Channel Cat proves best in Dueling Grounds Derby

FRANKLIN, Ky. – Channel Cat turned back a sustained stretch bid from Cullum Road when posting a hard-fought victory Wednesday in the $398,000 Dueling Grounds Derby at Kentucky Downs.

Luis Saez was in from New York to ride Channel Cat, a Calumet Farm homebred trained by Todd Pletcher. The colt was always close to the pace in the 1 5/16-mile race, forging to the front for the long stretch run before prevailing under strong urging.

“I was going to ride him a different way, like covered up,” said Saez. “But he broke so sharp, and he was right there in the clear, and he was pulling all the way, I just said, ‘I’ll take it,’ even though I was trying to get him settled as much as I can.”

After Channel Cat struck the front near the quarter pole, Cullum Road, a 19-1 shot under Tyler Gaffalione, loomed boldly to his outside – but Channel Cat held sway to win by a head.

“He is really a fighter,” said Saez.

Channel Cat, by English Channel, returned $7 as second choice after finishing in 2:15.51 over a turf course rated good. Captivating Moon was another 3 1/4 lengths back in third, with Bandua, the 9-5 favorite, finishing fourth in a field of 10 3-year-olds.

The stakes victory was the first for Channel Cat, whose two wins from 10 prior starts had come in a maiden and first-level allowance race. Two starts back, the colt had been a respectable fourth in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby.

Pletcher, who watched the Dueling Grounds Derby from the Keeneland Yearling Sales in Lexington, was the leading trainer here in 2009 with a 5-for-8 record but was represented by only four starters from 2010 through 2017. Channel Cat was his fourth starter of the 2018 meet.

The Dueling Grounds Derby and its sister race, the Dueling Grounds Oaks, anchored a 10-race Wednesday card that was held over from Sunday, when racing was canceled because of heavy rain.

Osare wires DG Oaks

Osare had never run in a stakes, and trainer Jonathan Thomas had never run a horse at Kentucky Downs.

No worries. Under a heady ride from Jose Ortiz, Osare ($9.80) was an easy winner of the $300,000 Dueling Grounds Oaks after being sent to the lead from her rail post in the opening stages of the 1 5/16-mile race. She finished in 2:15.06 when prevailing by 2 3/4 lengths over Princess Warrior as third choice in a field of 12 3-year-old fillies.

Osare, owned by Bridlewood Farm, is by Medaglia d’Oro out of Bubbler, making her a half-sister to Arrogate, the 2016 Horse of the Year. She was making just her fourth career start.

“Expectations are always high when you’re a half to a horse like Arrogate,” said Thomas, the former Pletcher assistant whose breakout 2018 hit new heights last month when he sent out Catholic Boy to win the Travers at Saratoga. “She’d taken some time to grow into her frame, and we’d been waiting on a spot like this, keeping her against 3-year-olds and all. I’m happy she came through like she did.”

Two Mike Maker-trained longshots, Sippin Kitten and Malibu Saint, were a respective third and fourth, while the 3-1 favorites, Pamina and Heavenly Love, were a respective seventh and 12th.

Claiming Crown preps run

Before the stakes, four preps for the Claiming Crown were run Wednesday, with the winners receiving automatic berths and travel vouchers to the Dec. 1 series at Gulfstream Park in addition to their purse earnings. Each preview was restricted to horses who had raced for a claiming tag of $25,000 or less since Jan. 1, 2017.

Here follow brief recaps (with race number and designated Claiming Crown event):

◗ Race 6, Distaff Dash: Sanity ($10.60) angled out after a ground-saving trip under Florent Geroux to edge past The Craic for a narrow triumph. Mark Casse is the trainer of Sanity, a 4-year-old filly whose 11 prior starts all had come at Woodbine in Canada.

◗ Race 5, Tiara: Maker, the leading trainer in Kentucky Downs and Claiming Crown history, got his picture taken in the winner’s circle alongside odds-on Peru ($3.60) after the 5-year-old mare prevailed with ease under Jose Ortiz. Ken and Sarah Ramsey are the winning owners.

◗ Race 4, Emerald: Aquaphobia ($4.60), always in a good striking position under Drayden Van Dyke, swept to command in mid-tretch en route to a 1 1/4-length score over Harv Won’t Tap. The winner was shipping in from New York for trainer Robert Falcone Jr.

◗ Race 3, Canterbury: Bushrod ($10.40) upset the heavily favored Maker entry, including runner-up Belgian, following an ideal stalking trip under Adam Beschizza. The winner is based in Chicago with trainer Judd Becker.

123-1 shot a winner

Quite possibly a track-record win payoff was posted following the second race Wednesday when Country Chick stormed home a three-length winner at a $248.60 for a $2 bet. The winner of the $129,607 allowance was ridden by Carlos Esquilin for owner-trainer Floyd Cobb.

Comprehensive mutuels records have not been maintained at Kentucky Downs, where racing has been conducted continuously since 1998.

◗ Thursday is closing day at the five-day Kentucky Downs meet as action on the circuit moves Friday to Churchill Downs for the 11-day September meet.