Tag: Triple Crown

Sunday's listed Hyacinth Stakes over a one-turn mile at Tokyo Racecourse saw a new player take the lead on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Combustion, a 3-year-old son of Discreet Cat owned and bred by Godolphin in Japan, put in a determined bid along the rail to prevail by three-quarters of a length and earn 30 points toward the first Saturday in May.

Combustion also earned eight points in December when second in the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun, bringing his total to 38 points. However, the colt is not yet Triple Crown nominated.

Trained by Keizo Ito and ridden by jockey Yuga Kawada, Combustion has won three of his five starts and placed in the other two. The colt boasts earnings of US$557,666.

The colt is out of the winning Pyro mare Smoldering, a half-sister to multiple stakes-winner and $2 million earner Fashionista (Street Sense).

Churchill Downs introduced the “Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby” to provide a potential entry in the Kentucky Derby for a horse based in Japan. If the winner of the Japan Road declines the offer, their position is offered to the next ranked Japanese horse. If none of the top four finishers accepts the offer, this position in the starting gate reverts to qualifiers on the regular Road to the Kentucky Derby.

In case you missed it

Combustion takes a decisive victory in the Listed Hyacinth Stakes at Tokyo for #TeamGodolphin pic.twitter.com/HQZzui8GTU

— Godolphin (@godolphin) February 21, 2022

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Gentry Farms' A.P.'s Secret breezed five furlongs in 58.43 seconds Sunday morning at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., in preparation for a scheduled start in the $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) on March 5.

The Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained 3-year-old's clocking was the fastest of 10 recorded at the distance. It was the second straight 'bullet' five-furlong breeze for the son of Cupid, who is coming off an impressive mile optional claiming allowance victory at Gulfstream Jan. 9.

“He had a good strong work, his last strong work of the series,” Joseph said. “He's in good form. Hopefully, he can stay healthy from now to the race. I think he will run a big race.”

A.P.'s Secret broke his maiden at first asking at Gulfstream in September and came back to finish second in a Dec. 5 optional claiming allowance behind Strike Hard, who went on to finish second in the Jan. 1 Mucho Macho Man. A.P.'s Secret returned to the winner's circle following an off-the-pace 1 ¼-length victory Jan. 9.

Joseph-trained Collaborate and Ny Traffic breezed in company in preparation for scheduled starts in the $200,000 WinStar Gulfstream Park Mile (G2) on the March 5 program.

“It was a huge work for both of them,” Joseph said. Collaborate was clocked in 59.41 seconds, while Ny Traffic was timed in 59.11.

Three Chimneys Farm and e Five Racing Thoroughbreds' Collaborate is coming off a sharp closing 1 ¾-length victory in a 6 ½-furlong optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream Jan. 6. Ny Traffic has been idle since capturing the Oct. 30 Hudson Handicap Belmont Park.

Joseph reported that Grade 1 winner Drain the Clock exited his close-up second-place finish behind Miles Ahead in Saturday's $150,000 Gulfstream Park Sprint in good order.

“He came out of the race well. Obviously, we were disappointed that he got beat, but we always try to take the positive. It was a fast-run race and he got a 102 Beyer [speed figure],” he said. “On the day, he was second-best, but he showed up and ran like we thought he would. He just got beat.”

A trip to Dubai for the $1.5 million Al Quoz Sprint (G1) on the March 26 Dubai World Cup (G1) undercard is still in play.

“There was nothing to deter us from that,” Joseph said. “It's still in play for sure.”

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Racing over the Fair Grounds main track surface for the third time this winter, Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC's Epicenter grabbed the early lead under Joel Rosario and never looked back, winning Saturday's Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes easily by 2 3/4 lengths. Smile Happy, the 2-1 favorite making his first start since taking the G2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes last Nov. 27, finished second, with Zandon a half length back in third and Pioneer of Medina fourth in the field of 10.

The Risen Star is a qualifying points race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby and the first to offer a total of 85 points on a 50-20-10-5 basis to the top four finishers.

Updated Kentucky Derby leaderboard

The order of finish was completed by Tawny Port, Slow Down Andy, Trafalgar, Pappacap, Bodock and Russian Tank.

Bred in Kentucky by Westwind Farm, Epicenter is by Not This Time out of the Candy Ride mare, Silent Candy. He was purchased by Winchell Thoroughbreds for  $260,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale from the consignment of Bettersworth Westwind Farms.

Epicenter, trained by Steve Asmussen, was clocked in 1:49.03 for the nine furlongs on a fast track after setting fractions of :23.79, :47.97, 1:12.25 and 1:36.58. He paid $9 to win.

“He did run a really big race today,” said Rosario. “That was really nice. He looked like he was enjoying what he was doing and put in a really nice race today. We'll see going forward how far he can go.”

Owner Ron Winchell said: “A little different than his last race (when second in the G3 Lecomte Stakes) in that every quarter was perfect. He looked nice and comfortable we were just hoping he would finish off the race and he did. He looked great.”

Epicenter was beaten a head by Call me Midnight in the Lecomte after setting early fractions of :23.40, :47.01 and 1:12.16. He led to the final yards of that 1 1/16-mile race. Prior to that, Epicenter won the Gun Runner Stakes at Fair Grounds on Dec. 26 by 6 1/2 lengths.

Corey Lanerie, aboard Smile Happy, said he didn't get the ideal trip in the Risen Star. “About the 3/8ths pole to the 5/16ths I was wanting to get out and start to make my run a little sooner than I was able to. I felt like I was still running the time I got out to the end (finish line), so if I had gotten out when I had wanted to, I would have liked to see the outcome. But he ran fabulous and he has some (Derby) points now.”

Chad Brown, trainer of Zandon, who was runner-up to Mo Donegal in the G2 Remsen at Aqueduct last Dec. 4, said his horse's chances were compromised at the break.

“He leapt at the start so it was disappointing he was so far back,” said Brown. “He lost all chance to win. I'm proud of the horse's effort that he was still able to get a minor piece. The points (10) can help us down the road.”

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