Tag: Ricardo Santana Jr.

Unbeaten Brightwork Preps For Keeneland’s Opening Day

WSS Racing's undefeated Brightwork (Outwork) completed her major preparations for next Friday's GI Darley Alcibiades by working a half-mile in :48.60 over a fast track Friday morning.

With Ricardo Santana Jr. aboard, Brightwork produced fractions of :24.60, :48.60 and galloped out 5 furlongs in 1:01.40. Last Friday here, Brightwork produced a best-of-20 half-mile in :47.

“That was very perfect, and I am grateful that Ricardo made the drive over from Louisville both times to work her,” trainer John Ortiz said. “Last week was a good drill for speed, and this morning was to maintain that speed.”

Ortiz is pointing another runner to next Friday's stakes in 4 G Racing's Crown Imperial (Classic Empire). Winner of the Pepsi Untapable S. at Kentucky Downs, Crown Imperial is considered probable for the GII Jessamine S. Crown Imperial worked a half-mile in :49.20 at Churchill Downs Friday morning.

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Classic Empire Filly Delivers Untapable Upset

Crown Imperial (f, 2, Classic Empire–Mi Fiori, by Congrats), beaten just a nose by the streaking Amidst Waves (Midshipman) in Saratoga's Bolton Landing S. Aug. 20, delivered a 13-1 upset in Wednesday's $500,000 Pepsi Untapable S. at Kentucky Downs.

She was outsprinted in eighth through scorching early fractions of :20.79 and :44.32, and, after diving toward an inviting opening toward the inside beneath Ricardo Santana, Jr. in the stretch, came alive to get the money by 1 1/4 lengths. Copper Em (Copper Bullet) was second; Buttercream Babe (Twirling Candy) was third.

A debut winner over the dirt in Indiana May 31, she hit the board in her next two attempts versus stakes company, finishing a close second in the Prairie Gold Lassie S. July 7 and third while making her grass debut in the Colleen S. at Monmouth Park July 29.

Crown Imperial becomes the 10th stakes winner for Classic Empire. Mi Fiori produced a filly by Midnight Storm in 2022 and a colt by Goldencents in 2023. The Classic Empire/Congrats cross is also responsible for 2022 GIII Gotham S. winner Morello.

“She is what we call tiny but mighty,” winning trainer John Ortiz said. “She's a small filly with the biggest heart. She got started in Ocala with (GI Spinaway S. winner) Brightwork (Outwork). They were partners, stablemates down there. I think they were doing a little planning in the paddock, I guess. They knew they wanted to be the best, so here we are.”

He added, “Obviously it's early, but Keeneland has a 'Win and You're In' (for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf). I guess you consider taking her straight there. We'll just see what happens in the next three weeks.”

PEPSI UNTAPABLE S., $499,286, Kentucky Downs, 9-13, 2yo, f, 6 1/2fT, 1:16.33, fm.
1–CROWN IMPERIAL, 120, f, 2, by Classic Empire
                1st Dam: Mi Fiori, by Congrats
                2nd Dam: Shoo In, by Dynaformer
                3rd Dam: Satin Promise, by Dixieland Band
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O/B-4 G Racing (KY); T-John Alexander
Ortiz; J-Ricardo Santana, Jr. $294,150. Lifetime Record:
5-2-2-1, $374,450.
2–Copper Em, 120, f, 2, Copper Bullet–Lovely Em, by Scat
Daddy. ($8,000 Wlg '21 KEENOV; $48,000 Ylg '22 FTKJUL).
1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC; B-Winning
Bloodstock (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $96,500.
3–Buttercream Babe, 120, f, 2, Twirling Candy–Runway Ready,
by Mr. Greeley. ($140,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; $180,000 2yo '23
OBSAPR). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Three Diamonds Farm; B-Repole
Stable, Inc. (KY); T-Michael J. Maker. $48,250.
Margins: 1 1/4, HD, NK. Odds: 13.73, 11.06, 5.56.
Also Ran: Hidden Class, Zo Lee, Honey Dijon, Sweetcatherinerose, Candi Girl, Song of Norway, Mya's Halo, Testament, Judy Elaine. Scratched: Determined Driver, Determined Sail, Fairhopecurly. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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On Whitney Weekend, Whitney Stables Captures Spa Maiden

It's been more than four years since Saratoga socialite Marylou Whitney passed away, but thanks to her husband John Hendrickson and trainer Norm Casse, her memory is never far away when it comes to the Saratoga season.

Marylou Whitney Stables, now operated by Hendrickson, won with its first starter at the meet when homebred Empire Island (Classic Empire) won the day's sixth race by three-quarters of a length over Lady Moscato (Quality Road). A six-furlong maiden race for 2-year-old fillies that was run at six furlongs, it had a purse of $136,500.

“It's awesome,” Casse said of his association with the Whitney stable. “This is such a humbling thing and it makes me really proud.”

Breaking from the rail under Ricardo Santana Jr., Empire Island broke alertly and settled into third as favorite Gypsy Tales (Munnings) went to the front. Lady Moscato moved first and got past Gypsy Tales but wasn't able to hold off Empire Island's late run.

Gypsy Tales, sent off at 9-5, tired in the stretch and finished sixth.

“She's the epitome of class,” Casse said. 'She acts like an older horse already. She's super talented. I was a little bit concerned today. She got up here and spiked a temperature and that's why she had to scratch opening day.  So she hasn't really been on a regular routine work pattern. So I was worried she might be short today. But this is a very talented horses and I am thrilled for the connections.”

Lady Moscato (Quality Road) is owned by BC Stables Ltd and is trained by Wayne Lukas. She was an $800,000 Keeneland September purchase and nearly gave the BC Stables-Lukas team its second maiden winner in as many days. They hit Saturday with Just Steel (Justify).

Empire Island's winning time was 1:11.79, while the first division of the race, won by 'TDN Rising Star' Ways and Means (Practical Joke) was clocked in 1:10.51.

6th-Saratoga, $105,002, Msw, 8-6, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:11.79, ft, 3/4 length.
EMPIRE ISLAND (f, 2, Classic Empire–Gull Island, by Giant's Causeway) earned a sentimental 5-1 shot as a homebred for Saratoga's own Marylou Whitney Stables and settled in third just off the speed of post-time favorite Gypsy Tales (Munnings). Jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. was asking her a long way from home but she began to respond with a move into upper stretch, taking aim on Lady Moscato (Quality Road) who had assumed command from Gypsy Tales. Up past that rival inside the final sixteenth, Empire Island gained a bit of separation on the wire for the three-quarter length win. The first foal of out of a daughter of champion 3-year-old filly Bird Town (Cape Town), Empire Island counts MGSW Bird Song (Unbridled's Song) and MGISW Birdstone (Grindstone) as members of her extended family. Gull Island has Vekoma yearling still to race and was bred to Twirling Candy for next year. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $57,750. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O/B-Marylou Whitney Stables LLC (KY); T-Norm W. Casse.

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Friday Insights: Pair Of Undefeated Fillies Square Off

2nd-CD, $134K, OC, 3yo, f, 6f, 6:28 p.m.
A pair of fillies will look to stay unbeaten in their third career starts at Churchill Downs on Friday evening.

'TDN Rising Star' SUNDAY SHOES (Pioneerof the Nile) came from off the pace breaking her maiden sprinting at Turfway Park Feb. 15, then got up by 3/4 of a length in Florence Apr. 1 in the Serena's Song S. over next-out stakes winner Jill Jitterbug (Cross Traffic). The $500,000 Keeneland September Yearling sale purchase trained by Wesley Ward counts among her female family Grade I winners like third dam Easy Now (Danzig) and her half-brother, Easy Goer (Alydar).

Another filly with a perfect record is the WinStar-bred and Juddmonte-owned Dazzling Blue (Into Mischief) from the barn of Brad Cox. She comes out of the same sale and went for the same price as her rival here, but her debut victory came under the Twin Spires late in her juvenile campaign when she won by 4 1/2 lengths before winning the Letellier Memorial S. Dec. 26 at Fair Grounds.

Opposing them is a more experienced layoff runner from trainer Larry Rivelli's shedrow with Jareth Loveberry aboard. Back to Ohio (Midshipman) sold last year for $385,000 at the OBS April sale and broke her maiden during the summer at Presque Isle Downs. She then proceeded to win three of her next four races in minor stakes along the Ohio-Pennsylvania circuit with the last coming around two turns Oct. 29 in the Best of Ohio John W. Galbreath S. at Mahoning Valley by 7 1/4 lengths. TJCIS PPS

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