BANG BANG
The Bullet bounces back
photo from Reade Baker Racing website
Canadian Horse of the Year FATAL BULLET is back on track and headed to Santa Anita for the Breeders’ Cup on Nov. 7 after a wild win in the Phoenix Stakes worth $250,000 yesterday on opening day of Keeneland.
The 1:09 flat time was good for a 104 Beyer Figure.
It was hard to tell who was more excited after the race – the usually subdued trainer Reade Baker was animated furing the post race interview and, well, Eurico Rosa a Silva, riding for the first time at Keeneland, just about lept off the gelding as he crossed the finish line.
“I am so proud of this horse,” said Da Silva. “He was very relaxed all the way”.
Indeed, Da Silva just sat on the BUllet while the pair had to get rid of a pesky E Z Dreamer, who would not give up to his inside.
Da Silva never turned his whip over, however, as Fatal Bullet essentilly won the race with something in reserve over a fast closing Capt. Candyman Can.
Fatal Bullet wins Phoenix Stakes
Holds off Capt.Candyman Can
By Jennie Rees • jrees@courier-journal.com • October 9, 2009
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Count the Fatal Bullet camp among those who are delighted the Breeders’ Cup is back at Santa Anita and on its synthetic Pro-Ride track.
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The 4-year-old gelding, who finished second in last year’s BC Sprint at Santa Anita, held off the late-charging Capt. Candyman Can to win Keeneland’s $250,000 Phoenix Stakes by a half-length Friday.
“We needed that race,” said owner Danny Dion. “He’s been lightly raced (three races) this year, and we needed that one today to confirm we belong and we’re back for the Breeders’ Cup. He does not like the dirt. So we’re very happy.”
Winning trainer Reade Baker said, “The horse who was second is a very, very good horse. If he’s as good a Poly horse as he is a dirt horse, than this race is even better than it looks.”
http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20091009/SPORTS08/910090380/Fatal+Bullet+wins+Phoenix+Stakes
STERWINS is SOLID
The big grey could get some Sovereign award attention from anything from turf awards to Horse of the Year should he do well today.
Saturday, Keeneland, post time: 5:45 p.m. EDT
SHADWELL TURF MILE S.-GI, $600,000, 3yo/up, 1mT
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER ML
1 Yorktown (Fr) Red Ransom Bravo Motion 20-1
2 Mr. Sidney Storm Cat D’mo Mott 3-1
3 Wise River Belong to Me Theriot Hanna 15-1
4 Karelian Bertrando Maragh Arnold 10-1
5 Battle of Hastings (GB) Royal Applause (GB) T Baze Mullins 5-1
6 Sterwins Runaway Groom B’mohan Pierce 8-1
7 Justenuffhumor Distorted Humor Garcia McLaughlin 5-2
8 Tizdejavu Tiznow Leparoux Fox 12-1
9 Court Vision Gulch Albarado Dutrow Jr 7-2
All carry 126, except Battle
PREVIEW – Mazarine stakes today at woodbine
FROM THOROUGHBRED DAILY NEWS
Saturday, Woodbine, post time: 4:26 p.m. EDT
MAZARINE S.-GIII, $250,000, 2yo, f, 1 1/16
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER ML
1 Resentless Trajectory Sutherland Howard 8-1
2 Witch’s Coven Cuvee Wilson Bell 10-1
3 Jenny’s So Great Greatness Ramsammy De Gannes 4-1
4 Bay to Bay Sligo Bay (Ire) Clark Lynch 5-2
5 Cascading A.P. Indy Husbands Carroll 3-1
6 Biofuel Stormin Fever Da Silva Baker 10-1
7 Jackpot Joanie Giant’s Causeway Contreras Asmussen 10-1
8 Pretty Pretty Girl Thunder Gulch McAleney Fairlie 15-1
Cascading stretches out to two turns as she tries
stakes competition for the first time. The dark bay, a
granddaughter of the outstanding producer Better Than
Honour (Deputy Minister), belied her inexperience and
5-1 odds to take her Sept. 11 debut, defeating Jackpot
Joanie by two professional lengths. She has a couple of
solid maintenance works in the interim, and could prove
very tough from close range. Bay to Bay earned herself
a ticket to Tinseltown with a 3/4-length success in the
GIII Natalma S. over the local weeds Sept. 19. A win
here would force connections to think about the Juvenile
Fillies, whose $2-million purse is double that of the
Juvenile Fillies Turf.
NOTE: BAY TO BAY is not a Breeders’ Cup eligible.
