A memorable day for Christine and Jay Hayden and Charles Hayden as the family came to Woodbine to watch their filly UNSPURNED win a stake and Queen’s Plate hopefules that they bred, BREAKING LUCKY and CONQUEST CURLINATE run big…
UNSPURNED..turned down at auction..now a family’s dream horse. MICHAEL BURNS PHOTO/WEG
SHARED BELIEF STIFLE INJURY leads to Charles Town upset
A soft tissue injury to a stifle is apparently what Shared Belief is battling this morning, after being pulled up in the Charles Town $1.5 million Classic. The gelding broke slowly from the gate and could not keep up.
With more than $600,000—most of it bet on Shared Belief—in the show pool, the prices were bananas.
Moreno paid $16 to win, $12 to place and $23.30 to show, while Imperative (31-1) returned $44.60 and $71.20
. Page McKenney (33-1) was worth $45.60 to show.
from the BUFFALO NEWS, Gene Kerschner Charles Town, WV –
Charles Town, WV – On paper, it wasn’t supposed to happen this way.
The No. 1 ranked racehorse in the world was supposed to be coronated in the winner’s circle in the 7th annual Charles Town Classic at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races in front a cheering crowd. Instead, he was vanned off from the backside after Mike Smith pulled him up after noticing something was off, suffering a non-career threatening injury.
The racetrack went dead silent as the horse ambulance started to head towards the backside after Smith pulled up the former 2-year-old champion. Smith cut through the infield and the look of worry was evident as he conferred with trainer Jerry Hollendorfer on his way to the jock’s room.
SPURRED ON! – Unspurned rallies for Grade 3 Whimsical win
Big favourites get a lickin at Woodbine on Saturday
On a lovely, sunny spring day at Woodbine, Unspurned signaled she will be an older filly to respect this season as she won her season debut in the Grade 3 Whimsical Stakes at 6 furlongs. The chestnut Lemon Drop Kid filly had been working regularly at Keeneland for trainer Roger Attfield and had an ideal set up behind a hot pace in the 6 furlong event.
The field was a good group of gals and just one of them had been racing this season: Skylander Girl. Here is a very tough filly owned and trained by Alex Patykewich but not a very lucky one.
She was graded stakes place on turf at Gulfstream and coming off a short break after she had a minor lef issue. With fast workouts and Luis Contreras on board, the filly chased the rapid EXECUTIVE ALLURE early in the 6 furlong dash, zoomed to the lead off the turn for home but had nothing left for the on-rushing power of Unspurned, who is owned and was bred by Christine Hayden.
Alan Garcia rode the filly patiently on the way to her 4th win in her 12th race. She ran in 1:09 and earned a 90 Beyer Figure.
“We were stunningly pleased” said Jay Hayden. “We’ve been waiting for a result like that for a long time. We got an awesome ride from Alan, exactly the way Roger (Attfield) conveyed it to him over the phone. Roger said to just sit off the speed and let them gas themselves out and give her a shot,” said Jay Hayden
The filly won the Bison City Stakes last year and was second in three straight stakes races to end the season.
Originally “unsold” at auction because of a spur, she is now UNSPURNED, the stakes winner.
Unspurned, whose dam Banga Ridge has a yearling by Unbridled’s Song set to sell later this season, was first-time Lasix, a late notation that was not included in early entries.
More Saturday at Woodbine
Congratulations to GUNPOWDER STABLE as it won its first Woodbine race with Queen’s Plate hopeful BREAKING LUCKY. Gunpowder is owned by Tom Keithley who was PayPal’s chief risk officer. Before joining PayPal in 2008, Tom was vice president of risk management and the chief credit officer at Bill Me Later. He has also served as vice president of credit policy at I4 Commerce and senior vice president of investment analysis at the Bank One/First USA credit card division. He spent a decade at Citibank in a number of risk and technology roles in the credit card division, including vice president of credit policy.
Along with wife Erica DeVinney, Keithley races horses in South Africa and the US. The family made its first trip to Woodbine yesterday and it was a celebratory day.
Breaking Lucky, trained by Reade Baker, stalked the pace in the 6 1/2 furlong race, his 2nd career strat, and then powered away under Jim McAleney to win by 1 1/2 lengths with a 73 Beyer Figure.
The colt was bred by none other than Christine Hayden whose family had a super day. Breaking Lucky was a $100,000 weanling purchase.
Race 9 was the NEW PROVIDENCE prep and 4 to 5 shot PHIL’S DREAM could only be 2nd to a rallying EIGHTY NINE RED, who won for John Russell and George Schramm and trainer Mike DePaulo. This is a popular runner by Bold Executive bred by Osprey Stable. He was making his 2015 debut and was a stakes winner of the Achievement Stakes last year.
RACE 1- named in honour of the late racing fan, young Alexandrea Tersigni, this maiden $10,000 claiming race went to D’FOREST DIVA who led all the way under Gary Boulanger to win her season opener for Racing In Front and trainer Debra Rombis Rombis wintered at Mountaineer and has won 2 of 18 strats in 2015 to this point. This filly is by Old Forester and was bred by Kirsten Kaiser.
The first of many big favourites to lose on the day was PENNY STAMP, at 3 to 5 who was only 3rd. WIN MY WAY was checked early in the race and rallied to be 3rd.
Race 2- ALPHA AWAY chased heavily favoured Classic Ladedah early in this 5 furlong dash for $8,000 claiming and engaged that one for a fierce duel to the wire which she won by a long nose. The winner is owned by C S Dowson Farm and partners and trained by Mark Fournier. David Garcia rode his first winner of the meeting.
Both Alpha Away and Classic Ladedah were claimed.
Race 3 – SONNTAG became the 2nd winner for the Norm McKnight barn this season (and the barn would win another win later). This Tejano Run gelding out of Jazzy Jill was bred in part by trainer Ken McPeek and Clayborn Farm. He was a $1,000 yearling and he is 2 for 7 in his career. This win for $7,500 claiming came in his season debut and he had the lead on the rail early and simply would not let anyone past.
Race 4- While Sonntag got one for the favourite players, it was quickly back to price winners when first time starter WESTERN EXECUTIVE streaked to her debut win for Bill Sorokolty and trainer Darwin Banach. These Sorokolit horses are often very fast and they are often cranked up and this gal, out of the placed mare Prized of the West, was long gone at 5 furlongs under Luis Contreras. Heavily favoured Hidden to Win could not keep up but managed to get 2nd.
The winning Beyer Speed Figure was 65.
In that race, first timer Hollysindependent is worth a look next time: she broke a few steps slowly and then was sent very hard to the lead in a wild charge and she predictably got tired in the stretch run.
Another maiden allowance at 5 furlongs and the early money showed for SPEEDY FOX, a gelding who had not threatened in 5 races last season but with Norm Mcknight training now for Trinity Racing, this guy was long gone. \the Philanthropist fellow is out of Foxs Consort and bred by Ron House. Even-money fave THEBARBEROFBRAZIL was a nonthreatening 3rd.
race 6 – Stakes winner SEFFEARA, making his first start as a 3-year-old against older horses in this allowance/optional claiming race, was very brave and tough ont he pace and won for Empress Stables and Steve Owens. Emma-Jayne Wilson rode the son of Old Forester. In that race, Dr Sport had a very slow start from the gate when he reared up but he rallied for 4th.
race 10 – another favourite went down in defeat as SHE’S EXPLOSIVE fizzled at 4 to 5 when 5th and CLASSYSHADESOFGREY, a Kentucky Bear filly out of Bears Princess, won at 13 to 1 for James Passero and John Ross. This filly was in Florida in the winter, stopped by Keeneland to run in a tough maiden allowance and then surprised many with this win. She was a $5,000 yearling purchase by that shrewd yearling buyer Ross. Her time of 57 2/5 was good for a 79 Beyer Figure.
HAWTHORNE – ILLINOIS DERBY GRADE 3 $400,000
CONQUEST CURLINATE, the grey, just misses in $400,000 Illinois Derby – his Queen’s Plate chances are huge. FOUR FOOTED FOTOS
CONQUEST CURLINATE, a Queen’s Plate contender who by-passed Woodbine’s Wando Stakes today to try the Illinois derby, just about got the job done in the 9 furlong as he flew late to miss by a nose to the Bob Baffert trainee WHISKEY TICKET. Conquest Curlinate is a Conquest Stab;e/ Mark Casse grey colt…
When the gates sprung for the 1 1/8 mile, Grade 3, $400,000 Illinois Derby, it was a three-horse battle for the lead between favorite Cross the Line, A. Rod Again, and Kantune. The three contested the pace through fractions of :23.40 and :46.89 to the half. Cross the Line took back off the pace battle into the far turn as the leaders went three quarters in 1:11.73. As the trio set the pace, Martin Pedroza kept Whiskey Ticket tucked in two to three lengths behind as he gained ground into the turn. As the field straightened out, Whiskey Ticket opened up a length and a half lead in the stretch as Conquest Curlinate rallied late down the center. At the wire, it was Whiskey Ticket just holding on by a nose over the late rush of Conquest Curlinate with Phenomenal Phoenix another four lengths back in third. The final time for the 1 1/8 miles on a fast track was 1:50.82. Following the top three in the Illinois Derby in order were: Verraco, Cross the Line, Private Prospect, A. Rod Again, and Kantune.
Sent off as the 2-1 second choice, Whiskey Ticket returned $6.40, $4.00, and $3.20. Conquest Curlinate returned $6.00 and $4.60 while Phenomenal Phoenix paid $4.80 to show.
Owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, Whiskey Ticket earned $240,000 for the victory, bringing his career earnings after a pair of starts to $273,600.
Jockey Shaun Bridgmohan got a great effort from Conquest Curlinate, “I had to ride him a little bit just to get him going. He takes a little encouragement. He’s a big kid that’s still learning but at least he’s going in the right direction. Not to take anything away from the winner but both horses ran hard to the end.” –
– See more at: http://www.hawthorneracecourse.com/hawthorne_news/index.php?article=whiskeyticketholdsoninillinoisderby&dir=news&h=Press%20Releases#sthash.CV6hUeFb.dpuf
DANZIG MOON rockets 5 furlongs in 58 at Churchill
Canadian-bred may try Ky Derby, pass on Plate trail
John C. Oxley’s Danzig Moon, runner-up to Carpe Diem in the recent Toyota Blue Grass (GI) at Keeneland, turned in a sizzling five-furlong breeze in :58 over a fast track at Churchill Downs in his first serious training move since the April 4 race.
The Kentucky Derby contender had jockey Julien Leparoux in the saddle when Churchill Downs clockers timed him in internal fractions of :11.40, :22.40, :34 and :45.60. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.20. Danzig Moon’s gallop-out time for three-quarters of a mile was faster than the work turned in by fellow Derby hopeful Keen Ice, who was timed in 1:13.20 in the only official six-furlong work of the Saturday training session.
The son of Malibu Moon worked in company with stablemate and Churchill Downs Distaff Turf Mile (GII) candidate Tepin, who had an identical five-furlong clocking and their moves tied as the fastest of 58 works at the distance. The swift move by Danzig Moon left assistant trainer Norman Casse, the son of trainer Mark Casse who oversees his father’s stable at Churchill Downs, concerned that the colt could have done too much just 14 days out from Kentucky Derby 141.
“We usually reserve our two-weeks-out works to be our big works and, unfortunately, I think he got a little overzealous leaving the pony,” Casse said. “He’s a fast horse and he worked fast, and Julien recognized that and really didn’t ask him to do too much afterwards.
“We know he likes the racetrack and the horse he worked with is a very, very talented horse. The horse that worked is running on Derby Day as well. We purposely worked them together because they basically have the same target: different races, but on the same day. Had he not gotten away and ran-off the first bit, the overall time wouldn’t have been nearly as fast. But it’s OK.”
Casse took a close look at Danzig Moon immediately after the work and will do so again Sunday morning.
“I’ve already gone over him and already jogged him by hand, and we did a post-breeze scope and all those things are perfect,” Casse said. “That’s the important thing.”
Danzig Moon’s Toyota Blue Grass run improved his lifetime record to 1-2-0 in five races and he has earned $251,120.
DECEPTIVE VISION DOUBLE TOUGH FOR SAM-SON
Sovereign Award finalist of 2014 DECEPTIVE VISION wins at Keeneland.
Sam-Son Farm’s Deceptive Vision edged an unlucky Lunar Surge by a head to win the 21st running of the $100,000 Hilliard Lyons Doubledogdare (G3) for fillies and mares before a Friday afternoon crowd of 17,065.
Trained by Malcolm Pierce and ridden by John Velazquez, Deceptive Vision covered the
1 1/16 miles on a fast main track in 1:44.34. Velazquez earned his fourth victory in the race following Colony Band (2005), Pool Land (2006) and Embur’s Song (2011).
Now undefeated in three career starts on the dirt, Deceptive Vision received a ground-saving trip as she raced fourth early on and off the pace set by Twenty in One. On the far turn, Blue Violet assumed command but was quickly joined by Pretty Fancy to her immediate outside and Deceptive Vision.
Deceptive Vision got the lead with about an eighth of a mile to go and just held off Lunar Surge, who was checked before getting room between the rail and Blue Violet inside the final 100 yards to claim second.
John Velazquez (winning rider)
“She was traveling so well the whole way around. About the sixteenth pole, it looked like she was going to win easily. As soon as she opened up a half-length with the other horses inside her, she started waiting. Her ears went up and she saw the tire tracks (from the starting gate). She didn’t really pay attention at all. So (I was) trying to keep her momentum going and keep her mind on running. She never saw the horse on the inside. I just wanted her to stay focused. She held on.”
The 5-year-old Canadian-bred mare is by A.P. Indy out of the Smart Strike mare Eye of the Sphynx. She improved her career record to 9-5-2-2 and boosted her earnings to $462,355 with Friday’s $60,000 check.
Sent off as the favorite in the field of seven, Deceptive Vision returned $4.60, $3 and $2.40. Lunar Surge, ridden by Corey Lanerie, returned $3.60 and $3 in finishing a half-length in front of Blue Violet, who paid $2.80 to show under Kerwin Clark.
Pretty Fancy finished a nose back in fourth and was followed in order by Tiz Windy, Twenty in One and Liberated.
Malcolm Pierce talked about whether he was concerned about how she would perform in her 2015 debut
“A little bit. That’s probably why we didn’t run in the (Grade 1) Jenny Wiley (on April 11). We thought this would be a little easier race on her. She handles the dirt as well as she handles the turf. We’ve got some options from here.”
