Harvey’s Lil Goil first Grade 1 winner for American Pharoah
American Pharoah (USA) hit a big milestone on Saturday with Harvey’s Lil Goil’s (USA) win in the 1800 metre G1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes Presented by Dixiana at Keeneland.
Racing just behind the pacesetter over the Keeneland Turf, the filly took the lead in the stretch and never looked back. She held off the late closing Micheline (USA) (Bernardini {USA}) by 0.75l with Galileo’s (Ire) Magic Attitude (GB) 0.5l back in third and Epaulette’s Red Lark (Ire) a further 0.5l behind her.
“She has a lot of natural speed,” said jockey Martin Garcia. “She’s fast – you can do whatever you want. After the break, I moved outside and she was really comfortable by herself. When it was time to go, I asked and she responded.”
Already a graded stakes winner and Grade 1-placed on dirt, Harvey’s Lil Goil is also a Grade 3 winner on the grass. She is out of a Tapit (USA) half-sister to dual US classic winner I’ll Have Another (USA) (Flower Alley {USA}) and is one of 10 stakes winners from American Pharoah’s first Northern Hemisphere crop.
Aquis Farm’s Lone Eagle wins Zetland
Aquis Farm scored a European victory on Saturday when their co-owned Lone Eagle (Ire) (Galileo {USA}) won the G3 Godolphin Flying Start Zetland S. over 2000 metres at Newmarket.
The 2-year-old led early in the race but lost the advantage for part of the run before picking it back up with 1200 metres left to run. Asked for his best by Silvestre De Sousa with 400 metres to run, the colt dug in late to hold off Recovery Run (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) by 1.75l with third-placed Mystery Angel (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}) 7l back in third.
“He’s a horse that would suit Epsom and the Derby is a great thing to think about,” said assistant trainer Freddie Meade. “He showed he can handle a quirky track like Goodwood and ran on quick ground first time and on good at Doncaster, so is versatile.”
A 500,000gns purchase by Aquis Farm at last year’s Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, Lone Eagle is the first runner for stakes winner Modernstone (GB) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}). The colt’s granddam is a full-sister to G1 Epsom Oaks winner Reams Of Verse (USA) (Nureyev {USA}) with Australasian stakes winners Two Illicit (NZ) (Jimmy Choux {NZ}), Disclaimer (GB) (Dansili {GB}), Midsummer Sun (GB) (Monsun {Ger}), Amralah (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) and Midterm (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) among those on his page.
Happy Saver gives Pletcher first Jockey Club Gold Cup victory
After suffering the agony of seeing his trainee Vino Rosso (USA) (Curlin {USA}) disqualified last year, trainer Todd Pletcher was able to win his first G1 Jockey Club Gold Cup with Happy Saver (USA) (Super Saver {USA}) on Saturday.
Racing just behind the leading Tacitus (USA) (Tapit {USA}) at the Belmont oval over 2000 metres, Happy Saver had to dig deep in the stretch to win but came out the victor by 0.75l over Mystic Guide (USA) (Ghostzapper {USA}).
"I was very proud of the horse and his performance,” Pletcher said. “I'm happy for the connections, [owner-breeders] Wertheimers have been loyal supporters for many years and I'm appreciative of that. It's great to get a Grade 1 win for them. He's by a Derby winner we trained, so it's fun all the way around.
Now undefeated in four starts, Happy Saver is by stakes-placed Happy Week (USA) (Distorted Humor {USA}), who is a granddaughter of bluehen mare Weekend Surprise (USA) (Secretariat {USA}). That mare’s foals included champion sire A.P. Indy (USA) (Seattle Slew {USA}) and dual Grade 1 winner Summer Squall (USA) (Storm Bird {USA}) with Australian stakes winners Ego’s Dare (Hussonet {USA}) and Honesty Prevails (Redoute’s Choice) among those hailing from the mare.
Jackie’s Warrior stays undefeated in Champagne
Already the leader of his division, Jackie’s Warrior (USA) (Maclean’s Music {USA}) added another stamp to his credentials with a wire-to-wire victory in the G1 Champagne S. at Belmont Park over 1600 metres.
There was no threat to the colt throughout the run with a burst of speed in the stretch putting away Reinvestment Risk (USA) (Upstart {USA}) by 5.5l with the rest of the field nearly 15l adrift of the winner.
"He had an easy half-mile and I'm surprised he came home that quick,” said trainer Steve Asmussen’s assistant Toby Sheets. “He's very impressive. He's a class act and does everything correct. The one-turn mile certainly didn't seem to bother him."
Undefeated in four starts and now a dual Grade 1 winner, Jackie’s Warrior sealed his fate as the favourite for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile with the victory. He is one of two winners out of 19-time winner Unicorn Girl (USA) (A. P. Five Hundred {USA}), a half-sister to three stakes horses from the family of Grade 1 winner Mayo On The Side (USA) (French Deputy {USA}).
Civil Union closes for Flower Bowl victory
The second G1 Flower Bowl S. winner in four years for her immediate family, Civil Union (USA) (War Front {USA}) registered her first Grade 1 victory in the 2000 metre turf race Saturday.
Running 5l off the leader with just one horse beat most of her trip around the Belmont Park oval, Civil Union showed an electrifying turn of foot to deny My Sister Nat (Fr) (Acclamation {GB}) by a head.
“It was close in the end, but she got the job done,” said jockey Joel Rosario. “She's a push-button filly. When you want her to go, she's just there for you, so she makes it easy for us. She gallops and gallops and had enough left to finish. It's nice to ride those kinds.”
Becoming the 23rd Grade 1 winner for her sire, Civil Union is just one successful horse from the family by War Front. One of four stakes horses by the sire and out of Photograph (USA) (Unbridled’s Song {USA}), her full brother Green Dispatch (USA) races in New Zealand.
Her dam is also a half-sister to G1 Flower Bowl winner War Flag (USA) (War Front {USA}) and Hong Kong champion Helene Super Star (USA) (War Front {USA}). Their dam is a half-sister to US champion turf sire Dyanformer (USA) (Roberto {USA}}).
Dayoutoftheoffice beats all in Frizette
Racing on the front end throughout, Dayoutoftheoffice (USA) became Into Mischief’s (USA) newest Grade 1 winner in the 1600 metre G1 Frizette S. at Belmont Park.
Putting on a dominant display, the filly beat race favourite Vequist (USA) (Nyquist {USA}) by 2l with the rest of the field more than 10l behind the pair.
“The plan was to have a fresh horse for this time of the year,” said trainer Tim Hamm, who was winning his first Grade 1. “We wanted to just train her a little lightly and have her fresh for the fall run. Everything went according to plan.”
By champion sire Into Mischief, Dayoutoftheoffice is out of a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Here Comes Ben (USA) (Street Cry {Ire}). Grade 1 winning third dam Race The Wild Wind (USA) (Sunny’s Halo {USA}) is also the dam of Grade 1 winner King Charlemagne (USA) (Nureyev {USA}) and the granddam of Grade 1 winners Albertus Maximus (USA) (Albert The Great {USA}) and Daredevil (USA) (More Than Ready {USA}).
Lady Wannabe wins Darley Stakes
Camelot (GB) daughter Lady Wannabe (Ire) won her second straight stakes on Saturday with a victory in the 1800 metre G3 Darley S. at Newmarket.
Racing in the rear early on, Lady Wannabe staged her assault late in the race and initially hung just outside the 200 metre mark. Jockey Jamie Spencer urged her to the lead with less than 100 metres left to run and she easily held off the second-placed Dream Castle (GB) (Frankel {GB}) by 1.75l at the end.
The filly is out of Group 3 winner Wannabe Better (Ire) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}), a three-quarter sister to Group 1 winner Wannabe Grand (Ire) (Danehill {USA}) with multiple half-sisters producing Australian stakes runners, including stakes-placed Aceland Street (Street Cry {Ire}) and Danjeu (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}).
Jouska newest stakes winner for Cable Bay
Woodside Park’s Cable Bay (Ire) registered a new stakes winner on Saturday when Jouska (GB) won the Listed Dubai British EBF Boadicea S. over 1200 metres.
Racing in the rear of the field early on, Jouska’s best running came in the final 200 metres to grab the lead late and win by 0.5l over Sunday Star (GB) (Kodiac {GB}).
Jouska is one of two stakes horses out of the winning Kingmambo (USA) mare Quiet Protest (USA), whose stakes-placed half-sister is a New Zealand resident. That mare, Swooning (Ire) (Raven’s Pass {USA}) is the dam of two-time winner Leo (I Am Invincible) and had a colt by Astern last year before being bred to Preferment (NZ).
Jouska is the second stakes winner and one of nine stakes horses for Cable Bay, whose first Australian-bred foals hit the track this season.
