Churchill meet ends with a bang as as Gulfport romps by 12 in Bashford Manor
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Churchill Downs ended a 42-day spring meet Monday with a nine-race holiday card highlighted by three straight stakes and a mandatory forceout of the Derby City 6 that drew $1,209,342 in new handle.
The Derby City 6, a jackpot-style wager held on races 4-9, returned $502.90 on a 20-cent wager as short-priced horses dominated. All three stakes were part of a sequence that began with a $166,544 carryover.
Here’s a rundown of the stakes, all run over a fast main track:
Bashford Manor: Gulfport romps
Gulfport, ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., made very quick work of the 121st running of the $173,000 Bashford Manor, leading from the opening bell before prevailing by 12 1/4 lengths in finishing six furlongs in 1:09.25. It was the second-fastest clocking in race history at its current distance.
Gulfport returned $2.40 when heavily favored off a very flashy debut last month at Churchill. The 2-year-old Uncle Mo colt is trained by Steve Asmussen for longtime clients Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt.
“Brian got him away from there nice and smooth, and the colt’s ability took care of the rest,” said Asmussen.
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Owen’s Leap was up in the final stride to get second from Andthewinneris in a field of six.
Kodiak Kowboy, also trained by Asmussen, set the stakes record of 1:09.15 in 2007. This latest victory extended Asmussen’s record of Bashford Manor wins to seven.
Debutante: Wonder Wheel rolls
Wonder Wheel won the filly counterpart to the Bashford Manor, the 121st running of the $167,500 Debutante, in cruising fashion, taking control midway through the turn before pulling away to a 6 3/4-length score.
Tyler Gaffalione was aboard Wonder Wheel for the DJ Stables of Leonard Green and trainer Mark Casse when finishing in 1:10.26. The dark bay daughter of Into Mischief returned $5.60 as second choice in a field of seven 2-year-old fillies.
“We’re just so excited for Mr. Green and his family,” said Casse assistant David Carroll. “She’s got more filling out to do and we certainly hope the best is yet to come.”
Sabra Tuff was along late to get second, 1 1/4 lengths before Les Bon Temps. Empire of My Own, the 8-5 favorite for Asmussen, was fourth.
Hanshin: Cody's Wish guts it out
Cody’s Wish momentarily surrendered the lead to Three Technique in mid-stretch before battling back to win the $173,250 Hanshin as the odds-on favorite. The winner paid $3.40 after finishing the one-turn mile in 1:34.10 under Junior Alvarado.
“The other horse kind of got ahead of me right about the eighth pole, but I wasn’t worried,” said Alvarado. “I thought he would find enough to get to the wire first, and he did.”
Three Technique, a 13-1 shot ridden by Rafael Bejarano, was a neck behind the winner and four lengths before Awesome Gerry in a field of six older horses.
Cody’s Wish, a 4-year-old Godolphin homebred by Curlin, now has won five of his last six starts for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, with the Grade 3 Westchester at Belmont Park in May being his lone graded score.
The colt is named for Cody Dorman, a 16-year-old Kentuckian who suffers from Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder. Cody and his family were on hand for the winner’s circle ceremonies.
This was the 67th Hanshin, a former fixture at now defunct Arlington Park.
* The Bashford Manor clinched another Churchill training title for Asmussen, the Hall of Famer who last year became the all-time winningest trainer in North American history. Asmussen had 25 wins at a meet that began April 30, two more than Brad Cox. Asmussen also is the all-time leader at Churchill in wins (846) and meet titles (26 won or shared).
Gaffalione booted home 62 winners when once again topping the jockey standings, continuing his remarkable run at Kentucky tracks since he moved from Florida in 2019. Richard Rigney was the leading owner with seven wins.
* After three dark days, live action on this circuit resumes Friday with the opening of Ellis Park in western Kentucky. The 23-day summer meet runs through Aug. 28, with Churchill taking the Aug. 13 date to run the Arlington Million and accompanying features. Some horsemen are soon to scatter to other summer venues as well, including Saratoga and Colonial Downs.
