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Silver State Takes Essex Handicap For Fourth Consecutive Victory

Silver State rolled to his fourth consecutive victory for trainer Steve Asmussen on Saturday, winning the $500,000 Essex Handicap at Oaklawn in Hot Springs, Ark., from off the pace under Ricardo Santana Jr.

Rated R Superstar, an 8-year-old making his 50th career start and the 2019 Essex winner, finished second by a neck nder Ramon Vazquez, with Night Ops 1 3/4 lengths back in third and Harpers First Ride fourth in the field of six older runners. Tax, the 120-pound highweight, was scratched.

Silver State, a 4-year-old by Hard Spun owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing, carried 118 pounds and ran the 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:42.73. He paid $4.40 as the favorite, winning for the fifth time in nine career starts. He was bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings.

Harpers First Ride, making his first start for Robertino Diodoro after spending most of his career in Maryland, dueled with Green Light Go through fractions of :23.57, :47.67 and 1:12.22 while Silver State and Rated R Superstar raced at the rear of the field. Green Light Go retreated on the turn as the back markers began to gain ground on the turn and into the stretch.

Silver State had the jump on Rated R Superstar and maintained his lead throughout the stretch, passing the mile in 1:36.57 and holding sway for the victory.

“We had a beautiful trip,” Santana said. “I was in the position I wanted to be in. He relaxed really well for me and turning for home, he gave me a really nice finish.”

Silver State was on the Triple Crown trail early last year, finishing second in the G3 Lecomte and third in the G2 Risen Star Stakes at Fairgrounds. After a seventh-place finish in the G2 Louisiana Derby in March, he went to the sidelines. Silver State returned with a seven-length allowance victory at Keeneland in October, won a Churchill allowance in November and took the Fifth Season Stakes in at Oaklawn in January.

“It's a great partnership with the Hortons and Winchell Thoroughbreds,” Asmussen added. “They've done so much for me. This horse has always shown a lot of potential. We gave him the necessary time and he's come back to win four races. This was a very quality win today.”

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Will’s Secret Holds Off Pauline’s Pearl To Win Oaklawn’s Honeybee

Willis Horton Racing LLC's Will's Secret secured a place in the starting gate for the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) with her third straight victory in Saturday's $300,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn in Hot Springs, Ark. The triumph was worth 50 points towards eligibility in the Oaks and put her at the top of the leaderboard with 60 total points following her other stakes win in the Martha Washington Stakes Jan. 30.

Updated Kentucky Oaks leaderboard

Will's Secret and Tabor Hall were within a half-length of each from the start, with the later having the lead through an opening quarter mile in :24.25 before the eventual winner took over after a half mile in :49.70. Will's Secret continued to widen her lead through the stretch and finished three-quarters of a length in front of the fast closing Pauline's Pearl. The winning time was 1:44.61 over a fast track.

“She broke really well today and we weren't pressured early on,” winning jockey Jon Court said. “She was comfortable on the front end and able to dictate a moderate, easy pace. Therefore, I was able to have plenty of horse to finish with and when I called on her, she was full of run down the stretch. It just worked out very favorably today. I want to thank the Hortons and trainer Dallas Stewart.”

Sun Path was third and was followed by Oliviaofthedesert, Coach, Tabor Hall and Willful Woman. Absolute Anna was scratched. Pauline's Pearl received 20 points toward Oaks eligibility for second, Sun Path received 10 and Oliviaofthedesert received five.

Will's Secret, a homebred by Horton's champion Will Take Charge, improved her overall record to three wins from six starts and she has now earned $343,300. She returned $6.20, $4.40 and $3 as the 2-1 favorite.

Live racing resumes Sunday with a 1 p.m. first post.

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Bankit Ends Win Drought, Defeats Mr. Buff In Alex M. Robb

Bankit posted a slew of close efforts in the 17 months since his previous win. But Saturday, the 4-year-old son of Central Banker left no doubt, overtaking Mr. Buff at the top of the stretch and cruising to a 4 3/4-length victory in the $100,000 Alex M. Robb for New York-bred 3-year-olds and up at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing, Bankit registered his first win in 14 starts – in a span that encompassed five runner-up finishes – outkicking two-time defending Alex M. Robb winner Mr. Buff for his first score since the New York Derby in July 2019 at Finger Lakes.

Bankit, a last-out third-place finisher in the NYSSS Thunder Rumble on November 22 at the Big A, tracked in fourth position as Sea Foam led the six-horse field through the opening quarter-mile in 24.16 seconds and the half in 48.47 on the fast main track amid foggy conditions.

Jockey Jose Lezcano tipped Bankit out approaching the far turn, moving up to third. When straightened for home, Bankit found an extra gear from the outside, easily overtaking Sea Foam before running eye-to-eye and then passing 6-5 favorite Mr. Buff, completing the 1 1/8-mile course in a final time of 1:51.59.

“I watched a couple replays and it looked like sometimes he hangs a little bit,” Lezcano said. “Today, he broke well and I had him behind the two horses I thought we had to beat. When I asked him, he gave me everything he got.”

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Bankit turned the tables on Mr. Buff, reversing the order of the 1-2 finish in the Empire Classic on October 24 at Belmont going the same distance.

Off at 5-2, Bankit, bred by Hidden Brook Farm and Blue Devil Racing, returned $7.70 on a $2 win bet. He improved his career bankroll to $816,675.

“He had a nice pace set up and Jose [Lezcano] put him in a good spot. He got good position and ran a good race,” said Toby Sheets, assistant to Asmussen.

Chester and Mary Broman's Mr. Buff, wheeled back exactly one week after running fifth in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile, came up short in his bid for three straight Alex M. Robb victories for trainer John Kimmel but ran three lengths clear of Yankee Division for second.

Sea Foam, Danny California and City Man, who broke through the gate before being reloaded, completed the order of finish.

“My horse broke bad because the horse inside [City Man] acted up a little and broke through the gate,” said jockey Kendrick Carmouche, aboard Mr. Buff. “He got a little fussy in there and broke a step slow, but I got him to where I wanted to have him in the race. He ran hard. He tried his best. I think if he hadn't ran seven days ago, it would be a different outcome, but congratulations to the winner.”

Live racing will resume on Sunday at Aqueduct with a nine-race card featuring the $100,000 Bay Ridge, a nine-furlong test for New York-bred fillies and mares 3-years-old and up. First-race post time is 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

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Into Mischief Yearlings Highlight Opening Session Of Fasig-Tipton October Sale

A pair of yearlings by leading sire Into Mischief stole the spotlight during the first session of the 2020 Kentucky October Yearlings sale on Monday in Lexington, Ky.

A well-related filly by Into Mischief topped the session when sold for $300,000 to Willis Horton Racing (video).

The bay filly, offered as Hip 202 by Wynnstay Sales, agent, is out of the stakes placed Lemon Drop Kid mare Kid Majic, making her a full-sister to two-time Canadian champion Miss Mischief. Hip 202 is also a half-sister to current stakes-placed winning filly Mind Out (Tapit) and to Rosemonde (Indian Charlie), dam of current multiple Grade 1 placed winner Rowayton, also by Into Mischief. Kid Majic herself is out of stakes winner Call Her Magic, who produced Grade 1 winner J P's Gusto and Magic Appeal, dam of champion and graded stakes winner Letruska. Hip 202 was bred in Kentucky by H. Allen Poindexter.

The session's top colt, also by into Mischief, sold for $260,000 to Juddmonte Farms from the consignment of Lane's End, agent (video).

Offered as Hip 24, the bay colt is the second foal out of the More Than Ready mare Golden Cropper (AUS). That mare's first foal Tete a Tete (Malibu Moon) is a winner this year at two. Golden Cropper is out of Australian group stakes winner Sliding Cube, making her a half-sister to Group 2 winner Rubick. The immediate family includes champion and three-time leading sire Redoute's Choice and additional Group 1 winners Manahattan Rain, Platinum Scissors, and Shoals. Hip 24 was bred in Kentucky by Mt Brilliant Farm & Ranch.

Four other yearlings sold for $200,000 or more during the session, including:

Hip 342, a colt by Maclean's Music out of Microburst (Awesome Again), sold for $240,000 to Mike Ryan, agent from the consignment of St George Sales, agent. Out of a half-sister to 2018 Grade 1 Champagne Stakes winner Complexity, Hip 342 was bred in Kentucky by Susan Moulton.
Hip 282, a colt from the second crop of Liam's Map out of Locked On (Bodemeister), sold for $220,000 to Ten Strike Racing/Rick Kueber from the consignment of Castle Park Farm (Noel Murphy), agent. From the immediate family of champions Weekend Trip and Heavenly Prize, Hip 282 was bred in New York by Loch Grove Farm.
Hip 324, a filly by record-breaking champion first-crop sire Uncle Mo out of Manda Bay (Empire Maker), sold for $200,000 to Nice Guys Stable from the consignment of Denali Stud, agent. A half-sister to Grade 1 placed Voting Control was bred in Kentucky by Three Chimneys Farm.
Hip 91, a colt from the first crop of champion Arrogate out of Hero's Amor (Street Hero), sold for $200,000 to Marc Tacher from the consignment of Woods Edge Farm (Peter O'Callaghan), agent. The first foal out a multiple stakes-winning full-sister to stakes winner Threefiveindia, Hip 91 was bred in Kentucky by Elevated Bloodstock and Raxon Cho.

During Monday's session, 248 yearlings sold for $8,393,800, good for an average of $33,846. The median was $15,000.

The Kentucky October Yearlings sale resumes Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 10 a.m.

Results are available online.

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