Shedaresthedevil leads home Daredevil 1-2 in Oaks
It was an upset in the G1 Kentucky Oaks on Friday night at Churchill Downs when the 15-1 shot Shedaresthedevil (USA) (Daredevil {USA}) led home a Daredevil exacta in the fastest Kentucky Oaks on record.
The race had been tagged as a two-horse race between Swiss Skydiver (USA) (Daredevil {USA}) and Gamine (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}) with the fillies running near each other throughout the 1800 metre race as Gamine set the pace. Holding Swiss Skydiver on the race from her position just to that runner’s outside, Shedaresthedevil had an excuse-free trip under Florent Geroux.
As the field rounded into the far turn, Shedaresthedevil drew even with Gamine to force Gamine run harder than she had been forced to go in her previous races. That filly continued to fight as Shedaresthedevil kept on the pressure during the stretch run with Gamine finally giving in with less than 200 metres left to run.
Swiss Skydiver made a run at the new leader but there was no hope of that one daring Shedaresthedevil to another duel. Shedaresthedevil always kept the fellow Daredevil runner at least a length away to win by 1.5l over Swiss Skydiver with Gamine in third and Speech (USA) (Mr. Speaker {USA}) 5.75l behind the leading trio in fourth.
“This is why you wake up every morning to get to win races like this,” said trainer Brad Cox, who was recording his third win of the day. “This filly has been really impressive coming into the race and when she breezed with Monomoy Girl a couple weeks ago, we knew how well she was training. These were some tough fillies in the Oaks this year with Swiss Skydiver and Gamine. We are so thrilled to win a race like the Oaks, again, in our backyard. This has been a phenomenal day with Monomoy Girl winning the La Troienne then winning the Oaks with Shedaresthedevil. These are the days you dream of.”
By More Than Ready (USA) son Daredevil, who relocated to Turkey before the 2020 breeding season, Shedaresthedevil was a US$100,000 (AU$137,343) yearling. The filly again went through the ring as a stakes placed 2-year-old to sell for US$280,000 (AU$384,562) at last year’s Keeneland November Breeding Sale.
Since being sold, the filly has won four of her five starts, including a trio of stakes races.
The filly is a half-sister to Grade 3 placed Mojovation (USA) (Quality Road {USA}) and two other winners out of Starship Warpspeed (USA) (Congrats {USA}). That mare is out of a half-sister to Grade 2 winner and multiple Grade 1-placed Crafty C.T. (USA) (Crafty Prospector {USA}).
Frosted strikes on Oaks undercard
Frosted (USA) registered his third winner in impressive style on the Kentucky Oaks undercard when Travel Column (USA) easily won by 4.25l.
Racing over 1200 metres on the dirt, the filly tracked the leading Off We Go (USA) (Air Force Blue {USA}) early on before assuming control as the field closed in on the final 400 metres. It was over from that point with Travel Column steadily pulling away to win by 4.25l as one of five winners on the card for jockey Florent Geroux.
An US$850,000 (AU$1,167,422) purchase by OXO Equine as a yearling, Travel Column is a half-sister to Grade 1 placed Neolithic (USA) (Harlan’s Holiday {USA}) out of multiple stakes winner Swing It (USA) (Victory Gallop {Can}).
Travel Column’s third dam is G1 Oaks d’Italia winner Carnauba (USA) (Noholme), who won eight of her career starts including three graded stakes.
Monomoy Girl romps in La Troienne
Monomoy Girl (USA) (Tapizar {USA}) continued to pay her connections back for bringing her back off an 18 month layoff earlier this year on Saturday with a fourth Grade 1 victory.
Searching for her third Grade 1 victory at Churchill Downs in the G1 La Troienne S. presented by Oak Grove Racing and Gaming, the 5-year-old mare was confidently ridden by regular jockey Florent Geroux in the 1700 metre race.
Breaking from the widest gate, Monomoy Girl stayed wide after the break and was pushed even wider by Risky Mandate (USA) (Strong Mandate {USA}) as the field entered the first turn. As they raced along the backstretch, Lady Kate (USA) (Bernardini {USA}) had open lengths on everyone in the field but Risky Mandate with Monomoy Girl 5l back in third.
That gap started closing with 600 metres left with Monomoy Girl easily circling them inside the final 400 metres. Risky Mandate quickly gave in as Lady Kate continued to fight back but Monomoy Girl proved to just be toying with the former leader.
Geroux had to give Monomoy Girl a vigorous hand ride to convince her it was worth building her margin with the mare just galloping home to win by 1.75l over Lady Kate with Horologist (USA) (Gemologist {USA}) 2.75l behind the longtime leader in third.
“She’s the only horse I get nervous running,” said trainer Brad Cox. “Once I leg up Florent, it’s 10 minutes of anxiety. He did have to work on her a little bit to clear off from Lady Kate. She’s a true champion and is able to overcome a four-wide trip into the first turn. She’s the horse of a lifetime. The way she’s trained since the spring, since April, is when she took off.”
It was the second time Monomoy Girl and Geroux had won a race on the Friday before the Derby with the pair winning the 2018 Kentucky Oaks during Monomoy Girl’s Champion 3-Year-Old season as well.
The best runner by Tapizar, Monomoy Girl is a half-sister to Grade 2 winner Mr. Monomoy (USA) (Palace Malice {USA}). That pair is out of a Henny Hughes (USA) half-sister to Grade 3 winner Drum Major (USA) with each of their first seven dams producing at least one stakes winner.
Sharing returns a winner in Edgewood
Making her first start since a good second in the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot in June, Sharing (USA) (Speightstown {USA}) made easy work of the G2 Edgewood S. presented by Forcht on Friday.
Racing over 1600 metres on the turf under Manny Franco, Sharing broke well and looks as she would take the lead before yielding it to In Good Spirits (USA) (Ghostzapper {USA}). Sharing raced a few lengths behind the leader with two horses close behind her as well. Around the far turn, Sharing closed to within 0.5l, challenging In Good Spirits on the outside as they entered the straight.
Sharing had the clear lead by the 200 metre mark and was only given a few reminders to win by 1.25l for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gainesway over a closing Hendy Woods (USA) (Uncle Mo {USA}) with Lucky Betty (USA) (Munnings {USA}) in third.
“The only question I have in my mind is how far she wants to go. She obviously loves this distance,” trainer Graham Motion told Thoroughbred Daily News. “The next race would be 1 1/8 miles if we go to the [GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup on October 10] at Keeneland. I don’t know if she wants to go that far, I don’t know why she wouldn’t, but she seems awfully good going a mile. I think the QEII is a race anyone with a good 3-year-old filly wants to go. I’m so tickled to get a race under her now because this makes it easier going forward now we’ve got this level of fitness. And I can’t say enough about working with [Eclipse’s] Aron [Wellman] and [Gainesway’s] Antony [Beck]. I feel like we’ve called the right shots and it’s because of them, they’ve never put any pressure on me.”
The winner of last year’s G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, Sharing is one of two stakes winners for G1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf winner Shared Account (USA) (Pleasantly Perfect {USA}). That mare has produced three winners from her four runners, including the Australian-based I’m Pretty Strong (USA) (Street Cry {Ire}).
That mare was bought by Boomer Bloodstock at the 2018 Keeneland November Sale and imported to Australia where she foaled a Dundeel (NZ) filly two weeks ago.
Sharing is one of two stakes runners for her prolific family at Churchill Downs this weekend with the filly also from the family of Grade 2 winner Justwhistledixie (USA) (Dixie Union {USA}), the dam of Kentucky Derby runner Enforceable (USA) (Tapit {USA}).
Sconsin scores maiden stakes win
Sconsin (USA) (Include {USA}) kicked off Friday’s Churchill Downs stakes races with a maiden graded stakes victory in the G2 Eight Belles S. presented by TwinSpires.com over 1400 metres on the dirt.
Four Graces (USA) (Majestectperfection {USA}) and Mundaye Call (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}) looked like they were about to turn the Eight Belles into their personal match race as the rest of the field raced more than 5l behind them. Racing last of all, Sconsin was able to avoid the duel with over 10l behind the dueling duo and the filly.
The leaders were still locked in battle as they entered the final 400 metres but the rest of the field had closed the gap. Sconsin looked as though she had just entered the race in the stretch as she raced down the centre of the track and charged past the rest of the field.
Four Graces found a second wind and tried to go past her but could only finish second best by 2.25l with Never Forget (USA) (War Front {USA}) also making a late run to finish third.
“When this race came up on paper we sort of thought the pace scenario could work in our favor,” trainer Greg Foley told Thoroughbred Daily News. “This filly was very impressive at Keeneland against Four Graces. She got a great ride by James [Graham] and cruised home. It’s very exciting winning with a filly like this on such a big stage as Kentucky Oaks [Day]. Hopefully we can do it again tomorrow with Major Fed in the Derby.”
By Include, Sconsin is out of a half-sister to stakes placed Sentry (USA) (Silver Deputy {USA}) and is the only graded stakes winner under her first four dams with the family including five stakes winners. The filly’s fourth dam Naskra’s Return (USA) (Naskra {USA}) is out of a half-sister to prominent Japanese sire Brian’s Time (USA).
By My Standards adds to stakes tally in Alysheba
One of the most consistent older horses running this year, By My Standards (USA) (Goldencents {USA}) added a fourth Grade 2 victory to his resume in the G2 Alysheba S. presented by Sentient Jet.
Looking to break a two race string of seconds in the 1700 metre race, By My Standards immediately took the second spot at the leading Mr. Freeze’s (USA) (To Honor And Serve {USA}) hip. The field set easy fractions with the race quickly developing in the far turn as By My Standards confronted the leader along with Owendale (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}).
In the stretch By My Standards took the lead and while he was flanked by two rivals, they never were able to get within lead-stealing distance of the colt.
He crossed the line 1.75l ahead of Owendale with Silver Dust (USA) (Tapit {USA}) making a late bid to take third from McKinzie (USA) (Street Sense {USA}).
“Winning a race like this at Churchill is always special for our entire team,” said trainer Bret Calhoun. “This horse got in some interesting pace scenarios in the last two starts and today [jockey Gabe Saez] gave him the perfect ride and sat a perfect trip the entire way around there. It’s kind of weird to think the Alysheba is a prep for the Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) but we’re going to go with it and hope to get there in November.”
By My Standards is the best runner by two-time Breeders’ Cup winner Goldencents. The 4-year-old colt is one of two winners out of multiple stakes winner A Jealous Woman (USA) (Muqtarib {USA}) with each of his first five dams producing at least one stakes winner.
Diamond Oops wins again in Turf Sprint
Already a dual graded stakes winner on dirt, the versatile Diamond Oops (USA) (Lookin At Lucky {USA}) took his talents to the winner’s circle on turf Friday evening in the G2 Twin Spires Turf Sprint S. presented by Sysco.
The 5-year-old gelding broke closest to the hedge and quickly settled to the back of the field with just one horse beat early in the 1100 metre race.
Wellabled (USA) (Shackleford {USA}) and Just Might (USA) (Justin Phillip {USA}) duel on the front end for the first half of the race before Just Might grabbed the advantage coming into the straight. At the same time, Diamond Oops took advantage of his inside position to pick off most of the field in one fell swoop to enter the final 200 metres just behind the leaders.
The charging Extravagant Kid was the first to take the lead from Just Might on the outside as Diamond Oops passed him on the inside. Still running easily, Diamond Oops was able to wrangle the lead from Extravagant Kid (USA) (Kiss The Kid {USA}) in the final strides.
The gelding went on to win by a neck with long time leader Just Night 1l behind the duo in third.
“He ran big. He's an amazing horse,” said Florent Geroux. “Patrick (Biancone) always told me this horse has a little bit of some kind of physical problems, but he has the heart of a champion. He'll run on any kind of surface, any distance, from six furlongs to a mile. We saw him last year when he almost pulled it off in the (Grade1) Shadwell Turf Mile. I have no idea what's next for him, because he runs turf, he runs dirt, he does everything."
Diamond Oops is a half-brother to Patriotic Diamond (USA) (Hat Trick {Jpn}) with the pair out of Listed-winning Patriotic Viva (USA) (Whywhywhy {USA}) from the family of dual Grade 1 winner It’s The One (USA) (Dewan {USA}).
