Trainer Philip Oliver Passes Away

Philip Oliver died Feb. 19 in Indiantown, Florida, according to a press release from BBN racing Wednesday. Born on June 6, 1970, he is survived by his wife, Victoria Oliver, brother Chris Oliver, sister Toni Blinkhorn, and his mother Alison Oliver. Oliver was preceded in death by his father, Alan.

Oliver, who was born and raised in Chipping Norton, England, began riding at the age of three years old. Prior to moving to the U.S. at the age of 18, he worked for champion jump jockeys and trainers, Stan Miller and Lester Piggott. He began his U.S. training career as an assistant with Ian Jory and was instrumental in the development of Video Ranger and Best Pal.

He subsequently served as an assistant trainer to Bruce Headley-who was responsible for champion Bertrando–and Elliott Walden, who conditioned Menifee, Victory Gallop, and Distorted Humor.

In 1999, Phil launched his career as a trainer, achieving his own success with a bevy of Grade I/graded stakes winners, including Autonomy, Closing Range, First Lieutenant, Last Full Measure, and Middie.  Along with his career with horses, he was an avid reader and had a passion for hunting and his dogs.

“Philip was a kind and compassionate soul, known for his warm smile and humor. He touched the lives of many with his charismatic personality. His departure leaves a void in the hearts of all who knew him,” reads a release from the family.

“In his lifetime, Philip Oliver made a lasting impact on those around him, leaving behind a legacy of love, compassion, and kindness. He will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and all who had the privilege of knowing him. May his soul rest in peace, and his memory continue to inspire and guide us in the years to come.”

A memorial service to celebrate his life will be held in Lexington, Kentucky in April on a date to be determined shortly.

Donations can be made to Dunklin Memorial Church (https://www.dunklin.org/donate ) or The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (https://donorbox.org/trf-make-a-gift).

 

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Flippant In Top Form For Saturday’s QEII Challenge Cup

In three months, G. Watts Humphrey Jr.'s homebred Flippant has gone from a maiden winner to a two-time stakes winner to a contender in this Saturday's 38th running of the $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) Presented by Dixiana at Keeneland. The race is for 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/8 miles on the turf.

“She is doing very well,” trainer Vicki Oliver said. “This is a race I have always wanted to win, and I hope she is the one.”

A daughter of Tapit out of the two-time Grade 2-winning mare Frivolous, Flippant began her career on dirt at Churchill Downs. She started her 3-year-old campaign on the dirt at Tampa Bay Downs.

“Being a Tapit, we thought dirt for her,” Oliver said. “It was almost by default that she wound up on the grass here in April, and she ran so good on it (a runner-up finish) that we left her there.”

Flippant notched her first victory July 4 at Ellis Park and followed that with a victory Aug. 7 in the Kentucky Downs TVG Preview Dueling Grounds Oaks at Ellis. In her most recent start, Flippant won the Woodford Reserve Virginia Oaks (L) at Colonial Downs on Aug. 31.

“Going to Virginia (with Flippant) gave me an extra week for the Queen Elizabeth,” said Oliver, who trained Flippant's dam and grandam Sixty Rocketts.

Oliver said there was no one moment when the light went on for Flippant's recent success.

“Never Forget (Frivolous' first foal) is like that,” Oliver said. “Frivolous didn't really get good until she was 4. The whole family is like that.”

Oliver has a half-brother to Flippant getting ready to debut named Levity. She plans to start the son of Candy Ride (ARG) on the dirt “at the end of the meet or early during the Churchill meet.”

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Brazilian-Bred In Love Gives French Jockey Achard Biggest U.S. Score In TVG Stakes

The Brazilian-bred In Love scooted up the rail in the $330,160 first division of the TVG Stakes while holding off favored Kentucky Ghost for a 2 1/4-length victory at Kentucky Downs in Franklin, Ky., giving French-born jockey Alex Achard his biggest purse victory in America.

With Brown Storm and Tut's Revenge setting a resolute pace, Achard settled In Love into fourth in the field of nine older horses, gradually picking up steam before getting through on the inside at the top of the stretch and taking command. Kentucky Ghost ate at his deficit in the final eighth-mile but didn't threaten the winner. He did, however, nail Brown Storm to take second by a head. In Love covered the mile and 70 yards in 1:38.55.

Those who bet the winner certainly were in love, as the 5-year-old trained by Paulo Lobo paid $19.40 while racing in blinkers for the first time.

“I won the last time at Arlington,” Achard said, referencing a neck allowance victory over yielding turf. “That was pretty good. We thought that would be an easier swing, but we had to fight. Today was even better.

“I knew that there was enough speed in the race, which is good for us because he can be a little bit tough sometimes. We got the pace and were just behind chilling. When I asked him to go, he just went.”

Trainer Vicki Oliver said the distance was too short for Kentucky Ghost to be most effective. “He ran really well,” she said. “That was our biggest concern, that it would be too short for him. He's always been a mile and an eighth-type of horse. His mom was a mile-and-a-half type of horse. We were hoping to get the pace that we got. We just couldn't close into it at a mile and 70 yards.”

Kentucky Ghost's jockey Rafael Bejarano thought he was in a winning position until Achard made his decisive, clever move.

“I had a good trip. I saved ground and had a beautiful position coming down the lane,” Bejarano said. “I let him out in the stretch and my horse gave me a good run, a good finish, but the winner today he stole the race. He had a good trip inside and he kept going.”

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Though born in Brazil, In Love raced in Argentina in 2019 before Bonne Chance farm owner Alberto Figueiredo sent him to Lobo in the United States, where he's now won three of seven starts. The only times he wasn't competitive was in the slop in a Keeneland allowance. He also finished eighth, beaten 6 1/2 lengths, in his only previous U.S. stakes, Churchill Downs' Grade 2 Wise Dan.

“Since he came here, he's run very well,” the Lexington-based Lobo said. “The day of the Wise Dan, after the race he came back a little sick with a virus. I think that's why he didn't perform well that day.”

Since he wasn't born in Kentucky, In Love wasn't eligible for the $100,000 in Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund purses that help fatten the pot for each $400,000 division of the TVG. But he still earned a healthy $178,560 to more than double his earnings to $279,700 off a 4-2-2 record in 12 starts.

Even without racing for the maximum purse, In Love still provided the 30-year-old Achard his biggest victory since coming to America three years ago. Earlier this year the Indiana Grand-based jockey won Arlington Park's Grade 3 Chicago Stakes, but that race was worth $100,000, with Abby Hatcher earning $57,600.

“Now it's even better,” Achard said of this victory.

In Love is a son of the Japanese Sunday Silence stallion Agnes Gold and out of the Brazilian mare Last Bet, who is by the Irish-bred Know Heights.

“We bred him in Brazil, and we send our best stock to race in Argentina,” said Figueiredo. “This horse is no exception. When all the COVID started to stop all the races over there, we put him on a plane with two others. It was well worth the bet we made on him.

“This horse never disappoints us. And to be frankly honest, I always expected a little bit more from him. Even in his time in Argentina. He was always a horse that worked so well. Sometimes he did not do the same in the afternoon. But with time and more experience, and now maybe with the blinkers, I think we'll figure out more of him.”

A year ago, Figueiredo and Lobo brought the Brazilian-bred Ivar to Kentucky Downs, finishing third in the race now known as the WinStar Mint Million but in his next start won Keeneland's Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile. Ivar subsequently finished fourth in the Breeders' Cup Mile.

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Trainer Oliver, Jockey Bejarano Celebrate Multi-Win Day At Ellis Park Saturday

Trainer Vicki Oliver and jockey Rafael Bejarano proved the stars of Saturday's first day of Kentucky Downs Preview Weekend at the RUNHAPPY Meet at Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky., teaming for three victories, with the rider winning four overall.

Oliver brought two 3-year-old fillies from her Keeneland base. But instead of running both Flippant and Core Values in the $100,000 Kentucky Downs TVG Preview Dueling Grounds Oaks, she opted to put Core Values in against boys in the $100,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Dueling Grounds Derby. That resulted in a nose victory over favored Royal Prince, with Flippant winning the $100,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Dueling Grounds Oaks two races later by a half-length over Caldee.

The trainer and jockey also teamed to take the third race, a $52,000 turf allowance sprint, with the 4-year-old filly Never Forget, who is out of the same mare (Frivolous) as Flippant. Both fillies are owned by breeder G. Watts Humphrey, the trainer's dad.

Bejarano's big day started with victory in the second race aboard Casino Star in an optional claiming $40,000 allowance race.

Oliver said it was only the second time in her career that she'd won three races on a card, the last time coming in June 19, 2006, at The Meadowlands' all-grass meet. She said it was her first time winning two stakes.

Oliver said she's hoping to run all three winning fillies in stakes at Kentucky Downs' meet in early September.

“I love Kentucky Downs. Love Ellis Park, and it's fun to be here supporting them,” she said. “I think it's fantastic they have this day. It's great for all of us who stay here and support the Kentucky circuit. It keeps us staying here. And we get a leg up to get into Kentucky Downs for that.”

Meet-leading trainer Brad Cox — who was busy winning Saratoga's Grade 1 Whitney Stakes with Knicks Go (an Ellis Park 2-year-old winner and runner-up in the Ellis Park Derby) — won the first of the stakes quartet as Shared Sense took the $65,000 Tri-State Overnight Stakes under Brian Hernandez Jr. Trainer Brendan Walsh — at Saratoga, where he was second in the Whitney with Maxfield, who trained all summer as a 2-year-old at Ellis Park — captured the $100,000 Kentucky Downs TVG Preview Turf Sprint with favored Born Great, ridden by Adam Beschizza.

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