. He was purchased by Winchell Thoroughbreds at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale for $375,000. Breeder Glen Hill Farm consigned him.

Rose Collector finished fourth and was followed home by Legal Titan, Good Bali, Sambalover, Gamblin George, Value Engineer, Blue Eyed George, Baytown Parfait and Billy the Greek.

The post Aspenite Cruises To First Career Win In Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Tito's Calling rocketed home along the rail to win the $250,000 Wonder Where Stakes, the third jewel of the Canadian Triple Tiara, Sunday at Woodbine.

Time for an Angel, under Rico Walcott, emerged from an early scramble to grab the lead in the 1 ¼-mile turf race for Canadian-foaled 3-year-old fillies, taking her seven rivals through a modest opening quarter in :27.15, with Seattle Causeway, Me and My Shadow and Tito's Calling next in line.

Ahead by three after a half mile in :52.51, Time for an Angel then extended her advantage to five lengths, as Tito's Calling, with Sahin Civaci aboard, continued to run along comfortably in fourth.

As the field navigated its way into the final turn, Walcott implored Time for an Angel to continue on when the 25-1 outsider was confronted by a host of rivals, including 8-5 choice Me and My Shadow and late-running Flysofreeashleeb.

Tito's Calling had the inside track on the lead group and powered along the rail to grab the lead midstretch. In front by a half-length at the stretch call, the daughter of Society's Chairman out of Unstablenthemornin, by First Dude, then poured it on late to record a four-length triumph in a time of 2:04.90 over a firm E.P. Taylor Turf Course.

Wickenheiser finished second, Flysofreeashleeb was third and Time for an Angel was fourth.

Me and My Shadow, Blackdiamond Dinny, Delphia and Seattle Causeway rounded out the order of finish.

“The first time I rode her, she ran really great,” said Civaci, who swept Sunday's stakes, starting with a win in the Zadracarta one race earlier. “She ran great today as well. I've been working her, and she's been doing really well in the morning. (Trainer) Mike (De Paulo) gave me a really good instruction, just settle off the pace and wait for the rail to open up, and that's exactly what happened. She came running down after that.”

It was the first stakes crown for Tito's Calling, who competed in all three legs of the Canadian Triple Tiara. She was 10th in the Woodbine Oaks  on July 23 and second in the Bison City Stakes on August 13.

“We knew she loved the grass,” noted De Paulo. “We were hoping she would get the mile and a quarter. She's a lean, medium-sized filly and I thought she would be able to get the mile and a quarter.”

Seven years ago, De Paulo won the Wonder Where with another Society's Chairman filly, Caren (also owned by Marzilli), who was named Canada's Horse of the Year for 2016.

Tito's Calling debuted last July at Woodbine and broke her maiden in her sixth start, a 2 ¼-length victory in a one mile and 70-yard race over the Toronto oval's Tapeta.

The bay, who is now 3-2-1 from 12 starts, paid $9.20 for the win. ​

In other stakes action Sunday, Sacred Dancer, at 14-1, took the $100,000 Zadracarta, a five-furlong inner turf sprint for Ontario-bred fillies and mares.

Ridden by Sahin Civaci, the 4-year-old daughter of Giant Gizmo out of Classic Soul, by Perfect Soul, notched her first stakes victory courtesy of a head win in a time of :56.62 over firm ground. Hard Edge was second, Breathing Fire was third and Zana finished fourth.

Trained by Don Pleterski for owner Kata Pleterski, Sacred Dancer, who was contesting her third stakes race (fifth in last year's Thunder Bay and tenth in this year's Ballade), boosted her career record to 4-5-2 from 19 starts.

It was also the first career stakes win for both Don and Kata Pleterski.

“The first one is always the sweetest one,” said Don Pleterski. “We pointed her to this race for the last month and a half. It was either this or a race next week. She's been running good enough, so we'll give her a chance. And here we are.”

Bred by Joey Gee Thoroughbreds, the dark bay launched her career with a pair of seconds in November 2021. She broke her maiden in her eighth start, a four-length triumph at 5 ½ furlongs on the Woodbine Tapeta.

Sacred Dancer paid $31.10 for the win.

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