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Mr. Wireless Proves Best in the West Virginia Derby

Mr. Wireless had done very little wrong this season, and showed up once again Saturday to collect his second consecutive graded victory in Mountaineer's West Virginia Derby.

After finding himself in front heading into the first turn, Mr. Wireless was soon headed by Kinetic Sky and Bourbon Thunder as the duo took up position to his inside while Warrant was a couple of lengths back in fourth through an initial quarter in :23.82. Latched onto the outside flank of Bourbon Thunder following a :47.86 half, the 8-5 favorite drew on even terms with the leading Bourbon Thunder on the far turn and soon put his head in front, inching clear turning for home. Offered some left-handed encouragement by Ramon Vazquez in early stretch, the gelding drifted out slightly late, prompting his rider to switch to a right-handed stick late, but the gelding had enough left in reserve to fend off Warrant by a length at the wire. The GII Wood Memorial winner Bourbonic closed from out of the clouds to be third.

“There was inside speed and he was able to sit off those two horses,” explained Vazquez. “He put himself into a good position, and when he got the lead and he kept going.”

Added trainer Bret Calhoun, “He was in good position the whole way around, and looked like the rider was sitting on a lot of horse. He ran a trouble-free race, and when Ramon asked him, he did his job.”

In regards to the gelding's next race, he said, “I hate to get too far ahead with these things, but I'd say the [GI] Pennsylvania Derby [Sept. 25] is very possible.”

Fifth in his career bow going six furlongs at the Fair Grounds Mar. 4, Mr. Wireless gained a narrow decision next time going a mile at Oaklawn Mar. 27 before making it two straight with a score adding a sixteenth at the Hot Springs oval May 1. Narrowly defeated by Warrant in the May 31 Texas Derby, the bay asserted his dominance last time, taking the July 7 GIII Indiana Derby at Indiana Grand.

Pedigree Notes:
Mr. Wireless is out of Voussoir (Arch), also responsible for the year-older Ain't No Elmers (Goldencents), who recently made the running in the GII Honorable Miss H. at Saratoga before finishing third. The 15-year-old mare is also responsible for a 2-year-old full-sister to the West Virginia Derby winner named Ain't Broke and a Goldencents colt foal. She was bred back to Gun Runner.

Saturday, Mountaineer
WEST VIRGINIA DERBY-GIII, $500,000, Mountaineer Casino & Resort, 8-7, 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:52.49, ft.
1–MR. WIRELESS, 120, g, 3, by Dialed In
              1st Dam: Voussoir, by Arch
              2nd Dam: Blu Spur, by Northern Spur (Ire)
              3rd Dam: Seeking the Blue, by Seeking the Gold
O-JIL Stable; B-John & Iveta Kerber (KY); T-W. Bret Calhoun;
J-Ramon A. Vazquez. $311,500. Lifetime Record: 6-4-1-0,
$670,150. *1/2 to Ain't No Elmers (Goldencents), MGSP,
$268,435. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Warrant, 118, c, 3, Constitution–Whisper Number, by First
Samurai. O-Twin Creeks Racing Stables, LLC; B-Twin Creeks
Farm (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $100,000.
3–Bourbonic, 122, c, 3, Bernardini–Dancing Afleet, by Afleet
Alex. O/B-Calumet Farm (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $50,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 1HF, HF. Odds: 1.60, 1.80, 3.90.
Also Ran: Bourbon Thunder, Kinetic Sky, Americainaed. Scratched: Channel Fury.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Lone Rock Rolls To Another Marathon Triumph In Saratoga’s Birdstone

Flying P Stable's Lone Rock continued his domination of the marathon division, winning his fourth consecutive start at 12 furlongs or longer in Thursday's 11th renewal of the $120,000 Birdstone, a 1 3/4-mile stamina test for older horses at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Trained by Robertino Diodoro, the 6-year-old Majestic Warrior gelding launched his streak in March at Oaklawn Park with an optional-claiming tilt and followed with a 3 3/4-length score in April in the Isaac Murphy Marathon at Churchill, both at 1 1/2 miles. Lone Rock entered the Birdstone from a powerful 11 1/4-length score in the 12-furlong Grade 2 Brooklyn presented by Northwell Health on June 5 at Belmont Park.

With regular rider Ramon Vazquez up, Lone Rock tracked in second as Moretti, the defending Birdstone winner with Irad Ortiz, Jr. aboard, led the seven-horse field through splits of 24.28 seconds, 48.88, 1:13.72 and 1:39.71 on the fast main track.

Lone Rock, traveling comfortably throughout, rated kindly in second position outside the pacesetter with Shooger Ray Too and Ry's the Guy tracking in the second tier in front of You're to Blame, who had three lengths on Rocketry and the trailing He's No Lemon.

Moretti led the field into the final turn, but when Vazquez gave Lone Rock his cue, the veteran gelding advanced with ease putting away Moretti at the top of the lane and powering through the wire a four-length winner in a final time of 2:56.45.

Shooger Ray Too, with Joel Rosario up, completed the exacta by one length over Moretti. It was a further 12 3/4-lengths back to Rocketry in fourth. Rounding out the order of finish was Ry's the Guy, You're to Blame and He's No Lemon.

Diodoro, who secured his second stakes win at Saratoga following Special Relativity's score in the 2019 Shine Again, was full of praise for Lone Rock.

“The horse ran big again,” Diodoro said. “He ran the way he's been training. He's been training like a monster and it's always nice when they train like a monster in the morning and come out in the afternoon and do the same thing. We're pretty proud of him today.

“I thought that Moretti would take the lead from him and Ramon did exactly as I said, which was 'don't let him get away from you,'” added Diodoro. “I've seen it many times when a horse will get out to the front and open up a few and put the rest of the field to sleep. We definitely didn't want that to happen today. I thought Ramon did an excellent job staying on [Moretti] the whole way.”

Lone Rock has won 6-of-7 starts since being claimed back by Diodoro and Flying P Stables for $40,000 out of a winning effort in November at Churchill Downs.

Vazquez made his Saratoga debut a memorable one.

“This is a dream come true. It's been a dream for a long time to ride at Saratoga. I'm so happy,” Vazquez said. “I was really confident in my horse. I was a little worried about the distance; he hasn't run this far before. But I knew my horse was feeling at his best right now. I just put my horse in a good position and when I asked him, he had a lot [left].”

Bred in Kentucky by Town & Country Horse Farms and Pollock Farms, Lone Rock banked $66,000 in victory while improving his record to 34-12-3-2. He returned $3.70 as the 4-5 mutuel favorite.

Diodoro said he will take his time before deciding on a next start for Lone Rock.

“One step at a time,” Diodoro said. “We want to make sure he comes out of this race well. We've got a few ideas in our head, but one step at a time. He showed up once again today and we've just got to keep him going and keep him happy and healthy.”

Live racing resumes Friday at Saratoga with a 10-race card featuring the Grade 2, $200,000 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame in Race 7 and the Grade 3, $200,000 Troy presented by Horse Racing Ireland in Race 9. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern.

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Moretti Goes For Second Straight Birdstone At Saratoga

Repole Stable and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' multiple graded stakes placed Moretti will attempt to defend his title against a talented field of older horses in Thursday's $120,000 Birdstone, a 1 3/4-mile main-track marathon at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the Medaglia d'Oro bay, out of the Grade 1-winning Concerto mare Rigoletta, is a half-brother to millionaire 2017 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Battle of Midway.

Purchased for $900,000 at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, Moretti blossomed last season, posting a record of three wins and three seconds in six starts, including stakes scores in the Flat Out at Belmont Park and Birdstone at Saratoga to go along with a runner-up effort in the Grade 2 Suburban at Belmont.

Pletcher, a five-time Birdstone winner, said Moretti is working well into Thursday's repeat bid, including a five-eighths breeze in 1:01.88 on July 29 on the Spa main track.

“He's doing well. We know he likes the distance,” Pletcher said. “It's just a matter of keeping him happy and fit. He's coming off a couple of solid efforts and we're looking forward to giving it a try again.”

Irad Ortiz, Jr. will be tasked with engineering the title defense from post 4.

“I think the main thing is to get into a comfortable rhythm rather than worry about who's on the lead or stalking,” Pletcher said. “In these types of races, you just want to get into a good rhythm. You don't get many opportunities at this distance, so we'll give it our best shot.”

Flying P Stable's Lone Rock made the grade last out, romping to an 11 1/4-length score in the 12-furlong Grade 2 Brooklyn presented by Northwell Health on Belmont Stakes Day June 5.

Claimed back by trainer Robertino Diodoro for $40,000 out of a winning effort in November at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., Lone Rock captured a 1 1/16-mile optional claimer in February at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., in his next outing.

The 6-year-old Majestic Warrior gelding has made his last four starts at 1 1/2-miles, finishing second in the Temperence Hill in March ahead of an optional claiming score on April 11, both at Oaklawn Park. He returned on short rest to capture the Isaac Murphy Marathon on April 27 at Churchill Downs ahead of an eye-opening effort in the Brooklyn that registered a career-best 100 Beyer Speed Figure.

Lone Rock posted a bullet half-mile on the main track in :46.60 on July 22 and worked an easy half-mile in :52.19 Friday over sloppy going on the Oklahoma training track.

“He's a horse that loves his job and he's training great. He bounced out of that race like it was nothing,” Diodoro said. “On Belmont day, it was a little warm, and to run that far, you'd think it would take a little bit out of him but he's come back like a monster.”

Ramon Vazquez retains the mount from post 3.

Centennial Farms' multiple graded stakes-winner Rocketry has finished third in the last two editions of the Birdstone.

Trained by Jimmy Jerkens, the 7-year-old Hard Spun bay finished off-the-board last out in the Brooklyn and will look to return to the form that saw him capture the 1 5/8-mile Grade 2 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance in November at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky.

“That one horse [Lone Rock] looks like a standout in that category. If ever he's going to beat horses like that, it's going this distance,” Jerkens said. “That's what happened in Kentucky. The pace was just too sharp for going that far and they came back to him and he went by them in the very end.”

Ricardo Santana, Jr. picks up the mount from post 7.

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Lothenbach Stables' Ry's the Guy, sixth last out in the Brooklyn, broke through at stakes level in September, taking the 12-furlong Champions Day Marathon at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Ian Wilkes, the 5-year-old Distorted Humor bay breezed a half-mile in :48.44 Thursday on the Saratoga main track.

“He came out of the last race good and I'm happy with him. It won't be an easy assignment; we'll be facing some of the same horses,” Wilkes said. “He has no problem with the track. He's trained here and got over it fine. His works have been solid. I'm very pleased with his breezes here. We've had a little bit of cool weather and that's helped.”

Ry's the Guy will exit the inside post under Chris Landeros.

Final Turn Racing Stable and Noda Brothers' You're to Blame, runner-up in last year's Birdstone, made an impressive first start Sunday for trainer Orlando Noda with a 9 1/2-length off-the-turf optional claiming romp traveling nine furlongs over a fast main track.

The 7-year-old Distorted Humor bay, a veteran of 37 career starts who captured the 2018 Grade 3 Greenwood Cup at Parx, will exit post 6 under Jose Ortiz.

Rounding out the field are graded-stakes placed He's No Lemon [post 2, Manny Franco], and stakes-placed Shooger Ray Too [post 5, Joel Rosario]

The Birdstone is slated as Race 9 on Thursday's 10-race card. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern.

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Mr. Wireless Earns First Stakes Victory In Indiana Derby

Trainer Bret Calhoun picked up his second Indiana Derby victory in three years on Wednesday night as Mr. Wireless – a 3-year-old gelding by Dialed In – came from just off the pace under jockey Ramon Vazquez to win going away by 3 3/4 lengths in the Grade 3 contest at Indiana Grand in Shelbyville, Ind.

Winning for the third time in five starts – all in 2021 – Mr. Wireless covered 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:42.84. He paid $9.80 to win as the third wagering choice in the field of six 3-year-olds and picked up $178,200 as the winner's share of the $300,000 purse. He is owned by Jon Lapczenski and JIL Stable. Mr. Wireless, produced from Voussoir, by Arch, was bred in Kentucky by John and Iveta Kerber, who race as JIL Stable.

Sermononthemount finished second, 1 3/4 lengths ahead of Fulsome, the 2-5 favorite from the Brad Cox stable who came into the Indiana Derby off three consecutive victories, including a last-out score in the G3 Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs on May 29. Starrininmydreams finished fourth, Convention fifth and W W Crazy, the early pace-setter fading to last.

Mr. Wireless, bobbled at the start but settled in just behind pacesetter W W Crazy, who set fractions of :24.16 and :48.31 for the opening half mile. Mr. Wireless grabbed the advantage before reaching the far turn, getting the opening six furlongs in 1:12.41, then was never challenged there, leading by 1 1/2 lengths at the furlong pole (with a mile split in 1:36.61) and drawing away under steady encouragement from Vazquez.

Mr. Wireless debut with a fifth-place finish March 4 at Fair Grounds in Louisiana, then graduated with a nose victory going a mile at Oaklawn Park on March 27. He posted another nose victory next out, winning a May 1 allowance at the Arkansas track, then finished second in his stakes debut behind Warrant in the May 31 Texas Derby on a sloppy track at Lone Star Park.

Calhoun won the 2019 Indiana Derby with Mr. Money for Allied Racing Stable.

The Indiana Derby was the last of 12 races, including six stakes, on the afternoon/evening program at Indiana Grand. Spurred by $905,027 in new money on the Straight Fire 6 jackpot bet that had a mandatory payout and a $166,573 jackpot going in, nearly $6.3 million was wagered, exceeding the previous all-time high of $5,979,952 bet on last year's Indiana Derby card.

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