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General Jim Adds to Another Big Weekend for Into Mischief; Race Marred By Day’s Second Fatality

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Courtlandt Farms' General Jim (Into Mischief) continued his all-conquering sire's fantastic weekend with a game neck victory over Fort Bragg (Tapit) after a stretch-long battle in Saturday's GII Pat Day Mile S. at Churchill Downs. Gilmore (Twirling Candy) finished third.

“It was a magnificent win,” winning owner Don Adams said. “To win on a 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 (trainer) Shug (McGaughey) decide what's next for him.”

General Jim, a two-time winner on the grass as a juvenile, concluded his 2022 campaign with a third-place finish in the Central Park S. over the lawn at the Big A Nov. 26. Switched back to dirt for the first time since finishing a well-beaten third at Saratoga on debut and turned back to one turn, General Jim was a troubled fourth as the favorite in the Mucho Macho Man S. at Gulfstream Jan. 1. He recorded a career-high 90 Beyer Speed Figure with first-time blinkers while capturing the GIII Swale S. last out Feb. 4. He was forced to sit out the Mar. 4 GII Fountain of Youth S. with a cough and was backed at odds of 5-1 first off the bench here.

General Jim found a good spot in the deep field of 13 while racing between rivals in sixth through sharp fractions of :22.41 and :45.00. He set his sights on Fort Bragg–who made a bold move of his own to hit the front on the far turn–while five or six wide at the top of the stretch and the stage was set. Those two locked horns down the stretch, and General Jim just got the better of his rival with a late surge in a race that didn't deserve a loser.

“When he got a good spot at the half-mile pole, we knew we had a chance to win the race,” winning jockey Luis Saez said. “He has plenty of talent. It was an exciting stretch duel and Joel (Rosario) is 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 blinkers. It makes a big difference.”

Longshot Freezing Point (Frosted) went wrong inside the six-furlong marker, was pulled up sharply by Corey Lanerie and vanned off. He was subsequently euthanized, making him the second equine fatality of the afternoon after Chloe's Dream in the day's second race.

Pedigree Notes:

General Jim, an $850,000 KEESEP yearling graduate, is one of 64 graded winners for leading sire Into Mischief, who scored a Grade I double on Friday's program, led by the GI Kentucky Oaks. Broodmare sire Curlin has seven graded winners to his credit.

The stakes-placed Inspired by Grace, a full-sister to GI Mother Goose S. heroine Off the Tracks and a half-sister to MGSW Concord Point (Tapit), had a filly by Authentic in 2022 and was bred back to that same sire.

Inspired by Grace most recently brought $190,000 from Cobble View Stable at the 2015 KEENOV sale.

Saturday, Churchill Downs
PAT DAY MILE S. PRESENTED BY TWINSPIRES-GII, $500,000,
Churchill Downs, 5-6, 3yo, 1m, 1:34.43, ft.
1–GENERAL JIM, 120, c, 3, by Into Mischief
          1st Dam: Inspired by Grace (SP, $138,984), by Curlin
          2nd Dam: Harve de Grace, by Boston Harbor
          3rd Dam: Ms. Cuvee Napa, by Relaunch
($850,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Courtlandt Farms (Donald Adam); B-Fifth Avenue Bloodstock & Centerline Breeding (KY); T-Claude R. McGaughey III; J-Luis Saez. $288,300. Lifetime Record: 7-4-0-2, $519,833. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Fort Bragg, 118, c, 3, Tapit–March X Press, by Shanghai Bobby. ($700,000 Ylg '21 FTKOCT). O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Robert E. Masterson, Stonestreet
Stables LLC, Jay A. Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital LLC and Catherine Donovan; B-SF Bloodstock LLC & Henry Field Bloodstock (KY); T-Tim Yakteen. $93,000.
3–Gilmore, 118, c, 3, Twirling Candy–My Surfer Girl, by Henny Hughes. ($48,000 Wlg '20 KEENOV; $250,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Robert Masterson, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Jay A. Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital LLC and Catherine Donovan; B-Dividing Ridge Farm (KY); T-Brendan P. Walsh. $46,500.
Margins: NK, 3HF, 3/4. Odds: 5.02, 5.52, 14.99.
Also Ran: Frosted Departure, Gun Pilot, Echo Again, Lugan
Knight, Curly Jack, Damon's Mound, Tall Boy, Kangaroo Court,
Bourbon Bash, Freezing Point. Scratched: Midnight Rising.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs.
VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Woodford Reserve Kentucky Derby Bottle to Benefit TRF

Stoneware & Co. will offer a limited number of signed Woodford Reserve Kentucky Derby bottles to benefit the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation. This year's signed collector's edition will commemorate the 10th anniversary of Orb winning the Run for the Roses and will be signed by his Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey and Eclipse Award-winning jockey Joel Rosario.

“The Kentucky Derby is one of the greatest sporting events in the country,” said TRF executive director Kelly Armer. “With a captive horse racing audience, we are thrilled to be able to inform folks of the significance of Thoroughbred aftercare. We are so grateful for the continued support from Stoneware & Co., as well as the generosity of Shug McGaughey and Joel Rosario who are dedicating their precious time to participate.”

The bottles are now available for $149 at Stoneware & Co's website, stonewareandco.com, or in-store at 731 Brent Street in Louisville during regular business hours after May 1. More information is available on the TRF's webpage: trfinc.org/2023-woodford-reserve-commemorative-bottles/.

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Quality Road Colt Cruises in Columbia

Talk of the Nation blew away local optional claiming foes last out Feb. 4, and did the same to stakes company here. Off as the chalk breaking from the far outside, the dark bay hopped a bit at the start but was pushed along by Samy Camacho to track from fourth while hung a bit wide. Scrubbed on to assert three deep entering the lane, he seemed to be stuck in neutral for a few strides while figuring out his leads, but as soon as he found his footing he zoomed home with a powerful burst to win going away. Mo Stash, last seen finishing fourth at almost 52-1 in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Nov. 4, was a clear-cut second.

A $470,000 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream buyback last term off a :10 1/5 breeze, Talk of the Nation easily handled just two rivals while sprinting on the Big A dirt Nov. 11. Joe Allen was listed as the colt's sole owner at that point, but the China Horse Club apparently bought back in before he finished last of sixth going a mile on the Gulfstream dirt Jan. 8. He earned a strong 85 Beyer for that bounce-back effort last time Feb. 4.

China Horse Club paid $1.3 million for 2016 GII Yellow Ribbon H. winner She's Not Here that Keeneland November. The mare is out of a stakes-winning half-sister to none other than Hall of Famer Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}) and MGISW Balance (Thunder Gulch). The family was in the news again recently when another half-sister to the trio produced GII Rebel S. winner Confidence Game (Candy Ride {Arg}). She's Not Here has a 2-year-old filly by Uncle Mo and a yearling colt by Improbable. She aborted to the latter for 2023.

COLUMBIA S., $75,000, Tampa Bay Downs, 3-11, 3yo, 1mT, 1:33.45, fm.
1–TALK OF THE NATION, 120, c, 3, by Quality Road
               1st Dam: She's Not Here (MGSW, $450,453),
                              by Street Cry (Ire)
               2nd Dam: Where's Bailey, by Aljabr
               3rd Dam: Vertigineux, by Kris S.
($470,000 RNA 2yo '22 FTFMAR). 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN.
O-Joseph Allen LLC & CHC INC.; B-Chc Inc. (KY); T-Claude R.
McGaughey III; J-Samy Camacho. $45,000. Lifetime Record:
4-3-0-0, $107,770.
2–Mo Stash, 118, c, 3, Mo Town–Making Mark Money, by
Smart Strike. ($130,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-BBN Racing, LLC;
B-Rhineshire Farm LLC (KY); T-Victoria H. Oliver. $15,000.
3–A Western Yarn, 118, c, 3, Eastwood–Basket Stitch, by
Tiznow. ($45,000 Ylg '21 EASOCT). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Mark B.
Grier; B-Equivine Farm LLC (PA); T-Arnaud Delacour. $7,500.
Margins: 2HF, 3 1/4, HF. Odds: 1.20, 4.30, 11.20.
Also Ran: Freedom Trail, Summer Bee, Sendero, Smoke Lightening, Lights of Broadway, Naga's Boy. Scratched: Worthington.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Medina To Open Public Stable in Kentucky

Trainer Robert “Robbie” Medina has opened a public stable based out of Lexington, KY and is now accepting new clients.

Since April 2020, Medina has served as the general manager and trainer for Blackwood Stables, the state-of-the-art training center near Lexington. At Blackwood, he focused on breaking, training, and rehabilitation for many of the sport's leading owners and trainers. He also ran horses under his own name at Kentucky tracks for a few select clients, including August Dawn Stable's Gun Runner S. winner Play Action Pass (Cairo Prince), who was selected as a yearling by Medina.

Medina will operate his stable out of the Thoroughbred Training Center on Paris Pike in Lexington, while also continuing to develop 2-year-olds at Blackwood before they are ready to graduate to the Thoroughbred Training Center.

“The last three years at Blackwood have been wonderful, but I am excited to be opening a full public stable in Kentucky,” Medina said. “I am a lifelong race tracker and have been fortunate enough to work for some tremendous horsemen and play a crucial role in the development of some the sport's best horses. The timing is right for me to devote myself full time to a public stable. I have a great staff and setup in place and am ready to grow our operation.”

Prior to taking the job at Blackwood in 2020, Medina worked for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey from 1995 to 2020, starting as a groom for McGaughey before eventually working his way up to assistant trainer. He was instrumental in the development and training of such McGaughey stars as GI Kentucky Derby winner Orb (Malibu Moon), GI Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Pleasant Home (Seeking the Gold), and multiple Grade I winners Point of Entry (Dynaformer) and Honor Code (A.P. Indy).

Medina may be contacted at (518) 441-0502 or at Robertmedinaracing@gmail.com.

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