Tag: Triple Crown

Donegal Racing's Mo Donegal, perfectly piloted by Joel Rosario, arrived in the final strides to capture Saturday's Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino, a nine-furlong test for sophomores at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y. The victory provided Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher a record-tying seventh win in the Wood Memorial, joining fellow Hall of Famer “Sunny Jim” Fitzsimmons.

Mo Donegal picked up the Wood's maximum points allotment, which provided 100-40-20-10 qualifying points to the top-four finishers towards the Grade 1, $3 million Kentucky Derby on May 7 at Churchill Downs.

Updated Kentucky Derby/Oaks leaderboard

“I thought he was on wings,” said Jerry Crawford of Donegal Racing. “I think the performance he gave today was even better than it looked to the naked eye. I've been here all day yesterday and today and not one horse has closed on the dirt in two days and he came from far back. So, he had to be not just the best today, he had to be much-the-best to prevail. You never celebrate ahead of time, but I was confident for the last 100 yards at least. I love that we won today, not for me, but for my partners.”

The previously undefeated Early Voting, winner of the Grade 3 Withers in February at the Big A for trainer Chad Brown, broke alertly and took command through a quarter-mile in 23.86 seconds as Rosario saved ground from the inside post aboard the slow-starting Mo Donegal in front of only Morello, the 9-5 mutuel favorite under Jose Lezcano, who missed the break and trailed.

Early Voting dictated terms down the backstretch with A.P.'s Secret pressing from second position and Barese moving comfortably in the clear in third to the outside of Golden Code as the half-mile ticked by in :47.75.

Rosario, ever patient, inched his way closer to the frontrunners along the rail although the Uncle Mo colt still had only two horses beaten approaching the final turn. Early Voting kept command through the turn but Mo Donegal advanced with great energy to the inside of rivals.

Once straightened away for the stretch run, Mo Donegal easily passed to the inside of A.P.'s Secret along the rail before angling to the outside of Early Voting and taking dead aim at the leader. Early Voting dug in gamely, but could not deny Mo Donegal, who posted a neck score in a final time of 1:47.96 over the fast main track.

Pletcher said he was concerned about a potential lack of pace after the previously undefeated Grade 3 Gotham-winner Morello, trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, broke poorly.

“I thought he ran a great race. It didn't really unfold the way we thought it would,” said Pletcher, whose past Wood Memorial winners include Eskendereya [2010], Gemologist [2012], Verrazano [2013], Outwork [2016], Vino Rosso [2018] and Bourbonic [2021]. “When Steve's horse didn't get away well, I was worried the fractions were a little soft but he was able to overcome that and come with a big run. I think he got his last quarter-mile in 23.69 which is pretty impressive. He was resolute. He kept coming and I was thrilled to see him get there.”

Rosario, who won the 2015 Wood Memorial with Frosted, credited the horse for never giving up.

“It was a perfect trip. He kept digging in at the end and kept coming,” Rosario said. “It was a good race. I tried to save ground and it looked like the track was good inside, so I tried to stay there for as long as I could. He was handling everything well.

“I just rode him the way he came out and saw how he handled it and hopefully he comes with a finish,” Rosario added. “He was just galloping out and reaching out. Turning for home, we just had something left. He took off on his own. He's a very nice horse.”

Brown, whose Zandon captured Saturday's Grade 1 Blue Grass at Keeneland, was gracious in defeat.

“He ran a great race. He was second-best today,” Brown said of Early Voting. “He got a great ride and the winner ran a really good race as well. Both horses got good trips, we just got beat on the square here. We were second-best today, but no disgrace in his effort. I was very proud of the horse.”

Brown said he will gather his thoughts before deciding whether or not to persevere to the Kentucky Derby with Early Voting.

“I have to digest this and look at what happens everywhere today. Also, first and foremost look at the horse and put everything together to see if he'd have a reasonable chance to win the race,” Brown said. “All along, we've said about this horse and really all our horses, I'm not interested in going unless they have a legitimate chance to win the race. Based on his limited experience and such, I'm not sure, but let's see. He has the points, so probably. I don't want to make a decision until I evaluate everything.”

It was a further 3 1/2 lengths back to Skippylongstocking in third, who was 1 1/2 lengths clear of fellow Saffie Joseph, Jr-trainee A.P.'s Secret. Rounding out the order of finish were Barese, Morello, Long Term and Golden Code.

A $250,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Mo Donegal graduated at second asking in October at Belmont Park ahead of a narrow nose score in the Grade 2 Remsen over Zandon.

Mo Donegal, who spiked a temperature and was scratched from the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth last month at Gulfstream, entered from a closing third in the Grade 3 Holy Bull on February 5 at the Hallandale Beach oval.

Bred in Kentucky by Ashview Farm and Colts Neck Stables, Mo Donegal banked $400,000 in victory while improving his record to 5-3-0-2. He returned $6.30 for a $2 win wager.

Live racing resumes Sunday at the Big A with a nine-race card headlined by the $100,000 Top Flight Invitational. First post is 1:20 p.m. Eastern.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the spring meet at Aqueduct Racetrack on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the winter meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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Narrowly beaten last Dec. 4 in the Grade 2 Remsen and third in the G2 Risen Star Feb. 19, Jeff Drown's Zandon broke through for his initial stakes success on Saturday with a 2 1/2-length, last-to-first win in the G1 Toyota Blue Grass at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky.

Ridden by Flavien Prat for trainer Chad Brown, Zandon – a son of Upstart bred in Kentucky by Brereton C. Jones – ran down slight favorite Smile Happy in deep stretch to give Brown his second Blue Grass success (following Good Magic in 2018). Smile Happy held second by 3 3/4 lengths, with pacesetter Emmanuel third and Golden Glider fourth in the field of 11 3-year-olds. Grantham was scratched.

The Blue Grass is a qualifying points race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby on May 7, awarding 100 points to the winner, with 40 to second, 20 to third and 10 to fourth.

Zandon ran the 1 1/8 miles on a muddy track in 1:50.35 and paid $6.20 as the second choice in the wagering.

Breaking from the number four post, Zandon raced near the back of the pack and in between horses as the field rounded the first turn, the opening quarter mile in :23.93. Heading down the backstretch as Emmanuel showed the way with a half in :48.35, Zandon had just two horses beat and even slipped back to last as the field approached the far turn, the first six furlongs in 1:12.65.

Smile Happy, meanwhile, was enjoying a trouble-free trip in third and moved to take on Emmanuel turning into the stretch.

Prat moved between horses on Zandon rounding the turn and swung out when the field straightened into the stretch. Smile Happy held the advantage with a furlong to run, but Zandon was bearing down on him, catching him inside the sixteenth pole and pulling away in the late stages.

A $170,000 yearling purchased by agent Mike Ryan from the Airdrie Stud consignment at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Zandon debuted last Oct. 9 with a sharp maiden score going six furlongs. He was second, beaten a nose by Mo Donegal, in the Remsen in his next start, getting pinned down on the rail by Mo Donegal and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. in deep stretch. Mo Donegal won another Kentucky Derby qualifying race, the G2 Wood Memorial for trainer Todd Pletcher, shortly before the Blue Grass was run.

The Remsen was Zandon's final start of 2021, and he came back with a third-place finish in his 3-year-old debut in the Risen Star at Fair Grounds in February.

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Barry and Joni Butzow's Zozos returned to the work tab for the first time since his runner-up effort behind Epicenter in the $1 million Louisiana Derby (Grade 2) on March 26 with an easy half-mile move in :48 early Friday morning at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

With exercise rider Kelvin Perez in the saddle, Zozos began his 5:30 a.m. workout in a rather leisurely opening quarter-mile of :25. Zozos increased his speed to the wire and completed the final quarter in :23 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:00.80, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols.

“It was a good first work back after the Louisiana Derby,” trainer Brad Cox said. “He came out of the race in great shape and I think got a lot out of finishing second. He really finished up well in today's work.”

Named after a restaurant in the Virgin Islands, Zozos broke his maiden in January at Fair Grounds and returned against first-level allowance competition for an emphatic 10 ¼-length score. The sun of Munnings finished 2 ½ lengths back of Epicenter in the Louisiana Derby after getting pressured for much of the early pace.

Zozos is one of three Kentucky Derby contenders for Cox. He's also scheduled to run Gold Square's $1.25 million Arkansas Derby (G1) winner Cyberknife and Peachtree Stable's $600,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) runner-up Tawny Port.

All three of Cox's Derby contenders are stabled in Barn 22 at Churchill Downs.

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Thoroughbred owner David Staudacher has found himself in the winner's circle for many memorable occasions in the 22 years since his first starter, Storm the Net, finished fifth in an allowance at Golden Gate Fields in January 2000.

In partnership with Peter Proscia's Paradise Farms Corp., Staudacher earned a Grade 1 victory when Aquaphobia upset the United Nations at Monmouth Park in 2020 and a Grade 2 victory in the Mac Diarmida at Gulfstream Park with Temple on March 5.

The two have teamed up again to campaign another star in the making as they send out Barese in Saturday's Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino, a Kentucky Derby qualifier that awards 100-40-20-10 qualifying points to the top-four finishers. Dylan Davis will pilot Barese, bred in the Empire State by Sequel Thoroughbreds and Lakland Farm, from the outermost post 8.

A native of Seattle, Washington, Staudacher's love of racing began at Longacres Racetrack in Washington state, now renamed Emerald Downs.

“I'm from Seattle and started going to races with my dad and my two brothers at a very young age,” said Staudacher. “He was a teacher so we went during the summers and went all the time.”

Staudacher claimed his first horse in 2000, the start of a more than two-decade journey to the pinnacle of success with horses like graded stakes winners Bemma's Boy and Special Reserve.

“When I was in college, me and a couple buddies had enough money and claimed our first horse together,” said Staudacher. “I've been involved in the game and with claimers ever since.”

As Staudacher continued to enjoy ownership at the claiming level, he was eventually introduced to trainer Mike Maker, who Staudacher said has a proficiency for selecting promising claimers.

“I got hooked up with Mike and then Mike put Peter and I together,” said Staudacher. “We've been very fortunate to have a lot of success together. Mike has a great team of assistants all over and they all do such a great job. He has a great eye for picking out horses and runs a first class program.”

Barese is the first Kentucky Derby aspirant for Staudacher and will be venturing around two turns for the first time in the Wood Memorial. He won the 6 1/2 furlong Rego Park before he successfully stretched out to a one-turn mile last out in the Gander against fellow state-breds on February 12. He will also be facing open company for the first time after opting to skip the one-mile Grade 3 Gotham on March 5 at the Big A.

“We gave him extra time and didn't go in the Gotham because we wanted to make sure he gives his best effort on Saturday,” Staudacher said. “We're excited.”

The Laoban colt, who has remained undefeated through his three starts, was purchased for $150,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Florida Select 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale last March.

“Barese is pretty special to us because we picked him out of the sale instead of claiming him. Mike, his assistant Nolan Ramsey, Peter and I all liked him,” Staudacher said. “Peter went to bid and we gave him a top of $110,000. Nolan and I went out to look at a couple of other horses and we came back and didn't think we got him. Peter came running up all excited saying 'I got him at 150.' We have been giving him a bad time over it for a long time until he made it to the races.”

Staudacher said Barese's breeding was a factor in his connections' interest in him, his New York-bred status giving him a plethora of opportunity for incentives in the Empire State.

“Peter is from New York, and he really liked that he's a New York-bred – I love racing in New York, too,” Staudacher said. “We were excited because the New York purses are so good, the tracks are great and they write a multitude of races. We bought another New York-bred 2-year-old at the Gulfstream sale [on March 30], too.”

Staudacher said Barese's talents and the opportunity to venture down the Road to the Kentucky Derby have proven well worth the extra money.

“We're very excited to compete at this level. He's doing great, feeling good and ready to roll. He's really matured,” said Staudacher. “Mike and his crew do a fantastic job.”

With his love of the game fostered by his local childhood racetrack, Staudacher said that being represented by Barese on the national stage is momentous.

“It's absolutely a dream come true,” Staudacher said. “You dream about just having the opportunity to even be on the trail and to compete to go to the Derby.”

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