Spendhrift Farms Tommy Jo improved to 3-out-3 when recording the $ 650,000 Darley Alcibiades Stakes On the opening day of the fall on 3 October, on the Race Course of Keeneland, although only after a five-minute study and the disqualification of the First-Acrosss-the-Wire Finisher, Percy’s Bar.
The six-horse race for 2-year-old mares turned out to be a two-man game from start to finish between Percy’s Bar, the far second place of Tommy Jo in the SpinAway stakes of August 30, and Tommy Jo, the 0.44-1 favorite. The Rail-pulled Percies Bar, in a change of style of her three sprint traces, shot to the front under Luan Machado, with Tommy Jo followed.
The two remained so from start to finish, with Tommy Jo surfing the pressure on Percies Bar, only for the last to gradually become clear again. While the duo raced just within the last Furlong of the 1/16-Mile Race, the bar of Percy emerged under left-handed insisting from Machado, with Tommy Jo and Hall of Fame Jockey contaminated John Velazquez, who had pursued about a length. Tommy Jo then hit back to her left lead and sputtered, blasting to complete 2 ¾ lengths behind Percy’s bar.
Velazquez told Stewards in a usual telephone conversation during the investigation that Percy’s bar “opened my horse” and “a year and a half” opened him, and that he had to ask his mandriffen to go back in again. He added to the stewards that he informed an outrider that he wanted to claim more several times when galloping, although that claim of error was only announced with the stewards after his discussion.
Machado expressed disappointment about the disqualification and felt that he was on board on the best horse. “I don’t think it’s fair, but it’s what it’s like, I think,” he said.
Percy’s Bar – Die racet for Hat Creek Racing, a property group led by Keeneland Vice President of Racing Gatewood Bell – was relegated to second. She set fractions from: 23.13 ,: 46.90, 1: 11.52, 1: 37.47 on the way to a last time in 1: 44.69.
Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher acknowledged that the performance of Tommy Jo Friday was not at the same level as her two earlier starts in Saratoga, where she blitzde Maidens when she raced 6 Furlongs with 3 ¾ lengths and with 6 ½ lengths in the seven-Furlong Spinaway. He maintains trust in Tommy Jo as a router based on numerous factors, including her training.
“She had two good races in Saratoga. She shipped to Keeneland against some horses that are located here, training and (Tommy Jo’s) for the first time around two innings,” said Pletcher. “So I hope that builds her up for the next one.”
The “Next” is the October 31, $ 1 million Netjet’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar, a race for which Tommy Jo has a paid, automatic berth. Both the Spinaway and Aclibiades are part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge series: “Win and you’re in”, which offers guaranteed access to the youth fillings.
Imagination makes an impression in Jessamine Stakes
Trainer Brendan Walsh said Imagination‘s victory in the $ 400,000 Jessamine Stakes presented by Keeneland Sales Earlier on the map of 3 October in Keeneland, a double bonus -a “win and you’re in” ticket for the John Deere Breeders ‘Cup Juvenile Fillies Gras came through the Breeders’ Cup Challenge series and not a pressure from the owner to accept the offer.
But he said he sees no reason why it doesn’t appear this time Merrieveen does not appear in the big race on del Mar 31 October.
ImaginationThelady only made her second start in the Jessamine, after a prominent, 1 ½ length victory in a valuable first affair in Kentucky Downs. Walsh said, if a young person still learned her company, the anti -trime took advantage of a sharp ride of Frankie Dettori.
Sitting behind the early speed: “There were many mares that moved outside of him,” Walsh said. “It is of course to want to come with them, but Frankie waited and it has paid off.”
Imagination Helady went smoothly through the last sixteenth and ended a length of second place in the runner-up Infinite Sky, a godolphin-homebower also by not this time and who also broke her girl at Kentucky Downs in her last start.
Time to Dream did not complete the Trifecta for father this time. The only starter who didn’t make her last start at Kentucky Downs, entered the Jessamine unbeaten with impressive victories in two starts in Saratoga.
“Brendan was sure to go into the race,” said Dettori. “She is a big mare with a long pass and I could let her relax. She can do everything. She improved and we thought she would do that.”
Walsh said that owner Mark Dobbin “is located in New York, but he has many horses in Ireland. He has been great with me. There was no pressure for the Kentucky Downs race and there was no busy bringing her here after she won it.”
Now?
“There is still no busy for the Breeders’ Cup. But if everything looks good, I see no reason why we would not be there. She has become a very good 2-year-old and she will be a very good 3-year-old,” he said.– Bob Kieckshefer
Third time is the charm for Nakatomi in Phoenix Stakes
With a new Stakes Winnerskring in Keeneland to welcome him, a third attempt at the $ 390.125 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes Provided the charm for Nakatomi.
After Longshot Durante had opened a clear lead in the Middenstraat in the Zes-Furlong test for 3-year-olds and older, Nakatomi found his best step too late, a final-first rally and that enemy at a neck at the finish. The 6-year-old gelding took care of the third profit of his career, his seventh general, and increased his income to more than $ 1.97 million.
The winning effort followed in the second place of Nakatomi in the 2024 and 2023 editions of the Phoenix.
“I will tell you, this is a race that I have desired for a long time,” said trainer Wesley Ward, who is located in Keeneland. “It is a sprintrace that was mainly the focus of most of my career. We have tried to get it done and to have it, to finally have it, it’s just gratifying.”
Ward spoke from the new Stakes winner’s circle in Keeneland, which lies next to the paddock and was once used as the “Rider’s Up” area. Nakatomi was the first horse to use the circle of the new winner.
The Phoenix is a Breeders ‘Cup Challenge series: “Win and you’re in” Race, which offers a reimbursement berth in the $ 2 million cygames Fokers’ Cup Sprint November 1 in del Mar, also held on six Furlongs.
“Go there to del Mar with that short piece that they have, it will take a quick early pace in advance and he will have to come running. So everything will have to fall our way,” Ward said. “But the horse feels good and is doing well. With a parent, seasoned, healthy horse like him; hopefully we are lucky.”– Frank Fear
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