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Regal Realm Powers Gate To Wire In Ladies Turf

Augustin Stables homebred Regal Realm struck for a breakthrough graded stakes triumph Saturday when breaking first from the gate and leading all the way to win the $1-million Castle Hill Gaming Ladies Turf (G3) at Kentucky Downs.

Sent off at 6-1 odds under Florent Geroux, the 4-year-old Animal Kingdom filly was winning her fourth race from five outings this year and her fifth in 12 career starts.

She landed her first stakes win June 21 at Canterbury Park in the Lady Canterbury, then finished second in the De La Rose Aug. 2 at Saratoga as a tune-up to Saturday's lucrative 1 1/2-length win. The $604,560 winner's share lifted her career purse earnings to $819,757.

Trained by Jonathan Thomas, Regal Realm paid $14.16 for the victory.

Sparkle Blue finished second, and White Frost was third in the field of seven fillies and mares.

Ladies Turf Quotes

Winning trainer Jonathan Thomas, Regal Realm: “She's been training great. We were looking forward to getting her here. I thought Flo did a great job of getting her to the lead comfortably. She looked super with her body language. Took to the track very well. We're just thrilled. Really, really happy for Mr. Strawbridge. Great owner-breeder, fantastic guy to work with. So this was really special to do for him.”

(On first graded stakes win) “Oh yeah. She's a beautiful filly herself, great family, adding some graded stakes black type. And the million dollars doesn't hurt at all. We're just thrilled.”

Jockey Florent Geroux, 1st, Regal Realm: “She broke super fast and made the lead very easily. We just wanted to see how she broke. We thought she might be forward because of a lack of speed in the race. When she jumped very well I just took control of the race. Sh did it very easily and she really liked the track. She had more and felt great.”

Alice Clapham, assistant trainer to Graham Motion, trainer of runner-up Sparkle Blue: “She ran great. We weren't sure about backing her up to the mile, but she ran really well. Just maybe ran out of ground.”

Jockey Vincent Cheminaud, 2nd, Sparkle Blue: “She ran very well, we had a very good trip. The winner was in front and I wanted to relax my filly. She finished very good. I tried to keep my position in the last turn. I'm happy. The winner is a good filly.

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D’Angelo Trainees Sweep Florida Sires Stakes At Gulfstream

After Welcome Back barely prevailed in the $100,000 Desert Vixen for fillies, Bentornato proved much the best in the $100,000 Dr. Fager, giving trainer Jose D'Angelo a sweep of Saturday's FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

In the first leg of the series for 2-year-olds sired by accredited Florida stallions, Soldi Stable LLC's Welcome Back eked out victory by a nose following a troubled trip, while Leon King Stable Corp.'s never gave D'Angelo an anxious moment while scoring by 7 ½ lengths.

“I'm very happy,” D'Angelo said. “Last year, it was my goal to pick up and train horses for the Florida Sire Stakes. We worked hard at the sales. Thank God, we won both races.”

Bentornato, it should be noted, is Italian for “welcome back”.

Bentornato, who was purchased fBentornatoor $170,000 at the OBS March sale for 2-year-olds in training, remained undefeated in three starts while following up a 4 ¼-length triumph in the six-furlong Proud Man at Gulfstream Park Aug. 12.

“I was very confident in him today. In his last stake he wasn't really ready because he had a fever before the race and missed a couple of very important workouts,” D'Angelo said. “For this race, I just worked him two times, easy for him, without company. Last race I had to push him to get ready.”

The son of Valiant Minister, the 2-5 favorite in a field of nine, broke alertly from his outside post position and advanced along the backstretch to hook up with Dickens approaching the far turn without pressure from jockey Emisael Jaramillo. Asked to pick up the pace on the far turn, Bentornato quickly opened up a clear lead on the turn into the homestretch and drew off with authority. Bentornato ran six furlongs in 1:11. 44 off half-mile fractions of 22.33 and 45.51 seconds.

Dickens, who was coming off a third-place finish in the Sanford (G3) at Saratoga, held gamely to finish second, 1 ½ lengths ahead of Jive.

Bentornato will be pointed toward the next two legs of the Florida Sire Stakes, the $200,000 Affirmed at seven furlongs Oct. 21 and the $300,000 In Reality at 1 1/16 miles Dec. 2.

“I think he will go longer, because of the way he trains,” D'Angelo said.

Welcome Back, who inherited the role of favorite when 7-5 morning-line favorite R Harper Rose was scratched Saturday morning due to a fever, was coming off an impressive debut victory that came against winners on Tapeta in a July 29 optional claiming allowance.

The strapping, long-striding daughter of Adios Charlie, got away from the gate well to chase pacesetter Field of Greens along the backstretch with Epona's Hope to her outside. Jockey Edwin Gonzalez was forced to check Welcome Back on the far turn when Epona's Hope made an outside move to the lead, allowing Mist to get the jump on her with an outside move of her own. Gonzalez made a four-wide move on the turn into the homestretch as Mist set her sights on Epona's Hope. It took Welcome Back time to get untracked and employ her huge stride, but she was able to prevail over Mist by a nose at the wire.

“My filly was a little green, between horses, she'd never run between horses. So today she was between horses and she's so big, so I have to check a little when the 8 [Epona's Hope] comes down. She almost clipped heels,” Gonzalez said. “When I take her out, she grabbed her spot, and she came running.”

Welcome Back ($3.60) ran six furlongs in 1:14.28 off half-mile fractions of 23.46 and 46.68 seconds. Mist finished second under Emisael Jaramillo, a half-length ahead of Epona's Hope and jockey Edgar Perez.

The Soldi Stable homebred sported an equipment change that may well have meant the difference between victory and defeat.

“We put on her today a new bit. She looked much better today because when Edwin wants to move her, she responds very well,” D'Angelo said. “I'm very happy with the race.”

Welcome Back will be pointed toward the $200,000 Susan's Girl, the seven-furlong second leg of the Florida Sire Stakes series Oct.21. The $300,000 My Dear Girl, the 1 1/16-mile series final, is scheduled for Dec. 2.

“I think the hard race for her is going to be this one because she's perfect to go long,” D'Angelo said. “I was afraid this race was going to be too short for her, so I'm happy she won the race.”

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Private Creed Sails Home In Franklin-Simpson

Mike McCarthy's Private Creed halted a six-race winless stretch as he held back filly Playlist to comfortably land the $1-million Exacta Systems Franklin-Simpson Stakes (G2) for 3-year-olds on Saturday at Kentucky Downs.

Already a winner over the track's European-style turf course after taking the Juvenile Sprint last September, the son of Jimmy Creed had not visited a winner's circle since October when taking the Indian Summer at Keeneland, but he would not be denied Saturday while notching his third victory from 11 career starts and cementing his status as a horse to watch for the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1) in November at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Joel Rosario for trainer Steve Asmussen, Private Creed rallied along the rail to overtake front-runner Sweet Cherry Pie in the stretch as Playlist, the lone filly in the field, charged up from the outside but had to settle for second.

Private Creed, who won by 2 1/4 lengths, returned $14.02 after completing 6 ½ furlongs in 1:17.03.

Sweet Cherry Pie hung on for third.

Scoring his first win from six starts this year and first in a graded stakes, Private entered off a rallying second-place finish in the Mahony at 5 1/2-furlongs at Saratoga on Aug. 13. HIs record includes a creditable third in last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint (G1) at Keeneland. The $585,960 winner's share of the Franklin-Simpson purse boosted his lifetime bankroll to $1,248,286.

Bred in Kentucky by Sierra Farm, Private Creed is out of the Sky Mesa mare South Andros. He was a $155,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Two-Year-Olds In Training Sale, where Mason Springs consigned him.

Franklin-Simpson Quotes

Jockey Joel Rosario, 1st, Private Creed – On riding a repeat winner: “It seems like they run really well over the track. This horse tries had all the time. It seems like he really loves it here.

How was your trip: “It looked like I was in a good spot right in the beginning of the race. It looked like he was responding really well for me and getting over the track really well. We had to work things out turning for home. The horse that was in front of me kind of moved off the rail a little bit and then he came back in. I had horse and was just trying to keep riding him and hopefully if I can maybe go inside at some point and then come out. He came off the rail and I just took it.”

Steve Asmussen, winning trainer, Private Creed:

“Had a lot of confidence in him off the race at Saratoga. It was a little soft, but he needed it and he trained beautifully into this race. And this was the target for him since he won over here last year. Very important for us to have a little success here, with (major client) Ron (Winchell) being a partner on owning the racetrack.

(And now the target is next year's $1-million Ainsworth Turf Sprint against older horses?) “Absolutely. Hope we have another Snapper Sinclair on our hands. But it is great to have a horse that has an affinity for this course because of how rich the purses are.”

(How about Joel Rosario?) “Dream trip. Just as good as it gets. He got away from there well, so he put him in hand and he was comfortable. He's a really big horse; and that was away extremely well for him. And Joel put him in the pocket, came right up the fence.”

Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint? “Absolutely. Heck yes. Whether we run him back between now and then I'm not sure. We'll have to see how much this took out of him.”

(This was 6 1/2 furlongs. Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint is five furlongs at Santa Anita) “I think when he's right, he's extremely good and we're very thankful. Scott (Blasi) did a wonderful job with him. Off the race at Churchill we were very concerned. Big open gash on him and stuff, but it healed up extremely well. It did take longer than we were wanting it to, but he was back just in time. He clipped heels and I believe it was his other leg hitting himself.”

Wesley Ward, trainer, runner-up Playlist: “She ran great. We had to run her against the boys because she didn't get in the other day (in the Music City). I was happy with her. Really happy. I think she's going to go on to be a really good horse.”

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BC ‘Win & You’re In’: Auguste Rodin Takes Irish Champion Stakes; Tahirya Dominates Matron

Auguste Rodin gave Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore a fifth successive win Saturday in the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes (G1) at Leopardstown.

The victory earned Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier and Westerberg's 3-year-old son of Deep Impact an automatic berth into the $4-million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In.

The Irish Champion Stakes was one of three Breeders' Cup Challenge Series races conducted Saturday at Leopardstown, along with the Coolmore America 'Justify' Matron Stakes (G1) and the KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes (G2).

The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 80 Graded/Group stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, scheduled to be held Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.

The Irish Champion Stakes was a tactical masterclass from the Ballydoyle team as eventual runner-up Luxembourg (4-1) and Point Lonsdale cut out the early running with Auguste Rodin (the 11-4 favorite) sitting in behind. The British challengers, King Of Steel, Nashwa, and Alflaila, all settled at the rear of the field. With 2 furlongs to go, Ryan Moore angled his mount out to challenge and drove to the front close home to score by a half-length, with the fast-finishing Nashwa back in third under Hollie Doyle.

Saturday's victory marked another remarkable comeback from the winner, who recovered from his QIPCO 2000 Guineas (G1) disappointment to win the June 3 Betfred Derby (G1) at Epsom. Auguste Rodin was racing for the first time since finishing last of 10 in the July 29 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes (G1) at Ascot.

Following the race, O'Brien told FanDuel TV that the Breeders' Cup Turf at Santa Anita is under consideration for Auguste Rodin.

“I'd say there is a very strong possibility because the lads love the Breeders' Cup, and the Breeders' Cup is where everyone wants to be at that time of year,” O'Brien said. “We'll see how he is in a week or 10 days, but there is a very strong possibility that's where he could be.”

Ryan Moore paid tribute to O'Brien for getting Auguste Rodin back to his best.

“It's very satisfying for him to come back and prove how good he is,” he said. “Cantering to the start, he felt in a really good place and he floated around there. He's a very well-balanced horse, a beautiful mover, and it never really felt in any real doubt. I'm delighted with him. It's a fantastic job by Aidan (O'Brien) to get him back. He's beaten some proven Group 1 horses there, so it's satisfying.”

Auguste Rodin completed the 1 1/4-mile race in 2:02:68 over a course listed as good, good-to-firm in places.

Tahirya Dominates Matron Stakes

The Aga Khan's Tahiyra showed her class under a confident Chris Hayes to claim her fourth career Group 1 and win the one-mile Coolmore America “Justify” Matron Stakes (G1). This victory secured the daughter of Siyouni an automatic entry into the $2-million Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1).

Sent off as the 5-6 favorite for trainer Dermot Weld, Tahirya had not raced since her June 23 win in the Coronation Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot. She traveled strongly in midfield through the early stages with Just Beautiful making the early running. The 3-year-old filly showed a smart turn of foot to go to the front approaching the final furlong and ran on strongly to score by 1 3/4 lengths. The Tom Clover-trained Rogue Millennium finished second, with Just Beautiful back in third.

After the race, trainer Dermot Weld said: “She's an amazing animal, I have a wonderful team and it's great credit to them. We have a lot to look forward to with her. The Breeders' Cup has to be a possibility and there's a decision to be made as to whether she stays in training next season.”

Tahirya completed the mile in 1:37:50.

Diego Velazquez Leads 1-2 for O'Brien in KPMG Champions Juvenile

Diego Velazquez remained unbeaten after quickening past stablemate Capulet in the KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes (G2) to gain an automatic berth into this year's $1-million Prevagen Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1). Auguste Rodin won this race for the same connections 12 months ago.

A son of Frankel, Diego Velazquez was following up an impressive debut win in a maiden race at The Curragh. He was sent off at odds of 8-15 on Saturday, but was made to work hard for victory. It was not until the final half-furlong before Ryan Moore urged his mount past Capulet to win by a half-length. The Joseph O'Brien-trained Atlantic Coast was a further 3 1/4 lengths back in third.

The Smith, Magnier, Tabor, Westerberg, Brant-owned Diego Velazquez completed the 1-mile contest in a time of 1:40:46.

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the winners of the Challenge Series winners to start at this year's Breeders' Cup World Championships. Breeders' Cup will also provide a travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the Championships' pre-entry deadline of Oct. 23 to receive the rewards.

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