Reckoning Force breaks maiden in Juvenile Mile, one of three closing-day stakes

It was a day of firsts when three rich stakes were run consecutively on the 12-race closing-day card Wednesday at Kentucky Downs.

Joseph O’Brien, the noted Irish trainer, was represented by a winner for the first time at the turf-only track in central Kentucky when Reckoning Force prevailed, while Robbie Medina, the former longtime assistant to Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey, notched his first-ever stakes win with Play Action Pass. In addition, Alms won her first race in more than 2 1/2 years when becoming the first (and only) winning favorite on the day.

The Juvenile Mile, Gun Runner, and One Dreamer were carded as races 9-10-11 when contested over a firm course amid beautiful late-summer weather.

The Wednesday program ended a seven-day Kentucky Downs meet that began Sept. 1. Churchill Downs in Louisville begins its 14-day, dirt-only meet Thursday with an eight-race twilight card.

Juvenile Mile

Giving O’Brien a first Kentucky Downs victory from just his second starter, Reckoning Force launched a powerful run in the final quarter-mile to win the $497,500 Juvenile Mile.

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Reckoning Force entered as a maiden following three prior starts, but that mattered little down the stretch as the Air Force Blue colt swept past most of the field with an outside rally, winning by a neck over Deer District when finishing in 1:34.03. He paid $10.58 to win as second choice.

“I had a perfect trip,” said jockey Joel Rosario. “I was in a good spot the whole time and not too far from the leader, and he kept coming with a strong finish.”

Really Good, the 3-2 favorite, was third, followed by Mayfield Strong. A field of eight 2-year-olds went postward in the Juvenile Mile, which was postponed from its original Sept. 3 date because of a rainout.

Reckoning Force is owned in partnership by Fergus Galvin, Marc Detampel, and the Magnolia Racing Syndicate.

O’Brien, the 29-year-old son of legendary trainer Aidan O’Brien, sent a small string of runners from his Ireland base this summer to campaign out of New York for the first time. This was his fourth U.S. stakes victory, with Iridessa in the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf being his first as a trainer. He also won the 2011 BC Turf on St Nicholas Abbey as a jockey.

Reckoning Force was accompanied to Kentucky by traveling lad Gary O’Connor, who said he is “heading back home” to Ireland and that the colt will remain in Kentucky with trainer Brendan Walsh.

Gun Runner

Play Action Pass gave Medina his first-ever stakes triumph when drawing off to win the $400,000 Gun Runner by 1 3/4 lengths.

Ridden by Jose Lezcano, Play Action Pass sat just off pacesetting Dowagiac Chief for much of the one-mile Gun Runner, taking over approaching the furlong grounds before finishing in 1:34.27. He paid $9.94 as second choice in a field of 11 3-year-olds.

Fuerteventura was second, followed three-quarters of a length back by a late-running American Mayhem, the 3-1 favorite.

Medina, who grew up in Chicago, opened his own stable in February 2020 after working 25 years for McGaughey, mostly as an assistant. He now operates out of a private farm in Versailles, Ky. This was his 19th overall win.

“Anytime you win, no matter where, it’s really good,” he said. “It’s great here. This is a fun little place.”

Play Action Pass, a gray Cairo Prince colt, is owned by the August Dawn Farm of retired Hall of Fame football coach Bill Parcells (and hence the football-related name).

Parcells, said Medina, “has been a mentor to me. I’m more happy for him than anything.”

Play Action Pass now has won four of 11 starts, including two straight since Medina added blinkers to his equipment, the previous one coming in a July allowance over the Ellis Park turf.

“He broke very sharp, was there when I asked him, and he kept going and going and won the race,” said Lezcano.

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One Dreamer

Alms had not won since Feb. 2020, when she recorded the last of four straight victories to open her career, but the 5-year-old mare snapped an 11-race losing streak in dramatic fashion when edging Burning Ambition by a nose following a spirited battle in the final yards of the $388,700 One Dreamer.

A Godolphin homebred by City Zip, Alms finished the mile and 70-yard distance in 1:37.93 before returning $7.44 as a lukewarm choice in a field of 12 fillies and mares that had not yet won a stakes in 2022.

Burning Ambition, the 3-1 second choice, held a slim lead as the wire neared before being nailed by a relentless surge from Alms and jockey Jose Ortiz. Tightly Twisted, a 59-1 shot, was third, 3 1/2 lengths behind the top pair.

Mike Stidham has trained Alms throughout a racing career dating to a debut victory on the Belmont Park turf in September 2019.

“It’s been a long time between wins, so it was great to get that one, for sure,” he said.