Tag: Racing

Cody's Wish has captured the imaginations of race fans around the country ever since the public learned about the special bond he has with 16-year-old Cody Dormer, who suffers from the rare genetic disorder Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome. His win in last year's Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile was the climax of a fairy tale in his 2022 season as the Dormer family cheered the 4-year-old Bill Mott trainee to the wire. On the Kentucky Derby undercard, Cody's Wish and jockey Junior Alvarado showed they're ready to write another chapter as they drew away to victory in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs Stakes.

In his trademark style, Cody's Wish hung back in the early going of the seven-furlong contest on the main dirt track, letting Here Mi Song and Hoist The Gold take the lead ahead of stalkers Sir Alfred James and Endorsed. Alvarado let Cody's Wish gradually close the distance halfway down the backstretch, unwinding a gradual charge on the outside and sneaking into third by the top of the final stretch. Once there, he faced the pacesetters from a wide outside trip and dug in determinedly to draw clear by the wire and win going away.

This is the fourth time Mott has won this race, with previous victories coming with Rock and Roll in 1999, Rapid Gray in 1985, and Shot n'Missed in 1983.

Hoist The Gold hung on for second, with Tejano Twist coming up for third. Here Mi Song was fourth.

The Equibase chart indicated that Here Mi Song “faltered late in the stretch, vanned off after the race.” A reporter for the Associated Press later tweeted that trainer William Stinson, Jr., indicated radiographs on the horse did not show any abnormalities.

Cody's Wish paid $3.44, $2.90, and $2.64. See the full chart here.

The final time was 1:21.17, with fractions of :22.70, :45.19, and 1:09.17.

Mott trains the homebred Cody's Wish for Godolphin. He is out of Tapit mare Dance Card.

The Dormer family were again in attendance for the race. Cody Dormer met the horse who would become Cody's Wish in foalhood, when the son of Curlin placed his head in the boy's lap in a moment of uncharacteristic calm. The horse was named for Dormer and his connections say he has continued to approach the young man with a unique peace and gentleness.

CHURCHILL DOWNS QUOTES 

Junior Alvarado (jockey, Cody's Wish, winner) – “I don't even know how to describe how much better he got today. What I felt today, is what you want to feel when you ride horses in big races, to feel the whole machine underneath you. Today, he was just a lovely animal to ride. He was there with me every step of the way. When I asked him, he didn't hold anything back, he just went right by those horses. This is what I love to do with this horse. I just want to keep the story going.”

Bill Mott (trainer, Cody's Wish, winner) – “With this horse winning, it's really way more than a horse race. For us, I mean, Cody Dorman, and Cody's Wish, make it something special. When this horse came back after the race, and hearing the crowd, they were going crazy up there, more than they normally cheer for any other race. And the horse is just so great. He's been showing up every time. He's been off since the Breeders' Cup, but it sure looked like he was ready today.

“I get choked up easily, but when he was walking over, my assistant Kenny said he paused, and he looked, and said it was almost like there is a connection there. Usually we don't see that in horses. For what reason, the horse knows something is special.”

Luis Saez (jockey, Hoist the Gold, second) – “He ran big. We broke sharp, sat in second and was travelling very comfortable. We came down the stretch and he never gave up. The winner was pretty good.”

Chris Landeros (jockey, Tejano Twist, third) – “He ran a great race. I have to be honest, I was caught off guard by Cody's Wish. I was sitting where I wanted to be. I was comfortable, following Endorsed and I actually took a peak over and I didn't quite see Junior (Alvarado). The minute I started riding forward, he was on me in two jumps.”

The post Cody’s Wish Keeps Writing His Fairy Tale With Churchill Downs Stakes Win, Rival Is Vanned Off appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

D. J. Stable's Webslinger closed with a furious outside rally and was up in time to narrowly deny Far Bridge and Major Dude in a 22-1 upset in the $500,000 American Turf (G2) Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Under Javier Castellano, the Constitution colt trained by Mark Casse prevailed in a desperate four-horse charge to the finish, winning by a nose from runner-up Far Bridge on the rail. In between them, Major Dude finished third, a half length behind Far Bridge, while pacesetter Mo Stash, who faded in the closing stages as he valiantly tried to lead gate to wire, hung on for fourth, another length back in the 13-horse field.

Webslinger, who tracked from midpack early, paid $47.34 after completing 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.54 on firm turf. He came into the American Turf following a third-place finish in the Kentucky Utilities Transylvania (G3) April 7 at Keeneland but tallied his first graded win Saturday with a determined effort. His career line stands at 3-2-1 from eight career starts.

Bred in Kentucky by Kenneth L. Ramsey and Sarah K. Ramsey, Weblslinger was produced by Arana, by Hard Spun. Offered by Blue River Bloodstock at the 2022 OBS June 2-year-olds in training and horses of racing age sale, he sold to D. J. Stable for $50,000. The $285,200 winner's share of the American Turf purse increased his lifetime bankroll to $$723,800.

The post Determined Webslinger Makes Grade In 22-1 American Turf Upset appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Their trip in the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile wasn't the smoothest one, but General Jim and jockey Luis Saez prevailed anyway to win with a closing effort on the Kentucky Derby undercard May 6. The pair got out of the gate cleanly but were squeezed back, then jostled by Freezing Point leaving the chute of the dirt track. They had to sit wide for much of the mile while Damon's Mound led the way, swinging out going into the turn and coming into the stretch at least four wide. Fort Bragg, who had lurked just behind Damon's Mound, took over the lead on the turn and battled to the inside of a closing General Jim, but by the wire, General Jim prevailed by a narrow margin.

Shug McGaughey trains General Jim for Donald Adam's Courtlandt Farms.

Freezing Point, ridden by Corey Lanerie for trainer Joe Lejzerowicz, pulled up abruptly on the backstretch of the race. According to American Association of Equine Practitioners on-call veterinarian Dr. Alan Ruggles, Freezing Point walked into the equine ambulance under his own power and is being transferred to an equine medical center for evaluation. The extent of any injuries is unknown as of this writing. Lanerie rode back to the front side in the ambulance but appeared to be uninjured.

Fort Bragg was second, followed by Gilmore. The final time for the mile was 1:34.43, with fractions of :22.41, :45.00, and 1:21.61.

General Jim paid $12.04, $6.26, and $4.76. Favored Kangaroo Court was eleventh. See the full chart here.

McGaughey brought General Jim to this start off a solid one-length win in the G3 Swale at Gulfstream Park in early February.

General Jim was bred in Kentucky by Fifth Avenue Bloodstock and Centerline Breeding, and is by Into Mischief. He is out of Curlin mare Inspired by Grace. He was a $850,000 yearling at Keeneland September, where he was consigned by Indian Creek.

PAT DAY MILE QUOTES

Luis Saez (jockey, General Jim, winner) – “When he got a good spot at the half mile pole, we knew we had a chance to win the race. He has plenty of talent. It was an existing stretch duel and Joel (Rosario) is a pretty tough to ride against but we finally got the jump. We decided to make a change after his last couple of races (and add blinkers) and I don't think he would have won without (wearing) blinkers. It makes a big difference.”

Don Adams (owner, General Jim, winner) – “It was a magnificent win. To win on day like today is truly special. He's become a nice horse, very special. He's won two in a row now and hopefully we'll see good things down the road. We'll let Shug (McGaughey) decide what's next for him.”

Joel Rosario (jockey, Fort Bragg, second) – “Turning for home it looked like we were going to win. That other horse ran a big race. He did everything I asked him to do and I guess he just ran second best today.”

Irad Ortiz Jr. (jockey, Gilmore, third) – “I went a little wide on the turn but he still kept coming. He's a nice horse but he got beat by two nice horses and he never gave up.”

 

The post Despite Challenged Trip, General Jim Takes Pat Day Mile; Freezing Point Vanned Off appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Frankie Dettori's farewell tour has well and truly started, with the Italian guiding Juddmonte's Chaldean to QIPCO 2000 Guineas (G1) success on a wet day Saturday on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket.

Some would've wondered what might've been for Dettori when he hit the post earlier in the card, losing out by a head aboard Saga three races earlier on the card for King Charles III and Queen Camilla on Coronation Day. However, Chaldean's persistence in the Group 1 gave Frankie a fairytale 2000 Guineas victory on his last year in the saddle.

The pre-race talk had been largely about Aidan O'Brien's Auguste Rodin, who went off favorite, but he didn't live up to his 'Triple Crown' potential when finishing 12th of a field of 14. Oisin Murphy and Hi Royal finished second, 1 3/4 lengths back, with huge odds of 125-1, shared most of the running with the winner, before the Juddmonte horse stormed clear of the field. Royal Scotsman, who raced keenly, ran an enormous race to finish in third place, another half length back in the 14d-horse field.

Time for the one-mile trip was 1:41.64 on turf rated as soft.

A jubilant Dettori saluted the crowd on his way into the Winners Enclosure, before delivering his iconic flying dismount.

Chaldean, by Juddmonte's 2011 Guineas victor Frankel out of the Dutch Art mare Suelita, gave Dettori a fourth 2000 Guineas victory.

“It [the emotion] has really hit me now – I've got a lump in my throat. It's incredible.” Dettori said.

It's safe to say Chaldean's prep didn't quite go to plan, when chucking off Dettori when leaving the stalls in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury. It didn't look to have an effect with the colt completing an across-the-card double for trainer Andrew Balding.

The farewell tour is well and truly underway and Dettori will be looking for a famous Guineas double as he takes the ride on Lezoo in the QIPCO 1000 Guineas on Sunday.

Chaldean was bred in Great Britain by Whitsbury Manor Stud.

The post Dettori Strikes With Juddmonte’s Chaldean In 2000 Guineas appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post