History unfolded in the muggy warmth of Henderson, Kentucky on July 1 as Gary and Mary West's homebred West Will Power won the $1 million Stephen Foster Stakes in geared down fashion in the first Grade 1 race ever hosted at Ellis Park in the track's 101 years of operation.
Tag: Racing
Dean Delivers Makes The Grade With Dominant Smile Sprint Effort
Stonehedge LLC's homebred Dean Delivers, who had already established himself as an exceptional racehorse while finishing first or second in in 11 of 15 previous starts, distinguished himself as a graded stakes winner Saturday at Gulfstream Park.
Sent to post as the 6-5 favorite in a field of eight, multiple graded stakes-placed Dean Delivers produced a career-best effort to score a dominating 2¼-length victory in the $100,000 Smile Sprint (G1).
The 4-year-old Florida-bred gelding was rushed to the lead by jockey Emisael Jaramillo on the backstretch, and the son of Cajun Breeze was in complete control thereafter, completing six furlongs in 1:09.28 after setting fractions of :21.88 and :44.30 for the first half-mile.
“Today, he drew the one hole, and we figured if he broke good and clean and the rail was open, why not go? It was totally up to Jaramillo as to what to do,” said trainer Michael Yates, who had saddled Dean Delivers for an off-the-pace victory in the May 20 Big Drama at Gulfstream.
Big and Classy, who had won his six prior starts, finished second in his stakes debut, 1½ lengths ahead of Todo Fino, who was closest in pursuit of loose-on-the-lead Dean Delivers before tiring.
In addition to being elated with Dean Delivers effort, Yates derived personal satisfaction in having campaigned the hard-nosed Cajun Breeze during his racing career before deciding that son of Congrats had what it took to make a successful Florida stallion. Cajun Breeze now stands at Stonehedge Farm.
'I'm over-the-moon happy,” Yates said. “It's a big deal.”
Dean Delivers, who is out of the Yes It's True mare Slick and True, earned a $25,000 bonus offered by the FTBOA to a Florida-bred winner of the Smile Sprint. He also earned a credit of $30,000 toward entry fees for the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) at Santa Anita Nov. 4.
“It's not out of the question. It will be a group decision. We'll enjoy this,” said Yates, who said a decision on Dean Delivers' next start will be decided upon meeting with Stonehedge LLC's Marilyn Campbell and farm manager Larry King.
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Lucky Score’s Late Rally Secures Highlander Surprise
Lucky Score, trained by dual hall of famer Mark Casse, scored top prize in Saturday's $200,000 Highlander Stakes (G2), at Woodbine in Toronto, Ontario.
It was a cavalry charge for the lead in the six-furlong turf sprint for 4-year-olds and up contested over a firm E.P. Taylor Course, with Cadamosto, Outlaw Kid and mutuel choice One Timer tussling for top spot. Cadamosto emerged with a short advantage through an opening quarter in :22.01 as Outlaw Kid, in the middle, and One Timer, to the outside, continued to apply pressure after a half in :44.24.
Rounding the turn for home, One Timer emerged with the lead and attempted to draw from his rivals, but graded stakes-placed Oceanic and graded stakes winner Lucky Score soon came calling, and began their own battle to the wire, with the latter prevailing by a half-length in a time of 1:07.86. One Timer, who arrived on a two-race win streak, was third, and Old Chestnut finished fourth.
“He's a horse that comes off the pace,” said Sahin Civaci, who one race earlier piloted Casse trainee Solo Album to victory in the $150,000 Selene Stakes (G3). “It takes him a while to get rolling and luckily there was a lot of speed up front today so that helped a lot. It was just about finding the right position and a clear path getting to the wire before they get there.”
It was the sixth career victory in 15 starts for the 5-year-old son of Lookin At Lucky–Miss Matzo, owned by Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable, and Pantofel Stable LLC.
“I had a lot of horse,” noted Civaci. “I just needed to get after him a little bit and I saw that the six (Oceanic) was fighting back. He kicked on and he fought good, so we got up front.”
Bred in Ontario by James Everatt, Janeane Everatt and Arika Everatt-Meeuse, Lucky Score won his first race since last September when the bay gelding rallied to take the Vigil (G3) over the Woodbine Tapeta.
Souper Dormy, Outlaw Kid, Masseto (GB), Striker, and Cadomosto (IRE) rounded out the order of finish. Silent Poet was scratched.
Lucky Score paid $30.60.
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Foggy Night Surprises At 14-1 In Delaware Oaks
Pine Brook Farm's Foggy Night notched her first career stakes victory in the $300,00 Delaware Oaks (G3) Saturday at Delaware Park.
With Paco Lopez aboard, the daughter of Khozan won by 1 -lengths. Opus Forty Two, with Daniel Centeno, finished second a nose in front of Miracle, with Trevor McCarthy, in third. The 4-to-5 favorite in the field of eight, Fireline with Dylan Davis, finished fourth. Foggy Night paid $30.40 as the fourth choice.
The Florida-bred trained by Robert 'Butch' Reid, Jr. covered 1/16 miles in 1:45.07 over a fast main track after stalking early fractions set by Opus Forty Two of :47.98 for the half mile and 1:12.14 for the three-quarters mile. Foggy Night raised her record to three wins from eight starts with earnings of $278,550.
Reid said he had always been confident with her ability and talent.
“She showed it as 2-year-old and the key is she can run a long way,” said Reid, who also won the Delaware Oaks in 2020 with Project Whiskey. “We gave her a nice freshening over the winter. She got a little stale toward the end of the year, so we gave her a nice freshening and measured her right up to this race. After the layoff we got a couple of nice seven-eighth races in her and this was her first time going a mile and a sixteenth. It worked out.”
Reid is not sure where he will run Foggy Night next.
“I really have not thought much past this race,” Reid said. “We did take some stalls at Saratoga, so that is a possibility. Of course, the Monmouth Oaks is another possibility. But we will design the rest of the summer after this.”
Foggy Night, who is out of the Stormy Atlantic mare Settling Seas, was bred by Brent and Crystal Fernung. Their Journeyman Bloodstock Services sold her to Pine Brook Farm for $20,000 at the 2022 OBS Spring Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale. The chestnut filly improved her lifetime purse earnings to $278,550.
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