Wolfie’s Dynaghost wires River City Stakes
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Wolfie’s Dynaghost won for the first time, his career debut, on Nov. 14, 2020. He won for the 13th time on Nov. 8, 2025, setting a fast pace and going wire to wire in the Grade 3, $300,000 River City Stakes at Churchill Downs.
Now a 7-year-old, Wolfie’s Dynaghost went straight to the lead under Luis Saez, set quick splits of 22.79 and 46.22, but never came close to being caught, cruising home a 2 3/4-length winner at odds of 12-1.
“The old dog’s still got some fight,” trainer Brian Lynch said.
The old dog is a new horse to the Lynch barn, making his first start for the stable since owner-breeder Woodslane Farm moved the gelding to Lynch this fall from trainer Jonathan Thomas. Thomas Albertrani, who retired in 2024, trained Wolfie’s Dynaghost for his first 17 starts, through fall 2022.
Saez said he could feel how sharp Wolfie’s Dynaghost acted Saturday as soon as he took him away from the companion pony after the post parade and let his mount warm up.
“I knew we were going fast, but he was doing it so easy,” Saez said. “I just let him roll because he was doing it so comfortable.”
The pace proved less than comfortable for the River City runners tracking it: Corruption, who sat second, faded to fifth, while Quatrocento and Encino, who both raced in the lead pack, finished, respectively, sixth and ninth. Encino nearly went favored, a close second choice behind Chasing the Crown at 2-1. Chasing the Crown never mustered a rally and came home sixth.
Wolfie’s Dynaghost headed an all-longshot trifecta and paid $27.68 while running 1 1/8 miles over a firm grass course in 1:45.58. Taking Candy, who ran well from a wide draw, finished a distant second at 12-1, while Mercante rallied for third at 20-1. English Chunnel, dull from the start, was eased and taken off the course in an equine ambulance.
Wolfie’s Dynaghost is by Ghostzapper out of Dynaire, by Dynaformer. He showed ability from the start of his career five years ago and still is going strong as he heads to Florida, Lynch said, for a winter campaign.
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