Upsets: Dynamic One takes Blame, She's All Wolfe grabs Shawnee
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A pair of last-out Grade 1 winners both finished out of the money when returning to action Saturday afternoon in ungraded stakes at Churchill Downs.
Americanrevolution and Pauline’s Pearl both were upset at short prices when finishing fourth in their respective races on an 11-race Foster Preview card held under sunny skies. In all, six stakes were run as designed preps for July 2, when the Grade 2 Stephen Foster will anchor the biggest card of the post-Kentucky Derby segment of the 44-day spring meet.
Americanrevolution, bet down to 11-10 favoritism when making his first start in exactly six months since winning the Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct for Todd Pletcher, bid into contention in the Blame before weakening late. Nearly two hours earlier, Pauline’s Pearl also was in contention in the Shawnee after capturing the Grade 1 La Troienne in her previous start, only to falter in the final 100 yards.
Pletcher also trains Dynamic One, the stretch-running winner of the $198,750 Blame at 1 1/8 miles. The 4-year-old Union Rags colt gave leading jockey Tyler Gaffalione his fourth winner of the day when edging away from Proxy in the final furlong to prevail by a length.
Dynamic One is co-owned by his breeder, the Phipps Stable, in partnership with Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable. He paid $14.80 after finishing in 1:48.54 over a fast track.
“Good performance,” Pletcher said after watching on his phone in the Belmont Park paddock. “He’s a horse we always felt like had the potential to win some big races, so hopefully he’s continuing to improve. We probably will look at the Stephen Foster or the Suburban (on July 9 at Belmont Park) for the next start.”
Proxy was second, a neck before Scalding in a field of seven older horses, while Americanrevolution was another 1 3/4 lengths back in fourth. The defeat for Scalding, the 5-2 second choice, was his first in five starts this year.
The Blame leads to the Foster, a Win and You’re In event for the Nov. 5 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland.
There were so many long-priced winners in the Derby City 6 sequence (races 6-11) comprised almost entirely of stakes that no perfect 20-cent tickets were sold. The carryover for Sunday (races 5-10) stands at $253,610.
In earlier Saturday races:
She’s All Wolfe (20-1) upsets Shawnee
She’s All Wolfe ($42.40) stormed down the middle of the track to win the $179,500 Shawnee as the longest shot in the field as Pauline’s Pearl labored home fourth as the 2-5 favorite.
Trained by Donnie K. Von Hemel, She’s All Wolfe trailed for much of the 1 1/16-mile race before launching her winning rally under Francisco Arrieta. Ava’s Grace, who led from the opening strides, was 1 1/4 lengths back in second, with Army Wife edging Pauline’s Pearl for third.
“Going in, Pauline’s Pearl was a standout, but I thought we could compete with the rest of them,” Von Hemel said. “Lo and behold, she got ‘em all today.”
She’s All Wolfe, a 5-year-old Oklahoma-bred by Magna Graduate, finished in 1:43.34. Bred by her owner, Tulsa optometrist Robert Zoellner, the dark bay mare now has won eight of 25 starts and $595,411. She was coming off a distant fifth-place finish at 23-1 behind Pauline’s Pearl in the May 6 La Troienne.
The Shawnee, a lead-in to the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis on Foster Day, was reduced to five starters with the early scratch of Crazy Beautiful. Trainer Kenny McPeek said the earner of $988,240 had suffered recently from a mild case of colic but should be fully recovered within a short time.
‘Office’ up late in Arlington
Admission Office ($17.20), last of six at the top of the stretch, absolutely flew down the center of the turf course to nose out the race-long leader, Get Smokin, in winning the Grade 3, $197,500 Arlington at 1 1/16 miles. John Velazquez was aboard for trainer Brian Lynch.
“It was a massive effort,” Lynch said. “Johnny really worked his magic there.”
Get Smokin, ridden by Javier Castellano, led all but the final jump, turning back third-finisher Field Pass and Floriform (fourth) in the final furlong before being nailed on the wire by Admission Office. The winning time over firm going was 1:43.52.
Bred and owned by John and Jerry Amerman, Admission Office had been gelded since his most recent start in February 2021. The 7-year-old earner of $573,372 “has been a real project,” Lynch said, “but to have him run this good off the layoff gives us hope he could have a big year ahead of him.”
The Arlington, run for the first time at Churchill after decades at the now-shuttered Arlington Park in suburban Chicago, is a steppingstone to the Grade 2 Wise Dan. The top two, and maybe one or two others from this race, could return in the Wise Dan, which in turn leads to the Arlington Million, being run for the first time at Churchill on Aug. 13.
Bingo! Bango wins Aristide
Bango ($22.20) again showed his fondness for the Churchill main track when capturing the $199,833 Aristides for the second straight year. With Gaffalione aboard, Bango surged between rivals when drawing off to a 2 1/2-length triumph over Necker Island, finishing the six-furlong distance in 1:08.54.
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Bango, bred and owned by the Tamaroak Partners of Fred and Debbie Schwartz, now has won seven of 13 starts over the local surface, accounting for the vast majority of his $675,545 bankroll. The 5-year-old horse was dismissed in the wagering partly because of his performance last month in the St. Matthews, his first start in six months.
“He was a dull fourth, but it was his first race back,” said Greg Foley, the trainer of Bango, a Kentucky-bred by Congrats. “I guess he needed it, but his record over this racetrack speaks for itself.”
The St. Matthews winner, Top Gunner, appeared to have control of the Aristides in midstretch, but he wearied late when settling for third behind Necker Island in a field of eight older horses.
Bango most likely will be pointed to the Kelly’s Landing on the Foster card.
– additional reporting by David Grening