Troubleshooting's victory in Franklin-Simpson gives trainer Foley first Grade 1
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Trainer Greg Foley, a Kentucky mainstay, earned his first career Grade 1 victory when Troubleshooting became a half-length victor in the $2 million Franklin-Simpson Stakes for 3-year-old turf sprinters on Saturday at Kentucky Downs.
"It’s been a long time trying to get a Grade 1. It feels good," said Foley, who owns 10 prior graded stakes wins in a career that began in 1981. He is known for training runners such as popular graded stakes winners O Besos and Sconsin, as well as multiple stakes winner Bango, the winningest horse in recorded Churchill Downs history.
Foley trains Troubleshooting ($13.84), by Not This Time, for breeder Donamire Farm.
"They raise nothing but good horses," Foley said. "It’s a pleasure to train for them. I’m tickled for myself, but I’m more happy for them."
Troubleshooting won the Dade Park Dash on July 4 at Ellis Park in his stakes debut, then was second by a nose in an allowance race on that course that Foley used to set him up for the lucrative Kentucky Downs meet.
Troubleshooting and Tyler Gaffalione were fifth in the full field of 12, and about three lengths off leader Mi Bago as the field approached the quarter pole amid a final scramble to the wire as they fanned out across the track.
Mi Bago, who was cutting back in distance, had emerged from an early scramble to lead the pack through opening fractions of 22 seconds and 44.17 seconds on a course officially rated good, but which seemed to have plenty of give in it. Passing the quarter pole, Out On Bail, who had been stalking in second, ate into the leader's margin and stuck his head in front.
But Golden Afternoon, who had worked his way outside after breaking from the inside post, was rallying outside of him, with Troubleshooting taking aim on his outside in tandem, and Governor Sam, who is typically forwardly placed, was making a belated bid on the inside.
In the final yards, Golden Afternoon made the lead between horses. But Troubleshooting, on his outside, was strong enough to surge ahead in the final yards.
"Inside the eighth pole, you knew you were going to be right there," Foley said. "I watched it with all the family. We got to riding him a little bit the last eighth of a mile.”
The time for the 6 1/2 furlongs was 1:14.33.
A length and a quarter behind Golden Afternoon, Governor Sam won the photo for third, by a neck ahead of Antisocial. They were followed, in order, by Chasing Liberty, Dream On, Out On Bail, Bridle a Butterfly, Innovator, Warheart, Mi Bago, and post-time favorite Spiced Up, who was never a threat.
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