Red Ghost Wins Head Bob Battle Over Euphoric In Miss Preakness Stakes

Horse racing loves a comeback story, and Red Ghost was a tweet-length version of just that on Friday afternoon in the Grade 3 Miss Preakness Stakes, sneaking a nose ahead at the wire after appearing to be defeated.

The 3-year-old daughter of Ghostzapper was hurried out of the gate by jockey John Velazquez, and was challenged on the inside by Abrogate, who tumbled rider Ricardo Santana Jr. out of the back of the starting gate prior to the start of the race.

As Abrogate faded, Euphoric moved up to challenge Red Ghost on her outside, after taking a sharp left turn out of the gate. Those two were practically even after the opening quarter, clocked in :22.88 seconds, and they remained head-to-head as they entered the turn.

Euphoric got a head in front throughout the turn, and carried that small advantage through a half-mile in :45.80 seconds under jockey Javier Castellano. Meanwhile, Joyful Cadence began to approach the lead duo on the far outside, and she entered contention with about a furlong to go.

This set up a hardscrabble three-way battle in the deep stretch, but it was one that it appeared Red Ghost was not going to win. Euphoric fought doggedly against Joyful Cadence on her outside, and it appeared that Euphoric would have enough to stave off that rival. But, Velazquez continued to grind from the rail, and got into head-bob contention with the leader.

The lead changed with each stride, but Red Ghost managed to have her neck out at the right time when the finish line went by. She finished a nose ahead of Euphoric, who was a neck in front of Joyful Cadence. Then, it was three lengths back to Juror Number Four in fourth.

Red Ghost stopped the clock in 1:10.53 in the six-furlong race over a fast main track. She paid $6.20 to win as the 2.10-to-one post time favorite.

Friday's Miss Preakness was a successful step-up for Red Ghost, who made her graded stakes debut after winning a six-furlong Keeneland allowance by two lengths on April 16. Her earnings now total $182,200.

It was her third career victory, after also winning on debut in a off-the-turf maiden race at Saratoga Race Course. Her only career defeat came in her lone try on turf in the Untapable Stakes last September at Churchill Downs.

Red Ghost races as a homebred for Douglas Scharbauer, and she is trained by Wesley Ward. She is out of the Elusive Quality mare Better Than Most.

After the field crossed the line, there was a fairly lengthy jockey's objection lodged by Xavier Perez abiard Street Lute against Castellano and Euphoric, after the Euphoric ducked in at the break and appeared to cut off multiple competitors. However, the stewards elected to leave the result unchanged.

To view the race chart, click here.

$150,000 Miss Preakness (G3) Quotes

David Flores, Assistant to Winning Trainer Wesley Ward (Red Ghost): “John [Velazquez] said she was backing up a little bit when the horses went by her. When he got after her she looked like she was not done. He felt like he had horse. She is very competitive and she was able to make a comeback.”

Winning Jockey John Velazquez (Red Ghost): “She got passed, almost a length. She was looking to the inside and the other horses passed her. She didn't even care. She kept looking to the inside and leaning out and I got after her. I got after her at the three-sixteenths pole and she came back.”

Jockey Javier Castellano (Euphoric; 2nd): “I had a good trip. I thought I was going to win. To be honest with you, I thought I won the race. You never know. Unfortunately, I lost the bob. I saw [winner Red Ghost] coming back on the inside, but there is nothing that you can do. [John Velazquez]was already there. I just got beat. She ran really well, I am disappointed we lost but very satisfied with the way she did it. She ran a great race.”

Trainer John Ortiz (Joyful Cadence; 3rd): “Tough beat, but I couldn't be any more proud of what she did today. She showed guts. Her last stakes race (second in the Purple Martin at Oaklawn) we saw that she had a little fight. Today, I thought we were the winner. She's still learning. When she got in front, she probably waited up a little bit and got just a little tired. But she ran a heck of a race for sure.”

Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. (Joyful Cadence; 3rd): “She got the perfect trip, can't complain, no excuses. She just got beat. Once she got the lead, she thought it was over. She was looking around a little bit but no excuses.”

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Street Lute Seeks Redemption in Miss Preakness

Lucky 7 Stables' Street Lute (Street Magician) looks to rebound off a third as the 3-5 favorite in Laurel's Beyond The Wire S. Mar. 13 and gain her first graded score in the GIII Miss Preakness S. at Old Hilltop Friday. Reeling off five straight wins from last November through February, including the Laurel's six-furlong Xtra Heat S. in January followed by the seven panel Wide Country S. Feb. 20, the chestnut tried a mile for the first time in the Beyond The Wire, but tired late to finish third, beaten five lengths.

“I've always felt she was a better sprinter. We tried her long just because there was nowhere else to run and you've got to find out sooner or later,” trainer John 'Jerry' Robb said. “There's a lot of really nice fillies in here. This will be her biggest test, yet I'm sure. You couldn't work any better, you couldn't go into it any better, and we've got home field advantage.”

Robb opted to bypass the 1 1/16-mile Weber City Miss S. Apr. 24 and point for the Miss Preakness instead. The filly posted her most recent breeze May 7, going four furlongs in a bullet :46.80 seconds, the fastest of 35 horses going that distance at Pimlico that day.

Doug Scharbauer's Red Ghost (Ghostzapper) kicked off her career in style, winning by 8 1/2 lengths in a 5 1/2-furlong off-turf test at the Spa last August but failed to handle the transition to the sod and had to settle for seventh in the Sept. 15 Untapable S. over 6 1/2 furlongs at Kentucky Downs. Returned to the dirt last time, the Wesley Ward trainee came from off the pace to win at six-furlong Keeneland allowance Apr. 16. John Velazquez, who was aboard last time, returns to the saddle Friday.

Alex and JoAnn Lieblong, who won the 2020 Miss Preakness with Wicked Whisper, return this year Abrogate (Outwork), half-length winner of the six-furlong Purple Martin S. Apr. 3 at Oaklawn. Last time out, she ran fifth by 2 1/2 lengths in the seven-furlong GII Eight Belles S. Apr. 30.

“She chased a pretty fast pace in her last race. They went 1:09 for the three-quarters,” Alex Lieblong said. “She was there most of the time right up with the leaders, and it was a quick one. She might be just a six-furlong horse.”

The winner of her first two starts, including a muddy allowance score in Hot Springs Jan. 24, the dark bay finished third in a sloppy renewal of the Dixie Belle S. Feb. 28.

“It's a little quick back,” said Steve Asmussen's assistant, Scott Blasi of the quick turnaround from the Eight Belles, “but she'll appreciate shortening up.”

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Fillies And Mares In Kentucky Downs Tuesday Spotlight In Trio Of Rescheduled Stakes

Fillies and mares will be in the spotlight Tuesday, with three stakes headlining the rescheduled penultimate card of the RUNHAPPY at Kentucky Downs meet in Franklin, Ky.

The $400,000 Untapable Stakes for 2-year-old filly sprinters and $400,000 Music City Stakes for 3-year-old filly sprinters are new this year, with the $500,000 TVG Stakes at 1 5/16 miles in its 10th running.

The 11-race card was moved from Sunday to Tuesday because of the rain that pelted the area during Saturday's races and again Sunday morning. Any horses who were early scratches out of Sunday's races now have been reinstated, with horsemen having to re-scratch if they wish to come out. Scratch time for Tuesday's races is Monday at 9 a.m. Central, with stakes horses on the also-eligible list having until 10 a.m. Tuesday to draw into the field.

Here's a look at the stakes:

$500,000 TVG Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 5/16 miles (race 9, 4:32 p.m. Central) — Mrs. Sippy is the even-money favorite in the field of six as she makes her second start of her 5-year-old season, having been second in Saratoga's Grade 3 Waya Stakes at 1 1/2 miles by a neck. A Grade 2 winner last year, Mrs. Sippy also was a close second in Belmont's Grade 1 Flower Bowl to top mare Sister Charlie.

Michael Dickinson ships in from Maryland with 5-2 second choice Theodora B., front-running winner of Woodbine's Grade 2 Dance Smartly in her last start. She's also run well over courses with some give in the ground so anticipated overnight rain shouldn't be an issue.

Trainer Rusty Arnold scratched English Affair, winner of Ellis Park's Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Turf in a bog, out of Saturday's $500,000 English Channel Ladies Turf in hopes of getting softer turf and also the longer distance. The irony is English Affair now might encounter firmer turf, with the forecast calling for sunshine Monday and Tuesday. Rounding out the field California invader Siberian Iris, Over Thinking and Delta's Kingdom.

Here's the field in post position order (with jockey, trainer and odds): Delta's Kingdom (Florent Geroux/Bill Mott 20-1), Theodora B. (Irad Ortiz/Michael Dickinson 5-2), Mrs. Sippy (Joel Rosario/Graham Motion even), English Affair (Rafael Bejarano/Rusty Arnold 7-2), Siberian Iris (Flavien Prat/Richard Mandella 12-1), Over Thinking (Luis Saez/Victoria Oliver 8-1).

$400,000 Untapable for 2-year-old fillies at 6 1/2 furlongs (race 10, 5:04 p.m. Central) — The Wesley Ward-trained Red Ghost is the 3-1 favorite in the field of 11 off winning her debut by 8 1/2 lengths at Saratoga in a race taken off the turf.

Mad Maddy certainly has an experience edge, with four seconds in four maiden races, the last two on turf at Saratoga. The daughter of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah is trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen for Ron Winchell, co-owner of Kentucky Downs and whose Winchell Thoroughbreds bred and campaigned champion Untapable, the 2014 Kentucky Oaks and Breeders' Cup Distaff winner for whom the stakes is named.

Other contenders include Ellis Park debut winners La Libertee, Lady Edith, Emro and Lady Goldstart; out-of-state invaders Taylor's Tourist (Louisiana), Fouzia (Florida), Kewpie Doll (Maryland), Becca's Bouquet (Texas). Taylor's Tourist is an interesting horse at 12-1 odds in the morning line, coming in off a 9 3/4-length win at Evangeline Downs. And while that's considered the comparative minor leagues to Kentucky, New York and California, her speed figures for that performance put her in the thick of things should she take to the grass. Mike Maker, Kentucky Downs' all-time win leader, will saddle Herald Angel, who was second in a New York-bred maiden race at Saratoga. The fact that he didn't keep the filly in New York with his Belmont Park division is telling.

Here's the field in post position order (with jockey, trainer and odds): Lady Goldstart (Chris Landeros/Ian Wilkes 8-1), Taylor's Tourist (Florent Geroux/Scott Geiner 12-1), Red Ghost (Jose Ortiz/Wesley Ward 3-1), Becca's Bouquet (Robby Albarado/Scott Geiner 20-1), Herald Angel (Irad Ortiz/Mike Maker 12-1), Kewpie Doll (Tyler Gaffalione, Cathal Lynch 20-1), Fouzia (Julien Leparoux/Saffie Joseph Jr. 20-1), Lady Edith (Colby Hernandez/Tommy Drury 6-1), Mad Maddy (Ricardo Santana/Steve Asmussen 8-1), La Libertee (Adam Beschizza/Mark Casse 9-2), Emro (Shaun Bridgmohan/Brad Cox 6-1).

$400,000 Music City for 3-year-old fillies at 6 1/2 furlongs (11th race, 5:36 p.m. Central): Kimari, scratched out of Saturday's $500,000, Grade 3 Real Solution Ladies Sprint, is the 3-1 favorite, with trainer Wesley Ward also entering her in Wednesday's closing-day feature, the $500,000, Grade 3 Franklin-Simpson against males. However, on Saturday Ward said his plan is to run Kimari in the Music City. In two starts this year, Kimari won Oaklawn Park's Purple Martin in the slop then was a rallying second after being left at the start in Royal Ascot's Group 1 Commonwealth Cup in England. Kimari was one of the top 2-year-old turf sprinters of either sex.

Winchell Thoroughbreds' Finite, who stamped herself as one of the best of her generation over the winter, comes in off almost a six-month layoff following the surgical removal of a bone chip after a fourth-place finish in the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks. After winning a Kentucky Downs maiden race a year ago in her only start on turf, Finite reeled off four stakes victories on dirt, capped by the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra in New Orleans.

The Shug McGaughey-trained Enola Gay, winner of Keeneland's Grade 2 Appalachian at a mile before finishing fifth in the 1 3/16-mile Saratoga Oaks, shortens back to sprinting over the course where she won her debut last year. She's My Type, trained by Christophe Clement, won Saratoga's $100,000 Coronation Cup in her last start and never runs a bad race.

Santa Anita stakes-winner She's So Special and Lighthouse ship in from California. Other contenders include Grade 3 Florida Oaks winner Outburst, Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks runner-up Lucrezia and stakes-winners Miss J McKay and She's So Special. Mom's Red Lipstick, Fashionable Lady, Poseidon's Passion and Lucky Jingle were early scratches but now have been reinstated into the field unless their connections opt to again scratch them.

Here's the field in post position order (with jockey, trainer and odds): Lucrezia (James Graham/Arnaud Delacour 12-1), Outburst (Florent Geroux/Eddie Kenneally 20-1), Mom's Red Lipstick (Ricardo Santana, Chris Block 30-1), Bredenbury (Luis Saez/Graham Motion 12-1), Enola Gay (Julien Leparoux/Shug McGaughey 9-2), She's My Type (Joel Rosario/Christophe Clement 5-1), She's So Special (Flavien Prat/Peter Miller 12-1), Finite (Jose Ortiz/Steve Asmussen 8-1), Lighthouse (Umberto Rispoli/Simon Callaghan 8-1), Kimari (Irad Ortiz/Wesley Ward 3-1), Miss J McKay (Tyler Gaffalione/Cathal Lynch 10-1), Hear My Prayer (Rafael Bejarano/David Fisher 30-1), Fashionable Lady (Florent Geroux/Michael Ann Ewing 30-1), Evil Lyn (Shaun Bridgmohan/Mike Maker 20-1), Poseidon's Passion (Mitchell Murrill/James Gulick 30-1), Lucky Jingle (Jose Ortiz/Graham Motion 30-1).

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