Lynch Prepares Red Danger, Toby’s Heart For Kentucky Downs Starts

Promising juvenile Red Danger has already competed twice during the Saratoga meet, running fifth in his debut on July 17 sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs on the main track. Moved to turf for his start on August 11, the Orb colt rallied from fifth to display a strong closing kick in winning the 5 1/2-furlong contest by 1 1/4 lengths.

Lynch said Silverton Hill's Red Danger will use that Saratoga experience to step up to stakes company next out at Kentucky Downs in Franklin, Ky. Red Danger had been training in the Bluegrass State at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., before setting up a show at the Spa in early July.

“He stepped up like we needed him to the other day and now we'll look at one of those 2-year-old stakes at Kentucky Downs,” Lynch said. “We're very happy with how he did it and his time at Saratoga set him up nicely for his next steps.”

The news wasn't as positive for Amerman Racing's graded stakes-winner Gift List, who was working her way back from one setback before needing a chip removed last week, postponing her return to the track.

“We had another little hiccup with her,” Lynch said. “She had a small chip removed and she's going to be laid up for a little bit. She'll be back in the fall, hopefully.”

Gift List has not run since finishing third in the Grade 3 Wonder Again on June 3 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. as the 3-year-old Bated Breath filly worked her way back after recovering from pneumonia and combating colic.

On August 6, Gift List breezed four furlongs in :54.20 seconds on over Saratoga's Oklahoma turf training track. Lynch's original goal was to get her ready for the $700,000 Jockey Club Oaks going 1 3/8 miles on September 18 at Belmont, but those fall plans have now been placed in a holding pattern.

After earning black type in the Wonder Again over a Belmont turf rated good, Gift List was slated for a potential next-out start in the first leg of the Turf Triple with the $700,000 Grade 1 Belmont Oaks on July 10 followed by the $700,000 Grade 3 Saratoga Oaks Invitational on August 8.

Instead, she likely will have to skip the Turf Triple series entirely, curtailing the momentum she generated to start 2021 when she ran second, a half-length back to Jouster, in the Grade 2 Appalachian in April at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., before winning the Grade 2 Edgewood by 4 1/2 lengths going 1 1/16 miles in April at Churchill Downs. That winning effort netted a personal-best 88 Beyer.

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Toby's Heart, who ran third in the Grade 3 Lake George on July 23 going one mile on the Saratoga turf, was listed as a probable for Saturday's $200,000 Grade 2 Lake Placid for sophomore fillies going 1 1/16 miles but instead will opt for the $500,000 Music City at 6 1/2 furlongs on Sunday, September 12 at Kentucky Downs.

Owned by Terry Hamilton, Lynch and Gary Barber, Toby's Heart won the 5 1/2-furlong Limestone Turf Sprint in April at Keeneland over a course labeled good. Stretched out to seven furlongs, the Jack Milton filly ran fifth in the Grade 3 Soaring Softly in May at Belmont but responded by running second in the Tepin contested at the Lake George distance on June 26 at Churchill Downs over firm ground.

After heading back to Kentucky, Lynch said there is a possibility Toby's Heart will return to Belmont for the fall meet.

“She's doing really well and we're looking forward to cutting her back in distance a little bit and having a crack at the big pot down there and then see what our options are,” Lynch said.

Toby's Heart breezed a half-mile in :51.50 Sunday on the Oklahoma training turf.

The post Lynch Prepares Red Danger, Toby’s Heart For Kentucky Downs Starts appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Gaffalione, Cox & M and M Racing Top Keeneland Fall Meet Standings

Keeneland’s fall meet concluded Saturday with jockey Tyler Gaffalione, trainer Brad Cox and Mike Sisk’s M and M racing topping the standings in their respective categories.

Gaffalione was the clear leader in the rider standings with 24 victories, including a win aboard Got Stormy (Get Stormy) in the GIII Buffalo Trace Franklin County S. Cox edged out Mike Maker and Steve Asmussen on the final day of the meet, scoring 15 wins, highlighted by Essential Quality’s (Tapit) victory in the GI Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity S. Earning its first title, M and M Racing accounted for five winners at the fall meet.

“On behalf of Keeneland, our sincerest thanks to our fans across the country and around the world, and our racing participants, sponsors, industry and community partners and employees who enabled us to hold a safe, competitive Fall Meet during these unprecedented times,” said Keeneland President and CEO Bill Thomason, who presided over his final race meet before his retirement Dec. 31. “The silver lining of this pandemic has been the collaboration and creativity of various constituencies in their steadfast support of Thoroughbred racing and our philanthropic mission. There is a true spirit of coming together for the good of all.”

The fall meet was closed to the public due to COVID-19, but fans wagered $148,229,708 during the 17 days of racing from Oct. 2-24. The average daily handle was $8,719,395. Last year’s all-sources wagering handle was a record $160,207,916 for a meet also lasting 17 days, albeit with fans.

With the limited on-track attendance, on-track handle was $2,477,890 with average daily on-track handle at $145,758. In comparison, the 2019 fall meet had an on-track handle of $17,320,852.

“Historically, Keeneland ranks among the top tracks in North America in terms of average daily attendance and enjoys some of the highest on-track handle figures,” Keeneland Vice President of Racing Bob Elliston said. “The difference in all-sources wagering this fall versus last comes down to the loss in on-track wagering.”

The post Gaffalione, Cox & M and M Racing Top Keeneland Fall Meet Standings appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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