Hall of Fame jockey Victor Espinoza worked champion Stellar Wind six furlongs at 6:30this morning in 1:13.60 for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Nov. 3, the penultimate breeze at Santa Anita for the daughter of Curlin before her move south for the Big Dance.

Stellar Wind breezing at Santa Anita October 14th. Photo by Zoe Metz.

Trainer John Sadler worked Stellar Wind in company with That’s a Lady, who was timed in 1:14.20.

“It was a good work for her,” Espinoza said of the Distaff favorite. “The track was a little slow so the time was good. She’s getting ready. She’s going in the right direction right now and she’s doing good.”

Also working for the Breeders’ Cup were Pacific Classic winner Collected for Bob Baffert (six furlongs in 1:14 for the Classic) and Accelerate for Sadler (six furlongs in 1:14 flat for the Dirt Mile).

Sadler expects to give Stellar Wind one more breeze at Santa Anita before shipping to Del Mar, while Richard Mandella has a similar agenda in mind for Paradise Woods (Distaff) and Avenge (Filly & Mare Turf).

“They’ll have one more work here and maybe one small one at Del Mar,” Mandella said.

by Frank Vespe of The Racing Biz

Day one of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic fall yearling sale concluded with gains in the average and median versus 2016. The numbers aren’t strictly comparable, though; the sale, expanded to two days and nearly 500 hips, is much larger than the 323 hips who went through the ring in a one-day sale in 2016.

That leaves about 70 percent of the horses still to go through the ring. Hips 151 through 495 will sell Tuesday, with action to commence at the sales pavillion at the Timonium fairgrounds at 10:00 a.m.

The only rain on the day’s parade was the jump in buybacks. Fully 36.7 percent of the horses to enter the ring — 47 of 128 — did not find a buyer on day one.

In 2016, by contrast, the buyback rate — in a much smaller, one-day sale — was just 17 percent. Of the 323 horses through the ring in ’16, all but 55 left with new owners.

Hip 26 at day one of the Fasig-Tipton Midatlantic Yearling Sale brought $120,000.

Still, the top-line numbers were largely positive. The 81 horses old brought a grand total of more than $2.1 million, good for an average of $26,040. The average was up 8.4 percent from 2016; the median, of $15,000, was 50 percent above the $10,000 achieved last year.

LEXINGTON, KY (Oct. 3, 2017) – A partial list of speakers and additional information regarding the public celebration of Helen “Penny” Chenery’s life have been announced.

The service will be held Monday, Oct. 9, at 1:30 p.m. ET at the Keeneland Sales Pavilion with a live video stream available at Keeneland.com and Secretariat.com.

The service is open to the public. Doors will open at 12:30 p.m. The program will highlight Mrs. Chenery’s illustrious life and her many contributions to the sport of Thoroughbred racing.

Scheduled speakers include her daughter Kate Tweedy, son John Tweedy, racing analyst Donna Brothers, Meadow Stable exercise rider Charlie Davis, retired jockey Pat Day, Seattle Slew’s owner Sally

Hill, Claiborne Farm’s Dell Hancock, sportscaster Kenny Rice as well as other friends and racing luminaries.

“Mom was always engaging and accessible to racing fans, knowing they were the lifeblood and future of the sport,” Kate Tweedy said. “So including the public in this celebration of her life was a given to fully honor her memory. My family and I are immensely grateful to the racing community for the many messages of condolences, and we especially would like to thank the management and staff at Keeneland for their hospitality and gracious assistance as we make arrangements for this very special service.”

Penny Chenery was at Keeneland when Meadow Stable’s Riva Ridge won the 1972 Blue Grass.

Sadler’s Joy, fresh off a big win in the Grade I Sword Dancer, is the 4-1 third choice in Saturday’s $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (Gr. I) at Belmont. The 4 year old Kitten’s Joy colt, who became a million dollar earner with that last win, was bred and is owned by Rene & Lauren Wooolcott of Woodslane Farm in The Plains, Virginia. He faces ten others in Race 10, at 5:45 PM.

Sadler’s Joy scored his biggest win to date August 26th in the $1 Million Sword Dancer Invitational. Photo courtesy of NYRA.

The Joe Hirsch is just one of eight Grade I stakes on Saturday available for horseplayers to watch and wager. The other two at Belmont are the $400,000 Beldame and $350,000 Vosburgh Stakes. Santa Anita has five $300,000 Grade I’s — the Awesome Again, Front Runner, Chandelier, Zenyatta and Rodeo Drive Stakes.  Laurel Park of course hosts “Commonwealth” Day with eight stakes — five of which are for Virginia-breds. And Delaware Park has a stakes filled “Owners Day” card with deep fields. When combined, this makes for one of the biggest racing days of the year.

The Breakers Sports Grille OTB has both beverage & food specials every day, in addition to separate smoking & non-smoking sections.

The two Richmond area OTBs at Ponies & Pints and Breakers Sports Grille will have all the action available — including another 9 Grade I’s to watch and wager next weekend. Virginia residents can also wager on line via TVG.com, XpressBet.com, TwinSpires.com and NYRABets.com. A full simulcast calendar is at virginiahorseracing.com.

Here is a preview of the Joe Hirsch Stakes courtesy of Bloodhorse.com.

Sol Kumin estimates trainer Chad Brown conditions about 60% of the horses the ebullient businessman owns with his various partnerships. By putting that many eggs into the Eclipse Award winner’s basket, Kumin often ends up with the happy problem of having his head spin each weekend trying to keep tabs on a plethora of big-race outcomes his contenders are going after.

When the entries for the Sept. 30 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) at Belmont Park were revealed, it illustrated both the perks and slight drawback of being part of one of the sport’s elite operations. Though Kumin has three rooting interests in the 1 1/2-mile race, two of which are conditioned by Brown, he also knows one of the biggest threats is coming from the barn some of his own reside in.

“I know where everyone of (Brown’s) horses are going, because honestly … you have to watch his barn. Because most of the time, you’re trying to beat his horses,” Kumin said with a laugh. “So I’m always trying to split them up. Because in the big races you have to beat him.”

As is typical when the nation’s top turf races are on the line, Brown is throwing both quality and quantity at the $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, as he will saddle three of the 11 entrants in the test, including grade 1 winner Beach Patrol and graded victor Money Multiplier.

In addition to co-owning Beach Patrol, Kumin’s ownership groups also have a piece of Brown trainee Fanciful Angel, as well as fellow Joe Hirsch entrant Ascend, who is conditioned by Graham Motion. It is a particularly strong hand, especially in a division that has been ripe with parity this season.

Beach Patrol brings the best recent credentials of that bunch to the table, having defeated Fanciful Angel by a half-length in the Aug. 12 Arlington Million XXXV Stakes (G1T) to earn his first win since he took the Secretariat Stakes (G1T) over the Arlington International Racecourse turf one year earlier. Though the 4-year-old son of Lemon Drop Kid  endured a six-race losing skid between victories, he hasn’t finished worse than fourth during that time and fell just a half-length short in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (G1T) at Churchill Downs in May.

WINCZE HUGHES: Beach Patrol Proves Best in Arlington Million

The Arlington Million marked the stateside debut for Fanciful Angel, a globetrotting stakes winner who was purchased privately by Kumin’s Head of Plain Partners and Michael Dubb after that outing and transferred from trainer Marco Botti to Brown.

Though Ascend finished fifth in the Arlington Million and had Motion toying with the idea of trying him on dirt, a positive six-furlong move in 1:13 1/5 at Fair Hill Training Center Sept. 25 convinced his trainer to try him back on the course where he captured the Woodford Reserve Manhattan Stakes (G1T) in June.

ANGST: Ascend Shocks Manhattan Rivals in Graded Stakes Debut

“I’ve got three horses in the race—Beach Patrol, Fanciful Angel, and Ascend—and I honestly don’t know if any of them can get 1 1/2 miles,” Kumin said. “So my hope is that one of them does. But it is going to be a tough race.”

The horse they may have to go through if they want to hit the wire first is multiple grade 1 winner Oscar Performance. The 3-year-old ridgling son of Kitten’s Joy  will be taking on elders for the first time but has arguably been the most consistent member of the turf male division this summer.

Since he threw in a pair of off-the-board efforts in the Transylvania Stakes Presented by Keeneland Select (G3T) and American Turf Stakes Presented by Ram Trucks (G2T), the Brian Lynch trainee has regained the form that allowed him to capture the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) in November. Following his win in the June 3 Pennine Ridge Stakes (G3T) at Belmont—where he is undefeated in three starts—Oscar Performance went gate-to-wire in the July 8 Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) before stalking and pouncing his way to victory in the Secretariat Stakes Aug. 12.

BALAN: Oscar Performance Continues Roll With Secretariat Win

“This will be his first kick at the can against older horses, but we’re confident that he can hold his own,” Lynch said of Oscar Performance, who will also try 12 furlongs for the first time. “You hit a much more seasoned group of high-level, competitive horses, whereas in the 3-year-old division, you can catch a lightly raced group who might not have the miles on them or have fought in the heavyweight bouts. It’s great to have this type of test.”

Money Multiplier finished fourth in last year’s Joe Hirsch and ran sixth in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1). He returned from a nearly nine-month freshening to win the Monmouth Stakes (G2T) in his seasonal debut July 30. The 5-year-old son of Lookin At Lucky  was most recently second in the 1 1/2-mile Sword Dancer Stakes (G1T) Aug. 26, beaten just a half-length by fellow Joe Hirsch entrant Sadler’s Joy.

“The horse I’m most worried about, besides Oscar Performance, is (Money Multiplier),” Kumin said.

Trainer Dermot Weld will saddle multiple group 1 winner The Grey Gatsby in his first North American start. The 6-year-old son of Mastercraftsman seeks to find the winner’s circle for the first time since he took the 2014 QIPCO Irish Champion Stakes (G1).

“I want to see him put it together. I think he’ll appreciate going the distance and I hope he gives Johnny a good ride,” Weld said. “He’s been a little unlucky this summer, but he loves firm ground, so that’s the main reason we’re running him. Our ground (in Ireland) has gone soft over here. The main thing for him is that he loves fast ground, and that’ll be very helpful for him.”

Entries: Joe Hirsch Turf Classic S. (G1T)

Belmont Park, Saturday, September 30, 2017, Race 10

• Grade IT
• 1 1/2m
• Turf
• $500,000
• 3 yo’s & up
• 5:45 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Money Multiplier (KY)	Javier Castellano	126	Chad C. Brown	7/2
2	2Converge (NY)	Eric Cancel	126	Naipaul Chatterpaul	50/1
3	3Oscar Performance (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	121	Brian A. Lynch	3/1
4	4Sadler’s Joy (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	126	Thomas Albertrani	4/1
5	5Beach Patrol (KY)	Joel Rosario	126	Chad C. Brown	5/1
6	6Ascend (KY)	Joe Bravo	126	H. Graham Motion	12/1
7	7Channel Maker (ON)	Manuel Franco	121	William I. Mott	20/1
8	8Mekhtaal (GB)	Junior Alvarado	126	H. Graham Motion	15/1
9	9Fanciful Angel (IRE)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	126	Chad C. Brown	10/1
10	10The Grey Gatsby (IRE)	John R. Velazquez	126	Dermot K. Weld	8/1
11	11Tricked Up (KY)	Luis R. Reyes	126	Naipaul Chatterpaul	50/1

There was a wide variety of results for the Virginia-breds that went through the ring at the recent Keeneland September Sales. Lazy Lane Farms, LLC bred the sales topping Virginia-bred, a beautiful Into Mischief colt out of Life in Seattle. Consigned by Virginia-bred Kitty Taylor’s,  Warrendale Sales, he was purchased by Eclipse Thoroughbreds Partners and Twin Creeks Racing for $460,000.

Lazy Lanes Into Mischief colt

Audley Farm sold a very nice Invinsible Spirit (IRE) colt out of Fairytale Ending (IRE) to Polo Green Stable, Inc. for $240,000. Unfortunately the hurricane delayed our photographer’s arrival at Keeneland so we do not have a photo of every Virginia-bred that went through the ring but below are the horses photographed and a summary of how they did.

Chilly Bleak’s Fed Biz Filly out of Hottie Dancer sold to Charles Hovitz for $95,000

Art Affair -Midnight Lute colt bred by Jim and Katie Fitzgerald sold to Sallusto & Albina, agent for $50,000

Eaton Sales sold this Hold Me Back colt out of Stylish Affair to Athens Woods, LLC for $25,000

Mr. & Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin bred this Flat Out colt out of Enterprise Beach that sold for $45,000

Dale Romans bought this Smitten Farm bred filly by Paynter out of Polite Smile for $27,000

Oracle Bloodstock, Agent bought the Blame colt out of Neat Package for $20,000.

Mr. & Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin bred the filly by City Zip out of Delaneys Star that was bought by Gail Cox, agent for $30,000

This Twirling Candy colt is the first foal out of G2 placed Aspenglow. Bred by Nancy Terhune and Ernest Frohboese he was purchased by Bob Cappelletti, Agt. for $20,000

Eaton Sales sold this Iselin bred Fed Biz filly to Renfrew Racing for $25,000

The Point of Entry filly out of Gone Surfin’ sold to Spring House Farm

Greg Foley, Agt. bought the Discreetly Mine – Summertime Green filly bred by Smitten Farm

Audley Farm bred this Curlin colt out of Secredt Indy which sold to Truly Blue Equine

Chance Farm bred the Sky Mesa colt out of Misty Rain that sold for $25,000 to Vincente Potaro, agent

Virginia Oaks (G3) winner Blind Date is the dam of this filly by Super Saver that sold for $45,000.

Morgan’s Ford bred the filly out of Pearls by Animal Kingdom.

“Commonwealth Day” at Laurel is set for this Saturday with eight turf stakes scheduled.

The following five are for Virginia-breds at $60,000 apiece:

*Bert Allen Stakes – Race 1 (12:30 PM)

*Brookmeade Stakes – Race 3 (1:30 PM)

*Punch Line Stakes – Race 5 (2:30 PM)

*Oakley Stakes – Race 6 (3:00 PM)

*Jamestown Stakes – Race 9 (4:30 PM)

There is also a trio of open graded stakes that all used to be run at Colonial Downs: 

*$150,000 Commonwealth Oaks (Gr. 3) – Race 7 (3:30 PM)

*$200,000 Baltimore/Washington International Turf Cup  (Gr. 2) – Race 8 (4:00 PM)

*$200,000 Commonwealth Derby (Gr. 2) – Race 11 (5:30 PM)

Here is a preview of the Oakley & Brookmeade Stakes, courtesy of a Maryland Jockey Club press release.

Cross Roads was best in a $22,000 maiden claimer at Laurel September 22nd. Photo by Jim McCue.

Lael Stables’ Exaggerated made it 3-for-4 when she captured an allowance race at Laurel Nov. 11, 2015

Secret Or Not earned her second straight win by capturing a $41,000 allowance race at Laurel December 11, 2015.

In advance of Saturday’s (Sept. 30) Commonwealth Day” program at Laurel Park, Cross Roads, Sheet Lightning and Gentle Prince all earned their first lifetime victories this past week in Virginia-bred action. Just Call Kenny, Code West and American Dubai all earned top three finishes in key stakes. And veteran horses like Defondo, What a Wildcat, Bourbon and Beer, and Greek God reached the winner’s circle in various claiming events around the country.

Cross Roads broke her maiden at Laurel September 22nd in a 5 1/2 furlong sprint that featured a field of ten. The 3 year old Quality Road filly, trained by Mike Trombetta, authored a gate to wire effort with jockey Forest Boyce astride. She crossed in 1:02.92 and finished one length ahead of Nina’s patience. Out of the Meadowlake mare, Sincerely, Cross Roads was bred by and is owned by Larry Johnson.

Cross Roads was best in a $22,000 maiden claimer at Laurel September 22nd. Photo by Jim McCue.

Sheet Lightning was also part of a ten horse field of maiden claimers at Delaware that competed one mile, 70 yards. The 3 year old Fierce Wind filly raced among the top three until deep stretch where she ran down the front runners and crossed a length to the better in 1:42.22. Bred by Susan Minor and trained by James Lawrence II, Sheet Lightning reached the winner’s circle for the first time in eight outs to complement a runner-up and a trio of third place finishes. Owners Donald McMurray and Bruce Burns will receive a 25% bonus for the win courtesy of the VTA/HBPA Mid-Atlantic incentive program. Larry Johnson received a bonus as well for Cross Roads’ win.

Gentle Prince broke also broke his maiden in a ten horse battle, but did it 3,000 miles farther west. The 2 year old Exchange Rate gelding, who was making his lifetime debut, came from seventh early on to win by a neck at Emerald Downs. The winner covered six furlongs in 1:11.88 in the $18,500 MSW class. Bred by the Three Ladies Racing Stable, Gentle Prince is out of Runninglikeanangel by Rockport Harbor.

Virginia-breds American Dubai and Code West squared off for the third time in stakes competition this year on Sunday in the $175,000 Governor’s Cup Stakes at Remington Park. The former, bred by Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin, finished 2nd and 3rd — a notch better than his competitor — in both the recent Rasmussen Stakes and Cornhusker Handicap. Code West finished a notch better Sunday though, missing victory by three-quarters of a length behind the winner, Iron Fist. 

In ten starts this year, American Dubai has five wins to go with a pair of seconds and thirds, good for purse earnings of $332,310. Code West, a 7 year old ridgling bred by Edward Evans, has bankrolled $82,000 in 2017 and $761,227 from 34 career starts.   Here is Sunday’s stakes recap from The Paulick Report. 

Whispering Oaks Farm’s Iron Fist has now won three of his last four starts, holding off the challenge from Code West to win Sunday’s $175,000 Governor’s Cup Stakes by about three-quarters of a length at Remington Park. The 5-year-old son of Tapit, ridden by Ricardo Santana for trainer Steve Asmussen, came from off the pace to complete nine furlongs over the fast main track in 1:48.31. Both Iron Fist and third-place finisher American Dubai went off at even money.

Santana and Asmussen have now won three stakes on the Oklahoma Derby undercard, including the $50,000 Flashy Lady with Golden Mischief and the $100,000 Remington Green with Turbo Street.

hoto

Iron Fist beat Virginia-bred Code West by less than a length in the $175,000 Governor’s Cup Stakes at Remington. Photo by Dustin Orona.

Iron Fist was slow into stride leaving the starting gate, allowing American Dubai and Dan the Go To Man to head out for the lead. American Dubai strode out to a 3/4-length lead over Dan the Go To Man, with Code West hung three-wide in the first turn. Iron Fist was initially at the rear of the five horse field, but Texas Chrome was wrestled back to that position to be along the rail.

Through fractions of :24.00, :47.55, and 1:10.78, Santana was patient with Iron Fist. The rest of the field began to challenge the leading American Dubai at the three-eighths pole, with Texas Chrome sneaking up the rail and Code West out in the four path. At the quarter pole, Santana finally cued Iron Fist to go for the lead and he took the ridgling five-wide around the last part of the turn.

As the five-horse field lined up five-wide at the head of the lane, Iron Fist cruised to the lead. Code West hung with the new leader throughout the stretch drive, but Iron Fist did just enough to hold that rival at bay without really exerting himself. At the wire, Iron Fist was in front by three-quarters of a length over Code West. American Dubai was third, while Texas Chrome was unable to take advantage of his inside trip and tired to fourth.

Virginia-bred American Dubai has earned $332,000 in 2017 so far. Photo from Coady Photography.

Bred in Kentucky by Gainesway, Iron Fist was a $1.55 million yearling at the Keeneland September sale. He began his career in the colors of Stonestreet Stable and Regis Farm, under the care of Jerry Hollendorfer, but could not break his maiden until his fifth start. After nearly a 10-month break through early 2016, Iron Fist re-appeared in Asmussen’s barn.

Iron Fist has really come into his own in 2017, winning four of his eight starts in stakes company. The Governor’s Cup improves his career record to 8-5-4 from 22 starts, with earnings just shy of $1 million.

All eight stakes, led by the $200,000 Baltimore-Washington International Turf Cup (G2), $200,000 Commonwealth Derby (G3) and $150,000 Commonwealth Oaks (G3), will be contested over Laurel’s world-class turf course.

Topping the 29 nominees to the Baltimore-Washington International Turf Cup for 3-year-olds and up at one mile is WinStar Farm’s American Patriot, whose rallying neck victory in the Makers’ 46 Mile (G1) April 14 at Keeneland earned the 4-year-old colt a trip to England for the Queen Anne (G1) at Royal Ascot.. Winner of the Kent (G3) last summer at Delaware, American Patriot was fourth by 1 ¼ lengths in last year’s Commonwealth Derby, his lone try at Laurel.

Just Call Kenny #2 with Eddie Castro riding won the $100,00 Philip H. Iselin Stakes Monmouth Park in Oceanport, New Jersey on Saturday August 26, 2017. He has been nominated to the September 30th Bert Allen Stakes at Laurel. Photo By Ryan Denver/EQUI-PHOTO

The Commonwealth Derby for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles drew 25 nominees led by Just Howard, a winner of three straight including back-to-back Laurel stakes for trainer Graham Motion. Hall of Fame (G2) winner Bricks and Mortar, who has one loss in five career starts; multiple stakes winners Bonus Points, Master Plan, Mr. Misunderstood and 2017 Canadian classic winner Channel Maker; Voodoo Song, who extended his win streak to four races last out in the Sept. 2 Saranac (G2) at Saratoga, are also nominated.

Two Notch Road (outside) just edged Tiz Our Time (inside) to capture the $75,000 Meadow Stables Stakes August 5th at Laurel. The 10-year-old nominated to the Punch Line Stakes September 30th at Laurel. Photo courtesy of Jim McCue.

Eight Turf Stakes, Three Graded, Worth $850,000 in Purses Saturday, Sept. 30