LEXINGTON, Ky. – For much of this year Dullahan was largely known for being the half-brother of 2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird.
Saturday he made a name for himself, stepping out of the sibling’s shadow by winning the Grade 1, $400,000 Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland by three-quarters of a length over Majestic City.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Holiday for Kitten failed in her international venture to Royal Ascot in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot this summer, finishing 13th, but on Polytrack at Keeneland this year, she remains perfect.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Keeping Camp Victory moving toward a start in the Breeders’ Cup next month is trainer Mike Mitchell’s goal in Monday’s $100,000 Morvich Stakes at Santa Anita.
“I think it’s a real good prep race for whatever we do at the Breeders’ Cup, if we’re that good,” Mitchell said.
The possible races for Camp Victory at Churchill Downs include the BC Turf Sprint, the Sprint, or the Dirt Mile.
“We need a good performance to be thinking about those races,” Mitchell said.
Parish Hall, who had been second in two group stakes in Ireland during the summer, pulled a 20-1 upset in Saturday’s Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket, England, beating favored Power by a half-length.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Ken Ramsey was laughing and grinning. Imagine that. Ramsey had just watched his homebred 2-year-old filly, Stephanie's Kitten, roll to a 1 1/2-length victory Friday in the $400,000 Darley Alcibiades Stakes, the traditional Grade 1 opener of the Keeneland fall meet, and he just couldn't contain his elation.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - It wasn't quite as famous as the race he won in Kentucky in the spring, nor as big an upset, nor as clear-cut. Still, Graham Motion will certainly take it.
Motion was the winning trainer Friday for the Grade 3, $175,000 Phoenix Stakes on opening day of the Keeneland fall meet when Hoofit, under a clever ride from Edgar Prado, held off a sustained rally by Aikenite to prevail by a nose as an 11-1 outsider.
ARCADIA, Calif - Cambina, fifth in the Grade 1 Yellow Ribbon Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 1, is being pointed for the BC Filly and Mare Turf on Nov. 4, and may be among three runners at Churchill Downs that weekend for trainer Jeff Bonde.
Cambina, 3, closed from last in a field of nine to finish 2 1/2 lengths behind race winner Dubawi Heights, one of the top American contenders for the Filly and Mare Turf. Cambina raced on the rail and was still last with a furlong remaining in the race over 1 1/4 miles on turf.
“She didn’t get the best of trips,” Bonde said.
ARCADIA, Calif - Caracortado, the winner of the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile in August, is being considered for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs on Nov. 5, trainer Mike Machowsky said on Friday.
A winner of 8 of 17 starts and $774,105, Caracortado worked a half-mile in 49.40 seconds on Friday, his first recorded workout since Sept. 24. Machowsky said that Caracortado missed a week of training recently because of an abscess in a foot.
ELMONT, N.Y. – It is just a thought, not yet a plan. But trainer Chad Brown will spend the next two weeks thinking about sending the undefeated Awesome Feather to Churchill Downs for the $2 million Ladies’ Classic on Nov. 4.
Awesome Feather, last year’s champion 2-year-old filly, made a successful return to the races here at Belmont Park on Wednesday, winning the $60,000 Le Slew Stakes by two lengths. She ran seven furlongs in 1:22.76 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 81. It was her seventh career victory in as many starts.
