Tony Ann Bests Caravel At The Wire In Thrilling Franklin S. At Keeneland

Tony Ann, a 7-1 shot, outkicked heavily favored Caravel to the wire to earn the first stakes victory of her career in the GII Franklin S. at Keeneland Sunday. Caravel, who began a five-race win streak in last year's Franklin, broke from the rail and found herself chasing dueling pacesetters Twilight Gleaming (Ire) (National Defense {GB}) and B G Warrior (Run Away and Hide) through an opening quarter in :21.09. Tony Ann, who had raced just outside of the favorite early, fell back on the turn as Caravel attempted to reel in the pacesetters. Caravel looked to be spinning her wheels at the top of the stretch, as a resurgent Tony Ann swept to the lead. The champion battled back bravely on the inside, but could not get past Tony Ann.

“It felt like the pace was strong enough, and I was traveling really well behind Caravel, so I was pleased with my trip,” said winning jockey Flavien Prat. “When I tipped her out, she responded really well. I was a bit worried by the sixteenth pole because Caravel came back on us, but she was really game. To go by Caravel you've got to go all out, but she was really game today.”

Trained by California-based Phil D'Amato, Tony Ann was making just her third start of the year after opening the campaign with a runner-up effort in the July 28 Daisycutter S. going five furlongs over the Del Mar lawn. She headed east to be a close-up third after battling on the lead in the Sept. 9 GII AGS Ladies Turf Sprint S. at Kentucky Downs last time out.

Caravel, who followed her win in last year's Franklin with a victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, was suffering her second straight loss Sunday.

“The filly tried hard, but we just weren't able to get her head in front today,” said jockey Tyler Gaffalione, who was aboard the beaten favorite. “The fractions were solid, very fast, but I was content with where I was. I think my filly really struggled with the ground a bit today.”

Trainer Brad Cox said a return trip to the Breeders' Cup was still in the plans for Caravel.

“Good run, just came up a touch short,” Cox said. “I am proud of the effort. She likes it here at Keeneland and ran another great race. Breeders' Cup is definitely still something we are pointing towards. We'll see how she comes out of this race and go from there.”

Pedigree Notes:

Tony Ann's dam Never Ever is a half-sister to Grade I winner Cost of Freedom (Cee's Tizzy). She is the eighth graded stakes winner worldwide for her sire, Cairo Prince.

Sunday, Keeneland
FRANKLIN S.-GII, $336,525, Keeneland, 10-15, 3yo/up, f/m, 5 1/2fT, 1:02.42, gd.
1–TONY ANN, 120, m, 5, by Cairo Prince
                1st Dam: Never Ever, by In Excess (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Freedom Dance, by Moscow Ballet
                3rd Dam: In True Form, by Imasmartee
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O-A Venneri Racing, Inc. and Anthony Fanticola; B-Alex Venneri Racing, LLC (KY); T-Philip D'Amato; J-Flavien Prat. $208,863. Lifetime Record: 10-5-1-3, $511,883. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Caravel, 124, m, 6, Mizzen Mast–Zeezee Zoomzoom, by Congrats. ($330,000 RNA 3yo '20 WANOCT; $500,000 4yo '21 FTKNOV). O-Qatar Racing LLC, Marc Detampel and Madaket Stables LLC; B-Elizabeth M. Merryman (PA); T-Brad H. Cox. $57,750.
3–Train to Artemus, 120, m, 5, Tapizar–Pay Day Kitten, by Kitten's Joy. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O-M and W Stables, LLC; B-Kenneth L. Ramsey & Sarah K. Ramsey (KY); T-Kelly J. Breen. $33,688.
Margins: NK, 3/4, HF. Odds: 7.80, 0.72, 43.20.
Also Ran: Twilight Gleaming (Ire), Wakanaka (Ire), Bay Storm, Linguistic, B G Warrior. Scratched: Star Guest (GB).
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Bay Storm Holds Off Wakanaka In Ladies Turf Sprint

This year, she was on the winning side of the photo. After coming up just a nose short to MG1SW Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) in this race just last year, Bay Storm (Kantharos) parlayed a victory in Ellis Park's KY Downs Preview Mint Ladies Turf Sprint S. into a win in the real thing as she held off a closing Wakanaka (Ire) (Power {GB}) right on the wire.

After making her first two starts of 2023 at Santa Anita, the 5-year-old came east and checked in a valiant second to GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner Caravel (Mizzen Mast) in the Unbridled Sidney S. at Churchill May 5. Fourth beaten just a length in Belmont's Intercontinental S. June 9, Bay Storm prepped for this spot with her aforementioned win as the favorite as Ellis Park Aug. 5.

Away in the front pack Saturday in a race impacted by the post-time scratch of Gal in a Rush (Ghostzapper), the 5-2 second choice broke clear of the field in the opening furlong but was quickly joined into the turn by Tony Ann (Cairo Prince). Hugging the rail around the sweeping bend through a half in :45.80, Bay Storm exchanged minor contact with Tony Ann and held off a host of challengers to her outside including the race favorite in Wakanaka who came flying from last but just missed as the three horses hit the line together.

When asked if this win took the sting out of last year's defeat, winning trainer Jonathan Thomas answered: “Without a doubt. She really deserves this. She's got a crazy good resume. I think that's her (17th) lifetime start and she's only been off the board twice. It's a real credit to her, a graded-stakes winner. George Isaacs and the Bridlewood team have been really patient with her. It's kind of like a bow on a present. It feels good to have gotten her that win.”

“She broke in the air,” added jockey Florent Geroux. “She recovered and came back on the inside of Tyler [Gaffalione aboard Tony Ann] and made the lead. She ran great here last year on this track [losing the Ladies Sprint by a nose to Campanelle]. It was a big advantage. She is a fighter. It's very simple here, they either like it or they don't. She fought today.”

Pedigree Note:

Out of a stakes winning and graded-stakes placed dam, Bay Storm brought $400,000 as a 2-year-old at the OBS Spring 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. Her winning 3-year-old half-brother, Pensacola (Into Mischief), was himself a $600,000 2-year-old out of last year's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale. With the win, Bay Storm becomes the 39th graded-stakes winner for sire Kantharos. Stormy Regatta has a yearling American Pharoah filly, reported a colt by Essential Quality this spring and was bred back to Justify.

Saturday, Kentucky Downs
AGS LADIES TURF SPRINT S.-GII, $900,000, Kentucky Downs, 9-9, 3yo/up, f/m, 6 1/2fT, 1:17.06, fm.
1–BAY STORM, 123, m, 5, by Kantharos
                1st Dam: Stormy Regatta (MSW & GSP, $160,310),
                                  by Midshipman
                2nd Dam: Storm Front, by A.P. Indy
                3rd Dam: Storm Alert, by Storm Cat
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($400,000 2yo '20 OBSAPR).
O-Bridlewood Farm; B-Candy Meadows LLC (KY); T-Jonathan
Thomas; J-Florent Geroux. $604,560. Lifetime Record:
17-6-6-3, $1,313,315. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com
catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Wakanaka (Ire), 121, m, 5, Power (GB)–Storyline (Ire), by
Kodiac (GB). (£3,500 Ylg '19 GOFFPR; $975,000 RNA 4yo '22
KEENOV). O-Team Valor International and Gary Barber; B-Mrs
Jean Brennan (IRE); T-William I. Mott. $117,600.
3–Tony Ann, 121, m, 5, Cairo Prince–Never Ever, by In Excess
(Ire). 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O-A Venneri Racing, Inc. and
Anthony Fanticola; B-Alex Venneri Racing, LLC (KY); T-Philip
D'Amato. $98,800.
Margins: NK, HD, 2HF. Odds: 2.87, 2.75, 5.56.
Also Ran: Our Flash Drive, Train to Artemus, Quaria Comet, Fast and Feminine. Scratched: Gal in a Rush, Unbridled Mary.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPshttp://www.equineline.com/tdn/pedigree.cfm?tk=SAR&cy=USA&rd=09/07/2015&rn=9&de=D  &ref=9104432. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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