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Gun Runner’s Pappacap An Easy Winner of the Best Pal

Dispatched as the 23-10 second choice in Saturday's GII Best Pal S. at Del Mar, Pappacap (Gun Runner) became the first stakes winner for his freshman sire (by Candy Ride {Arg}) with a convincing victory.

Away smoothly from the three hole, the homebred was content to sit in third position beneath Joe Bravo, stalking the dueling duo of Bet On Mookie (Uncaptured) and Thirsty Always (Stay Thirsty) through an opening quarter in :22.11. Ridden quietly past the five-sixteenths pole, Pappacap was asked to come after the pacesetters three wide on the swing for home, breezed by with a minimum of fuzz and drew clear to remain unbeaten in two starts, having wired a field of Gulfstream babies by 2 3/4 lengths at first asking May 14. Finneus (Stay Thirsty) finished nicely to complete the exacta ahead of Bet On Mookie in third. Gun Runner joins Practical Joke, Mohaymen and Caravaggio as first-crop sires to be represented by a winner at the graded/group level.

“I was glad to see how well he settled in behind those two up front,” the winning jockey commented. “His race in Florida, he just was pure speed. You don't know if that's the way they like to go. But he showed another dimension today. Mark Casse sends them out ready.”

Pedigree Notes:

Karen and George Rustle acquired Pappacap's dam privately after she was bought back on a bid of $110,000 at the 2015 Keeneland November Sale. One of three winners from as many to race out of Pappascat, Pappacap has a yearling half-brother by Bolt d'Oro and a colt foal by Spendthrift's Omaha Beach. Sticking to the Danzig line, the Rustles most recently bred Pappascat to War of Will. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

Saturday, Del Mar
BEST PAL S.-GII, $200,500, Del Mar, 8-7, 2yo, 6f, 1:11.66, ft.
1–PAPPACAP, 120, c, 2, by Gun Runner
1st Dam: Pappascat (GSP, $165,762), by Scat Daddy
2nd Dam: Redmeansgo, by Red Ransom
3rd Dam: Majestic Dy, by Dynaformer
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O/B-Rustlewood Farm Inc (FL); T-Mark E Casse; J-Joe Bravo. $120,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $158,000. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A.
2–Finneus, 120, c, 2, Stay Thirsty–My Fiona, by Ghostzapper. ($200,000 Ylg '20 FTCAYR). O-Naseer Mohammed Fasihuddin, Terry C Lovingier & Amanda Navarro; B-Terry C Lovingier (CA); T-Walther Solis. $40,000.
3–Bet On Mookie, 120, c, 2, Uncaptured–Brown Glaze, by War Front. ($125,000 2yo '21 OBSMAR). O-Gary Barber; B-Ocala Stud (FL); T-Peter Miller. $24,000.
Margins: 4 3/4, 1HF, NK. Odds: 2.30, 4.00, 4.00.
Also Ran: Thirsty Always, Aquitania Arrival, Our Empire. Scratched: Olympic Legend.

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Mr. Wireless Proves Best in the West Virginia Derby

Mr. Wireless had done very little wrong this season, and showed up once again Saturday to collect his second consecutive graded victory in Mountaineer's West Virginia Derby.

After finding himself in front heading into the first turn, Mr. Wireless was soon headed by Kinetic Sky and Bourbon Thunder as the duo took up position to his inside while Warrant was a couple of lengths back in fourth through an initial quarter in :23.82. Latched onto the outside flank of Bourbon Thunder following a :47.86 half, the 8-5 favorite drew on even terms with the leading Bourbon Thunder on the far turn and soon put his head in front, inching clear turning for home. Offered some left-handed encouragement by Ramon Vazquez in early stretch, the gelding drifted out slightly late, prompting his rider to switch to a right-handed stick late, but the gelding had enough left in reserve to fend off Warrant by a length at the wire. The GII Wood Memorial winner Bourbonic closed from out of the clouds to be third.

“There was inside speed and he was able to sit off those two horses,” explained Vazquez. “He put himself into a good position, and when he got the lead and he kept going.”

Added trainer Bret Calhoun, “He was in good position the whole way around, and looked like the rider was sitting on a lot of horse. He ran a trouble-free race, and when Ramon asked him, he did his job.”

In regards to the gelding's next race, he said, “I hate to get too far ahead with these things, but I'd say the [GI] Pennsylvania Derby [Sept. 25] is very possible.”

Fifth in his career bow going six furlongs at the Fair Grounds Mar. 4, Mr. Wireless gained a narrow decision next time going a mile at Oaklawn Mar. 27 before making it two straight with a score adding a sixteenth at the Hot Springs oval May 1. Narrowly defeated by Warrant in the May 31 Texas Derby, the bay asserted his dominance last time, taking the July 7 GIII Indiana Derby at Indiana Grand.

Pedigree Notes:
Mr. Wireless is out of Voussoir (Arch), also responsible for the year-older Ain't No Elmers (Goldencents), who recently made the running in the GII Honorable Miss H. at Saratoga before finishing third. The 15-year-old mare is also responsible for a 2-year-old full-sister to the West Virginia Derby winner named Ain't Broke and a Goldencents colt foal. She was bred back to Gun Runner.

Saturday, Mountaineer
WEST VIRGINIA DERBY-GIII, $500,000, Mountaineer Casino & Resort, 8-7, 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:52.49, ft.
1–MR. WIRELESS, 120, g, 3, by Dialed In
              1st Dam: Voussoir, by Arch
              2nd Dam: Blu Spur, by Northern Spur (Ire)
              3rd Dam: Seeking the Blue, by Seeking the Gold
O-JIL Stable; B-John & Iveta Kerber (KY); T-W. Bret Calhoun;
J-Ramon A. Vazquez. $311,500. Lifetime Record: 6-4-1-0,
$670,150. *1/2 to Ain't No Elmers (Goldencents), MGSP,
$268,435. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Warrant, 118, c, 3, Constitution–Whisper Number, by First
Samurai. O-Twin Creeks Racing Stables, LLC; B-Twin Creeks
Farm (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $100,000.
3–Bourbonic, 122, c, 3, Bernardini–Dancing Afleet, by Afleet
Alex. O/B-Calumet Farm (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $50,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 1HF, HF. Odds: 1.60, 1.80, 3.90.
Also Ran: Bourbon Thunder, Kinetic Sky, Americainaed. Scratched: Channel Fury.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Caravaggio’s First U.S. Winner a Rising Star

Her World (Ire) (Caravaggio) became the first American winner for her outstanding young sire (by Scat Daddy), 14th winner overall and third black-type winner, leading every step of the way to beat the boys in Saturday's $100,000 Tyro S. at Monmouth Park and earning 'TDN Rising Star' status in the process.

The second most expensive of 64 of her sire's yearlings reported as sold in 2020 when knocked down for $400,000 at Keeneland September last fall, Her World jumped as the 9-10 chalk despite her inexperience and was sent quickly to the front by Paco Lopez before crossing and clearing her rivals. Skipping along under her own courage, she began to widen on the turn, was firmly in front as the field reached the stretch and powered home to score as tons the best.

“We're excited, she did exactly what we thought she would,” said winning trainer Wesley Ward. “We don't have to change much after watching that race moving forward. We're going to bring her next to Keeneland, and then we plan on bringing her to the Breeders' Cup. With what she showed today winning in a stakes race against colts who had experience, it's encouraging. We're going to skip right along and continue from this. I look forward to her next couple of starts but I also look forward to her being a 3-year-old, and I think [co-owner] Dick Brodie and the rest of the owners have a special one with her.”

A half-sister to SW & G1SP Consort (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), Her World descends from a strong Flaxman family and is out of a half-sister to MGSW Surya (Unbridled), the dam of GISW Aruna (Mr. Greeley) and GSW Hoop of Colour (Distorted Humor). Her third dam is a half-sister to GI Acorn S. heroine Miss Oceana. Mundus Novus is represented by a yearling colt by Scat Daddy's successful sire son No Nay Never.

TYRO S., $104,000, Monmouth, 8-7, 2yo, 5fT, :56.62, fm.
1–HER WORLD (IRE), 115, f, 2, by Caravaggio
1st Dam: Mundus Novus, by Unbridled's Song
2nd Dam: Wild Planet, by Nureyev
3rd Dam: Ivory Wings, by Sir Ivor
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. ($400,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Andrew Farm, Susan Moulton, For The People Racing Stable LLC & Windmill Manor Farm; B-Lynch Bages Ltd & Rhinestone B/Stock (IRE); T-Wesley A Ward; J-Paco Lopez. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $60,000. *1/2 to Consort (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), SW & G1SP-Eng, $453,548.
2–Trust Our Journey, 117, c, 2, American Pharoah–Tribal Music, by A. P. Warrior. O-Palm Beach Racing; B-Hallmarc Stallions LLC & R Star Stallions (FL); T-Carlos A David. $20,000.
3–Baytown Warrior, 117, c, 2, First Samurai–Streetheart, by Street Sense. ($1,500 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-McEntee Racing Inc & Resolute Racing Alliance LLC; B-Sierra Farm (KY); T-Paul McEntee. $10,000.
Margins: 6, 1 3/4, HF. Odds: 0.90, 10.10, 73.30.
Also Ran: Catch the Smoke, Baytown Frosty, Forty Stripes, Vodka N Water, Roman Poet. Scratched: A Dangerous Guy, Chi Town Lady. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.

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No Catching Knicks Go in Whitney

Korea Racing Authority's even-money favorite Knicks Go (Paynter) ran off from a strong field in Saturday's GI Whitney S. to earn an automatic spot in the starting gate for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic and reassert himself at the top of the handicap division. Last seen posting a 10 1/4-length bounce-back victory in the GIII Cornhusker H. July 2 after settling for fourth at odds-on in the GI Metropolitan H., the grey opened up some five or six lengths on his competition down the Saratoga backside through a half in :46.76. His rivals started to inch closer after six furlongs in 1:10.32, with champion filly Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) taking the first run at him, but Knicks Go swatted away that challenge while well out in the track and re-broke near the sixteenth pole to hold sway by 4 1/2 lengths. The streaking pair of Maxfield (Street Sense) and Met Mile hero Silver State (Hard Spun) completed the exacta and trifecta, respectively, while Swiss Skydiver was fourth.

A 70-1 winner of the 2018 GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity as a member of the Ben Colebrook barn, Knicks Go improved signficantly in 2020 after being transferred to Eclipse winner Brad Cox. His perfect three-start campaign was punctuated with a dominant win in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, and he added the lucrative GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. over this nine-furlong distance at Gulfstream in January. He faded to fourth after dueling with fellow American Charlatan (Speightstown) in the $20-million Saudi Cup in February, and also weakened surprisingly in the June 5 Met Mile, but earned a career-best 113 Beyer at Prairie Meadows back at nine furlongs.

Saturday, Saratoga
WHITNEY S.-GI, $925,000, Saratoga, 8-7, 4yo/up, 1 1/8m, 1:47.70, ft.
1–KNICKS GO, 124, h, 5, by Paynter
                1st Dam: Kosmo's Buddy (MSW, $298,095), by Outflanker
                2nd Dam: Vaulted, by Allen's Prospect
                3rd Dam: Aube d'Or, by Medaille d'Or
($40,000 Wlg '16 KEENOV; $87,000 Ylg '17 KEESEP). O-Korea
Racing Authority; B-Angie Moore (MD); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Joel
Rosario. $535,000. Lifetime Record: 22-8-3-1, $5,368,995.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick
Rating: F.
2–Maxfield, 122, c, 4, Street Sense–Velvety, by Bernardini.
O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brendan P. Walsh. $185,000.
3–Silver State, 124, c, 4, Hard Spun–Supreme, by Empire
Maker. ($450,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP). O-Winchell Thoroughbreds
LLC and Willis Horton Racing LLC; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred
Holdings LLC (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $100,000.
Margins: 4HF, 1 3/4, 4HF. Odds: 1.05, 2.10, 5.60.
Also Ran: Swiss Skydiver, By My Standards. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

“I was challenged a little bit going to the first turn, but [Swiss Skydiver] sent a little bit and I was just going to see what they were going to do and take it from there,” winning rider Joel Rosario said of his tactics. “I was a half-length in front going into the turn and I just decided to keep him going forward.

“The way he was moving he just skipped to the last quarter-pole. He loved what he was doing. He was very relaxed and going forward. I was really happy with the way he was going turning for home.”

Cox, who trains two other major Breeders' Cup Classic contenders in sophomores Essential Quality (Tapit) and Mandaloun (Into Mischief), said, “He ran huge. There's always a concern when you ship to Saratoga and this can be a demanding surface. I thought the race at Prairie Meadows really tuned him up well. He was well within himself and that was his big work for this race five weeks ago. He had three maintenance works at Ellis and he came in here a fresh and happy horse, ready to go.

“Maybe down the lane at the sixteenth pole I thought, 'Oh wow'. He's going to win this thing', and at that point I was thinking, 'What a horse. What a performance.' For him to go forty-six and change and spread out down the backside and get away from them and just kick on at the eighth pole and have to fight off some really, really good challengers. This was an incredibly deep group of horses and I'm very proud of the effort of my horse today.”

As for a path going forward, Cox said, “He's a very sound horse and he's happy. We wouldn't be here if he wasn't. We'll come up with a plan somehow. We'll just let the dust settle but it will probably be the Classic.”

Maxfield, a fellow Breeders' Futurity winner, was seven-for-eight coming into the Whitney, having most recently put GII Alysheba S. and GII Stephen Foster S. wins back to back.

“He ran his race. No excuse, really,” said his trainer Brendan Walsh. “I think the best horse won on the day. [Jockey] Jose [Ortiz] said he got to a point where he thought he was going to get him, but [Knicks Go] didn't stop and didn't come back to him. But he ran well. Second is no disgrace. We're always proud of this horse and there will be other days.”

Silver State had won six in a row coming into Saturday, including the GII Oaklawn H. two back going this distance.

“I had the best trip,” said that one's rider Ricardo Santana, Jr. “The winner was much the best. We were fortunate to be third; my horse ran his race. [Trainer] Steve [Asmussen] is happy, the owner is happy, and I'm happy, and that is the most important thing.”

Pedigree Notes:

Knicks Go stands alone as the only Grade I winner to date for Paynter, who has four graded winners among his 18 black-type winners. The breeding of Knicks Go has been well-documented, with his dam's last two matings being significantly upgraded: Kosmo's Buddy has a yearling filly by Justify and a filly by Ghostzapper of this year. Ghostzapper, like Paynter, is a son of Awesome Again.

Knicks Go, the fifth Maryland-bred generation of his family, is one of 10 stakes winners out of daughters of the Danzig sire Outflanker. The Moore family's Green Mount Farm claimed the two-time stakes winner Kosmo's Buddy for $40,000 in her penultimate career start at Monmouth in 2010. She RNA'd for $195,000 at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Mixed Sale.

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