Impressive debut makes Midnight Rising a threat in Rushaway
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Midnight Rising could be poised to make a quick ascent through the 3-year-old ranks. He beat older horses earlier this month at Turfway in his debut and makes his second start in the $250,000 Rushaway Stakes there on Saturday.
The Rushaway, at 1 1/16 miles over Tapeta, has drawn 14 entrants, with 12 permitted to start. It is one of three stakes for 3-year-olds on the undercard for the Grade 3, $700,000 Jeff Ruby. Fillies get a chance at Kentucky Oaks points in the $300,000 Bourbonette Oaks, while sprinters get a run in the $250,000 Animal Kingdom Stakes.
Trainer Jordan Blair said that Midnight Rising, whom he trains for Surfside Stables, “tipped his hand” with a strong performance while working in company before his debut.
“We tucked him in behind horses and made him eat some dirt,” Blair said. “And they were good horses. I didn’t expect him, really, to catch them – it was a schooling session. And he went past them like they were standing still, and he did it effortlessly.”
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That schooling would serve Midnight Rising well in a maiden special weight going a mile on the Tapeta on March 4. Midnight Rising, the only 3-year-old and the only debut starter in the field of 11, drew the rail under Luan Machado. Bottled up along the inside at the quarter pole, Midnight Rising swung wide in the stretch and came on with a flourish to win by 2 1/2 lengths. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 80.
“[Machado] said if he wanted to, he could have put him on the lead,” Blair said. “When he came back, he said he could have put him anywhere from the gate that he wanted to.”
That experience should serve Midnight Rising well. He and Machado drew post 9 in the full Rushaway field.
“I would hope that he could get away from the gate well, be tactical, and then show that turn of foot that he showed in his maiden,” Blair said.
The morning-line favorite for the Rushaway is Santorini, in from Florida for the team of Todd Pletcher and Irad Ortiz Jr., who also have the favorite in the featured Jeff Ruby with Major Dude. Santorini was a maiden winner on the Gulfstream Park turf with an 87 Beyer in January, the top number in this field. He then finished sixth in the Colonel Liam at Gulfstream on March 4.
Reckoning Force, winner of the Juvenile on the Kentucky Downs turf last season, was most recently third in the Black Gold on turf at Fair Grounds. Rarified Flair and Worthington are both stakes-placed on turf.
Ironsides and Itzos were third and seventh the Leonatus Stakes at Turfway, won by Ruby entrant Funtastic Again. Moon Landing was fourth in the John Battaglia Memorial to Ruby runner Congruent.
Bourbonette Oaks
Botanical, who has blossomed at Turfway Park, rides a three-race winning streak into the Bourbonette Oaks in her bid to punch a ticket to the Kentucky Oaks.
The Bourbonette, at 1 1/16 miles, awards points toward the May 5 Kentucky Oaks on a 50-20-15-10-5 scale.
Botanical, trained by Brad Cox, already owns 20 points by virtue of her 6 1/2-length victory in the Cincinnati Trophy at Turfway last time out, with her Beyer of 91 easily the best in the field of 11. She has won three straight races at Turfway by a combined 21 3/4 lengths. Chris Landeros rode her in all three wins and will be aboard again on Saturday.
Cox will also send out Flashy Gem, with John Velazquez picking up the mount. Landeros rode the filly last time out to a front-running six-length allowance score at Turfway.
Renegade Rebel was a front-running winner of back-to-back races on the Tapeta at Woodbine to conclude her 2-year-old campaign, including the Grade 3 Mazarine. Santa Anita-based Ag Bullet also ships in with two straight wins, including the Lady of Shamrock at a mile on the Santa Anita turf on Feb. 12.
Bolivie has been racing in France and makes her first start in the U.S.
Animal Kingdom
All eight entrants in the six-furlong Animal Kingdom are making their U.S. stakes debut, opening an opportunity for someone to step up.
Eye Witness is a narrow favorite on the morning line for the team of Wesley Ward and jockey Kent Desormeaux. The colt was third on debut in a turf sprint last fall before teaming with Desormeaux for a one-mile maiden win at Turfway on Jan. 1, earning an 83 Beyer.
New York Thunder, a 5-2 second choice on the morning line for trainer Jorge Delgado, has won both his outings. Both came at Gulfstream, with a 93 Beyer on Tapeta in a maiden race and an 83 on turf in an allowance sprint on Dec. 30.
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