Churchill notes: Big weekend for trainer Moquett

Trainer Ron Moquett enjoyed a memorable three-day weekend at Churchill when sending out a winner each day.

Moquett won a maiden special weight race Friday with 3-year-old gelding Tale of Honor; a much-anticipated maiden special weight race Saturday with 2-year-old colt Far Right; and a $40,000 claiming race Sunday with former stakes filly Silver Valley.

Moquett privately purchased Far Right on behalf of owner Harry Rosenblum after the colt’s first two career starts for what he said was “a very low six-figure sum.”

Far Right earned an 84 Beyer Speed Figure in his five-length victory.

Rosenblum is the owner of Gentlemen’s Bet, still unraced since finishing third in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint last fall. Moquett said Monday that the 5-year-old horse has returned to his Churchill barn after recovering from a foot injury and “will probably have his first breeze in about three weeks.”

Dogwood highlights Saturday card

Fiftyshadesofgold figures to be a solid favorite in the Grade 3, $100,000 Dogwood at Churchill, the only stakes of the coming weekend in Kentucky. The Bret Calhoun-trained filly will be ridden by Robby Albarado in the field of 10 3-year-old fillies in the seven-furlong Dogwood, the ninth of 10 Saturday races.

The Friday program at Churchill is a Downs After Dark program. Two allowances are on a 10-race card that starts at 6 p.m. Eastern.

Velazquez on Euro Charline in QEII

Team Valor International issued a release Monday announcing John Velazquez will be aboard Euro Charline when the 3-year-old filly makes her next start in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup on Oct. 11 at Keeneland, where the fall meet starts Oct. 3.

Euro Charline will be making her first start in the care of trainer Todd Pletcher. She defeated older rivals in the Grade 1 Beverly D. at Arlington Park in her last start Aug. 16 when trained by Marco Botti and ridden by Ryan Moore.