Tobys Heart Rides Rail To Victory At Kentucky Downs

Joel Rosario has made the Kentucky Downs winner's circle a familiar sight in his time at the Franklin, Ky. track, adding another win to his record total with Tobys Heart's victory in the Music City Stakes. Patiently sitting on the rail throughout, Rosario sent Tobys Heart surging to the front in the stretch to take the 6 1/2-furlong stakes.

Breaking from post six, Tobys Heart settled in the back of the field of 11 early, content to hang back while Risky Reward led the field down the hill and around the bend. Into the stretch, Rosario found room on the rail to sneak through and pass Risky Reward to win by 2 3/4 lengths. Alwayz Late passed Risky Reward to take over second.

The final time for the 6 1/2 furlongs was 1:14.36. Find this race's chart here.

Tobys Heart paid $4.60, $3.00, and $2.80. Alwayz Late paid $7.40 and $6.00. Risky Reward paid $11.80.

Tobys Heart is a 3-year-old filly by Jack Milton out of the Lil's Lad mare Pick of the Pack. She was bred in Kentucky by Trackside Farms. She is owned by Gary Barber, Terry Hamilton, and Bryan Lynch, who also trains the filly. Consigned by Bold Arrow Thoroughbreds, Tobys Heart was purchased for $45,000 by Alistair Roden Bloodstock at the 2020 Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March Two-Year-Olds In Training Sale. With her win in the Music City, Tobys Heart has two wins in six starts in 2021 and a lifetime record of four wins in eight starts with career earnings of $494,750.

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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.

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Unbeaten Tobys Heart to Stretch Out Versus Graded Company in Return

Unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Tobys Heart (Jack Milton) is aiming for a return to action in either the GIII Herecomesthebride S. at Gulfstream Park Feb. 27 or the GIII Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs Mar. 6. Both races are contested on grass at 1 1/16 miles.

Co-owned by Terry Hamilton and trainer Brian Lynch, the 3-year-old filly was impressive in a pair of efforts sprinting on the lawn last term.

After kicking off her career with a 'Rising Star' performance beneath the Twin Spires June 4–following a slow start, she unleashed an explosive run to graduate by 6 3/4 lengths–Tobys Heart followed up with a good-looking, come-from-behind score in a loaded renewal of Saratoga's Bolton Landing S. most recently Aug. 19 (video).

The second through sixth-place finishers in the Bolton Landing–Joy's Rocket (Anthony Cross) (second), Amanzi Yimpilo (Ire) (No Nay Never) (third), Mischievous Dream (Into Mischief) (fourth), Quinoa Tifah (Gemologist) (fifth) and Sweet Souper Sweet (First Samurai) (sixth)-have all added stakes victories since.

“She had two tiny chips removed from the front of her P1 on both ankles,” Lynch said. “We cleaned them up and gave her a little bit of time and I think it's been a blessing. She seems like she's blossomed–bigger, stronger filly. It gives you something to look forward to.”

Tobys Heart has posted eight workouts at Lynch's Palm Meadows base since mid-December, including a five-furlong spin in 1:03.45 (12/26) on grass Friday.

“She hasn't missed a beat since we put her back into training,” Lynch said. “We're looking to stretch her out and look forward to seeing what she shows us when we try her around two turns. She's doing everything right, so fingers crossed.”

Tobys Heart, a $5,500 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall yearling, brought $45,000 from Alistair Roden Bloodstock on behalf of Hamilton and Lynch after breezing an eighth in :10 1/5 at OBS March.

Bred in Kentucky by Trackside Farms, Tobys Heart is from the second crop of young Crestwood Farm stallion Jack Milton. She is out of the stakes-winning Lil's Lad mare Pick of the Pack, a half-sister to GSW Great Attack (Greatness).

Lynch and his aforementioned longtime client also campaign recent GIII John B. Connally Turf Cup S. winner Spooky Channel (English Channel). The duo, of course, also teamed up on popular GISW Heart to Heart (English Channel).

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Spooky Channel Gets Perfectly Timed Ride To Win John B. Connally Turf Cup

Trainer Mike Maker had his streak of six consecutive victories in the John B. Connally Turf Cup at Sam Houston Race Park in Houston, Texas, snapped last year when Brad Cox-trained Dot Matrix defeated Bemma's Boy and Marzo from Maker's deep stable of turf runners.

Maker came loaded again this year, with three starters in Sunday's $200,000, Grade 3 Turf Cup, just as he did in 2020. Once again, however, he had to settle for the minor awards as 3-2 favorite Spooky Channel, from the Brian Lynch stable, collared Maker's pace-setting Conviction Trade inside the furlong pole, then held off a furious late rally by Maker-trained Ajourneytofreedom to win by a neck.

Spooky Channel, a 6-year-old English Channel gelding owned by Terry Hamilton, was clocked in 2:30.94 on a firm grass course for the 1 1/2 miles of the Turf Cup. He paid $5 for the win, his ninth in 18 career starts. Ajourneytofreedom finished a length ahead of Conviction Trade, giving Maker a 2-3 finish for the second year in a row. Tenfold was fourth for trainer Steve Asmussen, with Ken McPeek-trained Signalman fifth in the field of a dozen older runners.

The John B. Connally Turf Cup was one of six stakes – two of them graded – offering over $1 million in purses on Sunday's Houston Racing Festival as Sam Houston Race Park in Houston, Texas,

It was a big day for the track, with a record $5.3 million wagered on the 10-race card.

“We are thrilled with the success of this year's Houston Racing Festival and getting a record handle of $5.3 million,” said Frank Hopf, senior director of racing. “It was a team effort from everyone at Sam Houston and our thanks go out to all the horsemen and owners for supporting our meet. This would not be possible without our horseplayers, both here in Texas and nationally. It was a great day.”

Leparoux allowed Spooky Channel to settle into fifth position after breaking from the 10-post in the three-turn Turf Cup. Rafael Hernandez put Conviction Trade in front from the start, going an opening quarter mile in :24.57, a half mile in :48.97 and six furlongs in 1:14.00. Leparoux began asking Spooky Channel to pick it up with a half mile to run, the mile clocked in 1:40.52, and by the time they reached the quarter pole, after 1 1/4 miles in 2:05.67, he was on the front-runner's right flank.

Conviction Trade fought back and maintained a half-length lead with a furlong to run, but Spooky Channel finally put him away just as Ajourneytofreedom and Jesus Castanon emerged on the scene with a powerful stretch rally that came up just short at the wire.

“I have ridden him before and felt he would like this turf course,” said Leparoux.  “Brian and I talked and we knew he would have enough to come off the pace and make his run. He left it up to me and the horse did exactly what he hoped for.”

Spooky Channel began his racing career for Hamilton in Arizona in the care of trainer Clay Brinson, winning six of his first eight starts at Turf Paradise, including the 1 7/8-mile Hasta La Vista Handicap.

After shipping east and being transferred to Lynch's barn (following one off-the-board finish at Canterbury Park), Spooky Channel has won three of nine, including the G3 W.L. McKnight Stakes at Gulfstream Park in January 2020. Following a sixth-place finish in the G1 Manhattan Stakes at Belmont Park last July 4, was given some time off, then returned to be fourth in the G2 Ft. Lauderdale at Gulfstrealm Park on Dec. 12. He trained up to the Turf Cup at Palm Meadows Training Center in South Florida.

“It was exciting to be part of the big stakes day at Sam Houston Race Park,” said Lynch from his base in South Florida. “Spooky Channel is a true marathoner and ran a great race. Julien is a multiple Eclipse winning rider and I am one of his biggest fans. I am grateful to my owner Terry Hamilton, who is also a great friend.”

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