Brian Lynch Talks Classic Causeway, John Sadler Gives Flightline Update On Writers’ Room

Kentucky West Racing and Clarke Cooper's Classic Causeway stamped himself as a major GI Kentucky Derby contender Saturday when convincingly taking the GIII Sam F. Davis S. at Tampa Bay Downs for trainer Brian Lynch, and Tuesday, Lynch joined the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland. Sitting down with Joe Bianca and Bill Finley as the Green Group Guest of the Week, Lynch talked about his colt–one of the final horses by late superstar sire Giant's Causeway–provided updates on other top horses in his barn, reminisced about his time spent as an assistant for Bobby Frankel and more.

“I thought I might have dodged the [GIII] Holy Bull into a tougher spot, once it had all come out on paper,” Lynch said of the Sam Davis. “Because it looked like it was a pretty competitive race and a lot of horses wanted to be forwardly placed and that was the way I'd seen him running his race. When I walked into the paddock, it was a really good-looking group of 3-year-olds. But then when he walked in, I thought, 'Ah, I'm OK.' He looked great. When that :22 and change came up [for the first quarter] and they straightened for the run down the backside, I could see [jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr.'s] body language telling me, 'I'm cruising. I'm comfortable. This [other horse] is hanging on to me, but I've got plenty of horse.' When we got halfway around the far turn, you could see them all try and edge up on him, but Irad still hadn't moved a finger. So that gave me plenty of confidence that he had some horse for his run down the lane.”

Asked about his time working for the legendary Frankel, Lynch said, “I trained for a lot of years out in California on my own and I'd known Bobby for many, many years before I went to work for him. I trained for Golden Eagle Farm, and when Mr. [John] Mabee died, Bobby said to me, 'They're going to downsize that operation, you need to come work for me. We've got a lot of 2-year-olds coming in here.' He talked me into coming out to Saratoga and taking a string of horses for him there. And every day, I think of what a blessing that was. It was my best move. He exposed me to a lot of good clients and a lot of good horses. When I think back, Bobby was probably not the greatest teacher, but if you were around him and didn't learn a lot, shame on you. He had that sixth sense, and he was all about the horse first. It was just a great experience to be around him for so many years, and it gave me a good feel for how to manage horses, how to get them to the races and how to keep them around.”

Elsewhere on the show, which is also sponsored by Coolmore, the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders, XBTV, Lane's End, West Point Thoroughbreds and Legacy Bloodstock, the hosts welcomed John Sadler to give an injury update on his barn superstar Flightline (Tapit) and held their annual 3-year-old fantasy draft. Click here for the video podcast; click here for the audio-only version or find it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

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Classic Causeway All the Way in Sam F. Davis

Classic Causeway (c, 3, Giant's Causeway–Private World, by Thunder Gulch), a good second when last seen in the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. Nov. 27, ran to the money as the 8-5 favorite in Saturday's GIII Sam F. Davis S. at Tampa.

He shot out to the front from his inside draw and was hounded on the lead through fractions of :22.66 and :46.67. Still traveling nicely despite continued pressure rounding the far turn, he began to shake clear as they spun for home and took care of business from there to score by four good-looking lengths. Shipsational (Midshipman) was second; Volcanic (Violence) was third.

The final time for 1 1/16 miles was 1:42.80.

Saturday, Gulfstream
SAM F. DAVIS S.-GIII, $200,000, Tampa Bay Downs, 2-12, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:42.80, ft.
1–CLASSIC CAUSEWAY, 118, c, 3, by Giant's Causeway
               1st Dam: Private World (MSW, $166,058), by Thunder Gulch
               2nd Dam: Rita Rucker, by Dmitri
               3rd Dam: Darlease, by Temperence Hill
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN.
O-Kentucky West Racing LLC & Clarke M. Cooper;
B-Kentucky West Racing LLC & Clarke M. Cooper Family
Living Trust (KY); T-Brian A. Lynch; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $120,000.
Lifetime Record: GISP, 4-2-1-1, $301,100. Werk Nick Rating:
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Shipsational, 122, c, 3, Midshipman–Regal Approach, by
Thunder Gulch. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($27,000 Wlg '19
KEENOV; $210,000 2yo '21 OBSMAR). O-Iris Smith Stable,
LLC; B-Bertram R. Firestone (NY); T-Edward R. Barker.
$40,000.
3–Volcanic, 118, c, 3, Violence–Pulpit Angel, by Pulpit.
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($230,000 Ylg
'20 KEESEP). O-Breeze Easy, LLC; B-Don Alberto Corporation
(KY); T-Mark E. Casse. $20,000.
Margins: 3 3/4, 1, 1 3/4. Odds: 1.60, 7.80, 8.80.
Also Ran: Strike Hard, Golden Glider, God of Love, Little Vic, Kitten Mischief, Mr Rum Runner, Make It Big, Unpredictable Bay, Trademark. Scratched: Howling Time.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Junior Alvarado’s Derby Prep Win Propels Him To Jockey Of The Week Honors

Junior Alvarado travelled from his winter base of Gulfstream Park to Tampa Bay Downs for their Festival Preview Day and won two of their graded stakes, earning Jockey of the Week honors for Feb. 1 through Feb. 7. The award, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, is for jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 950 active riders in the United States as well as retired and permanently disabled jockeys.

Alvarado was given a leg up on Candy Man Rocket by trainer Bill Mott's son and assistant, Riley Mott in the Gr. 3 Sam F. Davis, the centerpiece of the Festival Preview Day.

“I didn't really want to engage the horse up front (Boca Boy) or make any quick move too early. I just had to move a little bit, keep holding my position and wait as long as I could,” Alvarado said. “At the sixteenth pole when I switched my stick to the right hand and showed it to him to see what I had left, he put his head low and kept grinding his way there.”

The margin of victory for the 1-1/16 mile test was a length in 1:44.30.

Earlier on the card, Alvarado had the mount on Get Smokin for trainer Tom Bush in the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Stakes, the second choice in the 12-horse field.

“I had to get out of there running. He's a fast horse and he likes to be on the lead, but I knew (Proven Strategies) has a lot of speed too, so it wasn't necessary for me to keep going after him and go head-to-head. I knew the whole way around I had plenty of horse. Turning for home, I was just a passenger…he started picking it up on his own without me asking, so I knew I was in good shape.”

The winning time for the 1-1/16 mile turf test was 1:40.75.

Usually a year-round force on the New York racing circuit, Alvarado returned to south Florida for the winter months for the first time in 12 years to follow Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

Alvarado's statistics for the week were 27-5-2-2 with $322,585 in purse earnings.

Alvarado out-polled Antonio Gallardo who had a stakes win and earned his 2,000th career victory, Irad Ortiz, Jr. who had a stakes win and was leading jockey by wins, Flavien Prat who won the Gr. III Las Virgenes and Joel Rosario who won two graded stakes including the San Vincente.

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Candy Ride Colt Tops Mott One-Two in Sam Davis

Candy Man Rocket (Candy Ride {Arg}), a blowout maiden winner at second asking at Gulfstream Jan. 9, led home a one-two finish for the Hall of Fame Bill Mott barn with a press-and-pounce, one-length score while making his two-turn debut in Saturday's GIII Sam F. Davis S. at Tampa Bay Downs.

Pasco S. winner Nova Rags (Union Rags) followed home his stablemate and just edged out the somewhat green Hidden Stash (Constitution) for second.

The Sam F. Davis carries 10-4-2-1 qualifying points on the Road to the GI Kentucky Derby.

The 3-1 second-choice forced the issue on the outside through fractions of :23.35 and :46.94 after exiting from post nine, and made his move to strike the front at the top of the stretch as Nova Rags began to sneak through an opening on the inside with a run of this own.

Candy Man Rocket was always going the better of the two, however. He enjoyed a 2 1/2-length advantage at the stretch call, and kept on finding down the lane to get the money.

Favored Known Agenda (Curlin), exiting a well-beaten third over sloppy going in the GII Remsen S. Dec. 5 and some very live maiden races last term for Todd Pletcher, got going too late from far back to finish fifth.

“[Candy Man Rocket] has some tactical speed and he put Junior [Alvarado] in a great spot,” said Riley Mott, assistant and son of winning trainer Bill Mott.

“He got into a real nice comfort zone down the backside and Junior let him out a notch going to the three-eighths pole, and at that point, there wasn't a whole lot coming from behind. He hit the front a little bit early, which was concerning–he's still inexperienced and sometimes when they get to the front too early, they tend to wander. Junior kept him to the task and he really ran on well and passed the two-turn test.”

As for what's next for the top two, Riley Mott added, “We have to see how the horses come back. Nova Rags has had two races in three weeks, and to bring him back in four [for the GII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby], we just have to look at the calendar and see what the options are. As far as Candy Man Rocket, he went over the track today, but we have to see how they come back.”

Seventh after showing some early interest in his sloppy, sprint debut at Churchill Nov. 22, Candy Man Rocket cruised by 9 1/4 lengths going six furlongs at Gulfstream last time Jan. 9, good for an 85 Beyer Speed Figure.

Candy Man Rocket brought $250,000 from Frank Fletcher at last year's postponed OBS Spring Sale after breezing a quarter in :21.

The Arkansas-based businessman also campaigns the MGSW & MGISP 'TDN Rising Star' homebred Frank's Rockette (Into Mischief), a winner in her 2021 comebacker in the American Beauty S. at Oaklawn last month.

Pedigree Notes:

It's been a long time since a leading sire list didn't include Candy Ride (Arg), who acquired his 49th graded winner and 96th black-type winner with Candy Man Rocket's first stakes score Saturday. Out of the Forestry mare Kenny Lane, Candy Man Rocket's third dam is a half-sister to champion Althea (Alydar), making Broodmare of the Year Courtly Dee (Never Bend) his fourth dam. The dynasty established by Courtly Dee included top sires Arch (Kris S.) and Green Desert (Danzig), as well as more recent stars like champion Covfefe (Into Mischief) and Breeders' Cup winner Bayern (Offlee Wild). Kenny Lane produced the colt Notacry (Orb) in 2019, who sold for $10,000 at Keeneland January in 2020, and a filly by Tonalist in 2020. She was bred back to Tonalist again for this spring. Kenny Lane brought $55,000 from Robert S. Evans in foal to Quality Road at the 2016 Keeneland November Sale.

Saturday, Tampa Bay Downs
SAM F. DAVIS S.-GIII, $200,000, Tampa Bay Downs, 2-6, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:44.30, ft.
1–CANDY MAN ROCKET, 118, c, 3, by Candy Ride (Arg)
1st Dam: Kenny Lane, by Forestry
2nd Dam: Vantive, by Mr. Prospector
3rd Dam: Embellished, by Seattle Slew
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($190,000 RNA Wlg '18 KEENOV; $70,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEESEP; $250,000 2yo '20 OBSAPR). O-Frank Fletcher Racing Operations Inc; B-R S Evans (KY); T-William I. Mott; J-Junior Alvarado. $120,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $144,824. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Nova Rags, 118, c, 3, Union Rags–Wishful Splendor, by Smart Strike. ($275,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEESEP). O/B-Michael P Shanley (KY); T-William I Mott. $40,000.
3–Hidden Stash, 118, c, 3, Constitution–Making Mark Money, by Smart Strike. ($50,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-BBN Racing LLC; B-Rhineshire Farm LLC (KY); T-Victoria H Oliver. $20,000.
Margins: 1, NK, 2 3/4. Odds: 3.10, 8.30, 8.50.
Also Ran: Boca Boy, Known Agenda, Lucky Law (Ire), Joe Man Joe, Ricochet, Smiley Sobotka, Last Investment, Millean, Runway Magic. Scratched: Tiz Tact Toe.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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