Tag: Triple Crown

Six years after his full brother won the Arkansas Derby, Western River won on Arkansas Derby Day last Saturday at Oaklawn to position himself, possibly, for his stakes debut.

Trainer Rodolphe Brisset said last Sunday morning that Western River, providing he isn't sold later this month, would be pointed to the $200,000 Peter Pan Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles May 14 at Belmont Park. Brisset said Western River was entered in Keeneland's April Horses of Racing Age Sale following his sharp 3 ¾-length maiden victory at 1 1/16 miles on the Arkansas Derby undercard. The one-day sale is April 29.

Western River is by super sire Tapit out of Morena, making the gray colt a full brother to Creator, who, ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., won the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) in 2016 for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

Creator, also a late-running gray, broke his maiden at 1 1/16 miles in February 2016 at Oaklawn. It was his sixth lifetime start. Western River, under Santana, broke his maiden in his fifth career start.

“He was just a very immature horse and I think he's on the upside,” Brisset said. “We've got to look at his number (speed figure), but last year he didn't want any part of the dirt. He was very immature, actually, if you look at his races on the grass. If you look, he's got the same kind of direction as Creator. If you pull up the (past performances) on Creator and you pull his (past performances), you're going to see the same thing. Actually, to be honest, when I looked at Creator's (past performances), I just said I'm going to do what Steve did. I'm going to run him on the grass first because he was so immature. I did exactly that and the horse learned how to be a racehorse, with his races on the grass, and then we gave him a little break. He came back here and he's a different horse.”

Creator made his first two career starts – both around two turns – on the grass at 2. Western River was scheduled to debut on the grass last July at Ellis Park, but the 1-mile race was moved to the main track because of rain. Western River's next two starts – both around two turns – were on the grass at Ellis Park. Following seventh-place finishes in his first two career starts, Western River, adding blinkers, was beaten a nose at 1 1/16 miles Sept. 3. It was final start of 2021.

Western River, in his 3-year-old debut and first start on Lasix, finished a closing third at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 26. The winner, Curly Tail, returned to run eighth in the $1 million Louisiana Derby (G2) at 1 3/16 miles March 26 at Fair Grounds. Western River received a preliminary Beyer Speed Figure of 87 – a career high – for his maiden victory.

“We're putting him in the Keeneland sale as an option,” Brisset said. “We like to have options. After he won yesterday, I talked to Keeneland and we put him in the book. We'll see what happens. I think the plan is if he comes back OK to have our eyes on the Peter Pan.”

After receiving an 80 Beyer Speed Figure for his maiden victory, Creator finished third in the $900,000 Rebel Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles in his next start. The Rebel is Oaklawn's final traditional major prep for the Arkansas Derby, which Creator won in his next start.

Brisset said Western River's victory carried more weight because the colt is co-owned by his wife, Brooke Baker (September Farm LLC). While Creator was purchased for $440,000 at the 2014 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Brisset brought Western River for just $30,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

“My wife picked the horse out at the sale,” Brisset said. “We bought him in the back ring and we own a big piece of him. It's a credit to my wife because she picked him and he's named after her father, who passed away like six months before we bought the horse.”

Brisset said Baker's father was from West River, Md., but the name “West River” already was taken, so the colt was named Western River.

Western River was an Oaklawn workmate of Yuugiri, the Brisset trainee who won the $600,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies about 2 ½ hours later on Saturday's card. The Fantasy was Oaklawn's final major prep for the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1), the country's biggest race for 3-year-old fillies, at 1 1/8 miles May 6 at Churchill Downs.

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Graded stakes winners Early Voting and Morello are both undefeated 3-year-olds who have never raced outside of Aqueduct Racetrack while boasting impressive local Kentucky Derby qualifying victories. On Saturday, the two promising colts will do battle against six other sophomores in the 97th running of the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino.

The nine-furlong test is the final local qualifier for the Grade 1, $3 million Kentucky Derby on May 7 at Churchill Downs, awarding a respective 100-40-20-10 points to the top-four finishers.

The Wood Memorial is one of six stakes on Saturday's card which also features the Grade 1, $300,000 Carter Handicap presented by NYRA Bets; the Grade 3, $250,000 Gazelle offering 100-40-20-10 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points; the Grade 3, $200,00 Bay Shore; the Grade 3, $150,000 Distaff Handicap; and the $100,000 Danger's Hour.

Unbeaten in two starts, Klaravich Stables' Early Voting was a decisive winner of the Grade 3 Withers on Feb. 5 at the Big A last out, earning 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points.

The son of 2021 leading freshman sire Gun Runner was in command throughout the nine-furlong Withers and was never in doubt in the stretch run, winning by 4 1/2 lengths for trainer Chad Brown. The victory, which followed a debut triumph going a one-turn mile on Dec. 18, registered an 87 Beyer Speed Figure.

“He went first time around two turns and he passed the test well,” Brown said of the Withers effort. “He definitely gained experience and he appears to be training well. He prefers to be forwardly placed, so hopefully he'll be there again.”

Jose Ortiz, who rode Tacitus to victory in the 2019 Wood Memorial, will ride Early Voting from post 3.

Morello, who has won his three starts by a combined 13 3/4 lengths, will see two turns for the first time for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

Following a six-furlong debut victory in November, Morello parlayed his runaway winning style into stakes company for the seven-furlong Jimmy Winkfield on Feb. 6. He earned 50 points on the Derby trail when capturing the G3 Gotham one month later. Morello, who boasts field-best earnings of $264,000, earned a 96 Beyer for his one-turn mile Gotham victory – the highest last out figure in the field.

Morello, currently eighth on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard, appears to be entering the Wood Memorial in excellent shape, having worked two bullets over the Belmont training track.

“We're excited. The horse is doing well, he's super sharp and we think we have what it takes to get the job done,” said Dave Lyon of Blue Lion Thoroughbreds, who owns Morello in partnership with Craig Taylor and Diamond T Racing. “Distance isn't a question mark for me. I think with the way he runs and his patience and class, it shows that he can do it.”

Morello was purchased for $250,000 from Sequel Bloodstock at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale last May. Lyon praised Asmussen and his Belmont-based assistant Toby Sheets for training his horse effectively.

“People go to the 2-year-old sales hoping to get a 2-year-old for Saratoga, but you have to learn patience in this business,” Lyon said. “He was a little slow to develop and we didn't rush him. Each step we've taken has been the model of how it should be done, and all credit goes to Toby and Steve.”

Jose Lezcano, aboard in all three starts, will seek his first Wood Memorial victory as he pilots Morello once more from post 5.

Todd Pletcher has saddled six of the last 11 Wood Memorial victors and returns to this year's race with Mo Donegal, Golden Code, and Long Term. A victory would put Pletcher on even terms with the late fellow Hall of Fame trainer “Sunny Jim” Fitzsimmons, the all-time leading trainer in the Wood with seven wins.

“It's a race we've been fortunate to have some success in and it would be really cool to equal a record of someone as legendary as he is,” said Pletcher, whose Wood Memorial winners include Eskendereya [2010], Gemologist [2012], Verrazano [2013], Outwork [2016], Vino Rosso [2018] and Bourbonic [2021].

Donegal Racing's Mo Donegal burst onto the scene at the Big A in December when narrowly defeating Zandon in the G2 Remsen. The triumphant stakes debut came six weeks following a second-out graduation at Belmont Park.

Two months following the Remsen, where he earned 10 points toward the Kentucky Derby, Mo Donegal made his 2022 debut in the G3 Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park. Breaking a step slow from the gate, Mo Donegal tracked in fifth down the backstretch before launching a late rally to finish third.

“The Wood fits well in the calendar for us and we've been pointing Mo Donegal there for a while seeing as he won the Remsen there. It makes sense to bring him back on a surface we knew he likes,” Pletcher said.

Initially entered in the G2 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream, Mo Donegal was scratched when developing a temperature the week of the race. But Mo Donegal has put that behind him according to Pletcher.

“I guess it was a blessing to get it out of the way then as opposed to now,” Pletcher said. “He's trained well since then. In particular, I thought his final breeze for this was very good.”

Pletcher said Mo Donegal would appreciate a strong pace.

“He's adaptable enough,” Pletcher said. “He was fairly close in the Remsen when there wasn't much pace on, but I think he's really going to be at his best if he can be in a truly run race with a good, honest pace where he can settle and make a run. Hopefully, there's enough speed in here that that can happen.”

Joel Rosario will seek his second Wood Memorial win, piloting Mo Donegal from post 1.

Golden Code will seek to give Pletcher, Calumet Farm and Kendrick Carmouche a second straight Wood victory, after combining for a 72-1 upset victory in last year's edition with Bourbonic.

The son of Honor Code, bred in New York by Barry R. Ostrager, was last seen finishing third in the Gotham one month after a 10 3/4-length maiden win at second asking at the Big A.

“He ran into some nice horses, but I liked the way he continued to finish with some interest,” Pletcher said. “It seems like he would appreciate the stretch out around two turns. Like everyone at this time of year, you need to keep improving. He needs to do that, but Calumet has had some luck in this race and last year won with a big upset. They're keen to give it another try and the colt is doing well, so we're hoping he can continue to move forward.”

A victory would make the connections the first owner, trainer and jockey to score collaborative back-to-back Wood Memorial victories since Belair Stud, Sunny Fitzsimmons and James Stout teamed up with Fighting Fox [1938] and Johnstown [1939].

Golden Code exits post 2 under Carmouche.

Repole Stable's homebred Long Term, second in each of his four lifetime starts, rounds out the Pletcher trio. The son of Curlin, who sired two of the last four Wood Memorial winners, was beaten a half-length going a one-turn mile on March 5 last out garnering a career-best 86 Beyer. Long Term, who was made the post time favorite in his last three starts, was beaten 3 1/2 lengths three back at the Wood Memorial track and distance on Jan. 2.

Long Term will race with blinkers off for the Wood Memorial.

“We're hoping he can find a good stalking trip. He's run competitive each time and the figures stack up decently with some of the others in the field if he can make a move forward,” Pletcher said. “We're hoping he'll settle a little better without the blinkers and come with a better finish. We feel like with a little more experience under his belt now and getting back around two turns that he'll hopefully deliver his best performance.”

Long Term, who breaks from post 4, will be ridden by Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, who will seek his third Wood Memorial triumph.

Paradise Farms Corp. and David Staudacher's New York-bred Barese will make his graded stakes debut for trainer Mike Maker. Unbeaten in three starts, all against his New York-bred counterparts, the Laoban colt was triumphant off a nearly eight-month layoff when capturing the 6 1/2-furlong Rego Park on Jan. 9 at the Big A. He handled a stretch-out to a one-turn mile when taking Aqueduct's state-bred Gander one month later.

Dylan Davis, the winter meet leading rider at Aqueduct, will return aboard Barese from post 8.

Fresh off a victory with White Abarrio in last Saturday's G1 Florida Derby, trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. will attempt to add more Kentucky Derby contenders to his roster in two-time winners A.P.'s Secret and Skippylongstocking.

Gentry Farms' A.P.'s Secret will attempt to rebound following a seventh-place finish in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth on March 5 at Gulfstream Park. The son of Cupid will make his first venture outside of Gulfstream Park, where he graduated at first asking in November and defeated winners two months later.

A.P.'s Secret will be ridden by Manny Franco from post 7.

Daniel Alonso's Skippylongstocking passed the nine-furlong test last out on March 2 at Gulfstream Park, making up nearly 10 lengths to win by 3 3/4 lengths. The son of Exaggerator and half-brother to graded-stakes placed Moonlite Strike displayed frontrunning tactics in his third-out maiden win in late September, building on his advantage throughout to win by 10 1/2 lengths.

Junior Alvarado will ride Skippylongstocking from post 6.

First run in 1925, the prestigious prep race for the Kentucky Derby has had 11 winners go on to capture the 'Run for the Roses'. The event honors the late Eugene D. Wood, a New York state politician who was responsible for the establishment of the now defunct Jamaica Racetrack, where the Wood Memorial was originally run. Since its inception, the Wood has been captured by over 20 eventual American classic winners, including Triple Crown winners Gallant Fox [1930], Count Fleet [1943], Assault [1946] and Seattle Slew [1977].

The Wood Memorial is slated as Race 8 on Saturday's 11-race card. First post is 12:50 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.

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Lucky Seven Stable's Smile Happy is the 9-5 morning-line choice in a field of 12 3-year-olds entered Wednesday for Saturday's 98^th running of the $1 million Toyota Blue Grass (G1) going 1 1/8 miles on the main track at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Ky.

A major steppingstone for the $3 million Kentucky Derby (G1) Presented by Woodford Reserve to be run May 7 at Churchill Downs, the Toyota Blue Grass offers 170 points toward qualification to this year's Derby on a 100-40-20-10 scale to the first- through fourth-place finishers. The Derby is limited to the top 20 point earners that pass the entry box.

The Toyota Blue Grass will go as the ninth race on Saturday's 11-race program with a 5:10 p.m. ET post time. First post time for the card that features five graded stakes is 12:30 p.m.

Trained by two-time Toyota Blue Grass winner Kenny McPeek, Smile Happy debuted here last Oct. 29 with a 5½-length victory going 1 1/16 miles. Smile Happy followed that score with a 3¼-length victory in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill.

In his lone start of 2022, Smile Happy finished second behind leading Kentucky Derby contender Epicenter in the Risen Star (G2) Presented by Lamarque Ford at Fair Grounds on Feb. 19. Corey Lanerie, who has been aboard Smile Happy in his past two races, has the mount Saturday and will break from post position 10.

Lucky Seven and McPeek also will be represented by Rattle N Roll (8-1 fourth choice), winner of last fall's Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland.

Seeking to follow on the heels of Essential Quality, who completed a Claiborne Breeders' Futurity-Toyota Blue Grass double last year, Rattle N Roll finished sixth in the Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream Park on March 5 in his lone start of 2022. Brian Hernandez Jr., who won this race in 2020 with Art Collector, has the mount and will break from post nine.

McPeek's two Toyota Blue Grass winners are Harlan's Holiday (2002) and Java's War (2013).

“The draw is fine for both,” McPeek said. “We will have to take the overland route. It was a last-minute decision to run Rattle N Roll. He has been training real well the past two days and he won a Grade 1 (here) last fall. I think he will like an off track and I want to run him in the mud. I also think he will like a mile and an eighth better than the mile and sixteenth (of the Stonestreet Lexington-G3 next weekend).”

The second choice at 5-2 on Mike Battaglia's morning line is Jeff Drown's Zandon.

Trained by Chad Brown and to be ridden by Flavien Prat, Zandon will be making his first start since finishing third in the Risen Star in his 2022 debut, a half-length back of Smile Happy. Zandon closed 2021 with a narrow defeat in the Remsen (G2). Zandon will break from post four.

Brown will be seeking his second Toyota Blue Grass victory, having scored with Good Magic in 2018.

Third choice on the morning line at 5-1 is WinStar Farm and Siena Farm's Emmanuel.

Trained by three-time Toyota Blue Grass winner Todd Pletcher, Emmanuel won his first two starts and in his most recent outing finished fourth in the Fountain of Youth (G2) on March 5.

Luis Saez has the mount and seeks to join Edgar Prado (2002-2003) as the most recent rider to win the Toyota Blue Grass in consecutive years. Saez won last year on Essential Quality and also won the 2016 renewal on Brody's Cause. s

Emmanuel will break from post six as one of two Pletcher-trained runners in the race.

Also entered Wednesday was Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's Commandperformance (12-1), who will break from post one under Irad Ortiz Jr. Commandperformance will attempt to join Irap (2017) as the only maiden to win the Toyota Blue Grass.

Pletcher's Toyota Blue Grass winners are Bandini (2005), Monba (2008) and Carpe Diem (2015).

Two other trainers will be attempting to add to their Toyota Blue Grass victory total.

Two-time Toyota Blue Grass winner D. Wayne Lukas will saddle Julie Gilbert and Aaron Sones' Ethereal Road (15-1), who finished second in the Rebel (G2) on Feb. 26 at Oaklawn Park, an effort that was preceded by a dazzling, last-to-first maiden score on Jan. 29.

Lukas, who won this race in 1987 with War and in 2000 with High Yield, will give Luis Contreras a leg up on Ethereal Road, who will break from post position eight.

Mike Maker, who won the race in 2010 with Stately Victor, will saddle Three Diamonds Farm's Grantham (15-1). Runner-up in the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2) in his most recent start, Grantham will exit post position 12 and be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione.

In addition to Saez and Jose Ortiz, Rafael Bejarano will be aiming for an additional victory in the race. Bejarano will be aboard BBN Racing's Trademark (30-1) for trainer Vicki Oliver and break from post three. Bejarano won the 2007 Toyota Blue Grass aboard Dominican.

The field for the Toyota Blue Grass, with riders and morning line odds from the rail out, is:

1. Commandperformance (Irad Ortiz Jr., 12-1)
2. Fenwick (Paco Lopez, 20-1)
3. Trademark (Rafael Bejarano, 30-1)
4. Zandon (Flavien Prat, 5-2)
5. Volcanic (Adam Beschizza, 20-1)
6. Emmanuel (Luis Saez, 5-1)
7. Golden Glider (Ricardo Santana Jr., 20-1)
8. Ethereal Road (Luis Contreras, 15-1)
9. Rattle N Roll (Brian Hernandez Jr., 8-1)
10. Smile Happy (Corey Lanerie, 9-5)
11. Blackadder (Florent Geroux, 20-1)
12. Grantham (Tyler Gaffalione, 15-1)

All starters will carry 123 pounds.

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