with files from Tampa Bay Media (Kentucky Derby points seen below from Darren Rogers)
At the giant Keeneland September yearling sale in 2018, a son of first crop sire Karakontie (Jpn), Breeders’ Cup Mile winner, did not attract all that much attention, considering the rich bloodlines. Bred by Flaxman Holdings, the Niarchos family, the son of the mare Light Blow had world champion mare MIESQUE twice in his pedigree. Miesque is the third dam of Karakontie and 2nd dam of Kingmambo, sire of Light Blow.
But the fellow brought just $6,000 (US) from buyer Marcos Arenas of Ocala, FL, under his NEW HOPE AB, LLC to be pinhooked to re-sell in April 2019 in Ocala. He was reportedly a bit of a handful and not exactly perfect conformation-wise, but he came along okay for Arenas.
Let’s skip ahead to this past April. Before last year’s Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training, trainer Patrick Biancone told his daughter Andie he would buy her a horse for her 22nd birthday if he could find one for $22,000.
Biancone purchased the Karakontie gelding for $20,000. Now a 3-year-old gelding, Sole Volante paid the Biancones and their partners, including Dean Reeves, back in handsome fashion today at Tampa Bay Downs, upsetting Independence Hall by 2 ½ lengths in the Grade III, $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes.
“We love him a lot,” trainer Biancone said after Sole Volante raced the mile-and-a-sixteenth in 1:42.60, .16 seconds off the stakes record. “He’s fantastic on the turf (2-for-2, including a victory in the Pulpit Stakes at Gulfstream) and in America, the life is the dirt, so I ran him in a sprint race on the dirt at Gulfstream just to see if he could handle it and let him take some kickback.” He tired late in the Mucho Macho Man Stakes on Jan. 4 at Gulfstream, finishing third, but displayed no fatigue today.
Here is the video replay of the 40th edition of the Grade III Sam F. Davis Stakes:
Sole Volante’s $13.60 payoff was the lowest of the last eight races on the card, and the rash of upsets created a late Pick-5 payoff of $435,029.40 to one winning bettor. The combination was 3-1-3-2-12.
It was a record-setting day at Tampa Bay Downs, with the handle of $11,092,482 a 16.5-percent increase from the previous high on a Sam F. Davis card.
In the Mucho Macho Man Stakes, “he did everything perfectly but ran a little bit early that day and struggled a little the last 1/16th,” Biancone said. “Today I said to (jockey) Luca (Panici), let him relax and run the last 3/8-mile and that’s what he did. This horse has a lot of stamina, but nothing is cast in stone. So we’ll see how he comes back and how he progresses. We have plenty of races to choose from – maybe we’ll come back here in a month (for the Grade II, $400,000 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby).”
Panici said he knew he was a winner when he asked Sole Volante for his best on the far turn. “We knew from the beginning he’s a good horse. He’s very intelligent and when you ask him something he’s a quick learner,” Panici said. “When he took off, I never had a doubt (he would catch Independence Hall).”
Nadal stays unbeaten, lasts in San Vicente and is co-2nd choice in Derby Future Wager
In California on Feb. 9, the Champion 2-year-old Colt of 2019 STORM THE COURT returned to the races in the Grade 3 San Vicente, a sprint race that did not offer points for the Triple Crown. However, it was impressive debut winner NADAL who had the edge in the seven-furlong race.
Despite the fact he was making only his second start and was facing the reigning Eclipse Champion Juvenile Male, Bob Baffert trainee Nadal was hammered down to 1-5 favouritism in Sunday’s Grade II, $200,000 San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita and he responded with a gutty three-quarter length win. Ridden by Joel Rosario, he got seven furlongs in a rapid 1:22.59.
Breaking sharply from post position four in a field of six sophomores, Nadal got early pressure from longshot Party Town to his inside and was seriously challenged to his outside around the far turn and to the sixteenth pole by a very tenacious Ginobili.
“Today, I told Joel, ‘Don’t get cute, just go,’” said Baffert, who registered his record 10th win in the iconic prep to the Grade I Santa Anita Derby. “‘We can rate him some other day.’ They took it to him, but if we’re gonna get beat, get beat. I trained him light for this, so this is my serious work…I thought he was gonna get beat. He got to gut it out today, so he’s got a good foundation now. This should set him up pretty good and I think we’ll go to the Rebel (Grade II, 1 1/16 miles at Oaklawn Park March 14).”
A handy 3 ¾ length maiden winner going 6 ½ furlongs here on Jan. 19, Nadal paid $2.60, $2.20 and $2.10.
Owned by George Bolton, Arthur Hoyeau, Barry Lipman and Mark Mathiesen, Nadal, a Kentucky-bred colt by Blame who sold for $700,000 at the Fasig Tipton Florida March Selected 2-year-olds in Training Sale (after selling for $65,000 as a yearling), is out of the Pulpit mare Ascending Angel. With the winner’s share of $120,000, he now has earnings of $153,000 while unbeaten in two starts.
For his part, Ginobili, who had been idle since running a close fourth in a five-furlong turf stakes here on Oct. 6, ran a massive race in defeat, finishing 1 ¼ lengths in front of longshot Fast Enough. Ridden by Abel Cedillo, Ginobili, who is trained by Richard Baltas, was off at 12-1 and paid $6.00 and $4.00.
Last early, Fast Enough split horses turning for home and just held off Storm the Court by a neck for third money. Ridden by Tiago Pereira, Fast Enough was off at 14-1 and paid $3.60 to show.
Storm the Court, who had been idle since winning the Grade I Breeder’s Cup Juvenile here on Nov. 1, was the second choice at 3-1 and was beaten approximately 2 ½ lengths in a race that he likely needed.
With the Kentucky Derby 12 weeks away, the pari-mutuel field of “All Other 3-Year-Old Colts and Geldings” closed as the 2-1 favourite in Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW) with San Vicente (GII) winner Nadal and Holy Bull (Grade III) and Champagne (GI) winner Tiz the Law as the 8-1 co-second choices.
KENTUCKY DERBY POINTS
Top 18 point earners get into KY Derby. Is the 2020 Derby winner on this list!?
Horse (points) – Owner
Trainer – Lifetime Earnings
1. Storm the Court (22) – David A. Bernsen LLC, Exline-Border Racing LLC (Ryan Exline and family & Justin Border), Dan Hudock & Susanna Wilson
– Peter Eurton – $1,136,351
2. Tiz the Law (22) – Sackatoga Stable (Jack Knowlton et al)
– Barclay Tagg – $456,000
3. Thousand Words (20) – Albaugh Family Stables (LLC Dennis Albaugh & Jason Loustch) & Spendthrift Farm LLC (B. Wayne Hughes)
– Bob Baffert – $181,000
4. Independence Hall (14) – Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners (Aron Wellman), Twin Creeks Racing Stables LLC (Steve Davison & Randy Gullatt), Kathleen Verratti & Robert N. Verratti
– Mike Trombetta – $205,000
5. Shotski (14) – Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable (Adam Wachtel), Pantofel Stable (Len Schleifer) & Howling Pigeon Farms LLC (Michael Karty)
– Jeremiah O’Dwyer – $193,466
6. Enforceable (13) – John C. Oxley
– Mark Casse – $264,550
7. Anneau d’Or (12) – Peter Redekop B. C., Ltd. – Blaine Wright – $381,000
8. Shoplifted (12) Grandview Equine (Robert Clay), Cheyenne Stables LLC (Everett Dobson) & LNJ Foxwoods (Larry, Nanci & Jaime Roth)
– Steve Asmussen – $351,000
9. Silver Prospector (11) – Ed and Susie Orr
– Steve Asmussen – $204,851
10. Maxfield (10) – Godolphin LLC (Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum et al)
– Brendan Walsh – $300,000
11. Eight Rings (10) – SF Racing LLC (Gavin Murphy), Starlight Racing (Jack & Laurie Wolf), Madaket Stables LLC (Sol Kumin & Jason Monteleone), Frederick Hertrich III, John D. Fielding and Golconda Stables (Ben Goldberg & Elliot Friman)
– Bob Baffert – $200,351
12. Sole Volante (10) – Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Andie Biancone & Limelight Stables Corp.
– Patrick Biancone – $173,510
13. Dennis’ Moment (10) – Albaugh Family Stables LLC (Dennis Albaugh & Jason Loustch)
– Dale Romans – $137,800
14. Max Player (10) George E. Hall
– Linda Rice – $137,500
15. Gold Street (10) Mike McCarty
– Steve Asmussen – $137,250
16. Authentic (10) SF Racing LLC (Gavin Murphy), Starlight Racing (Jack & Laurie Wolf), Madaket Stables LLC (Sol Kumin & Jason Monteleone), Frederick Hertrich III, John D. Fielding and Golconda Stables (Ben Goldberg & Elliot Friman)
– Bob Baffert – $60,000
17. Ajaaweed (7) Godolphin LLC (Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum et al)
– Kiaran McLaughlin – $95,000
18. Scabbard (6) Joseph W. Sutton
– Eddie Kenneally – $182,000
19. Wrecking Crew (5) Rockingham Ranch (Gary Hartunian) & David A. Bernsen LLC
– Peter Miller – $293,000
20. Finnick the Fierce (5) Arnaldo Monge & Rey Hernandez
– Rey Hernandez – $66,200
21. Green Light Go (4) Stronach Stables (Frank Stronach)
– Jimmy Jerkens – $224,550
22. Gouverneur Morris (4) Team Valor International (Barry Irwin) & WinStar Farm LLC (Kenny Troutt) Todd Pletcher $100,000
23. High Velocity (4) Gary & Mary West
– Bob Baffert – $97,000
24. Answer In (4) Robert V. LaPenta & Madaket Stables LLC (Sol Kumin & Jason Monteleone)
– Brad Cox – $80,000
25. American Theorem (4) Kretz Racing LLC (Rustin Kretz)
– George Papaprodromou – $60,000
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