American Pharoah Stakes Racing Roundup

©2019 Calvin L. Carter. All rights reserved.

The Road to the Kentucky Derby will span two continents this weekend with the $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park on Friday. The European Road to the Kentucky Derby starts Saturday with the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes (Group 2) at the Newmarket Racecourse Rowley Mile in Suffolk, England. The European road to Derby glory continues Sunday with the Juddmonte Beresford Stakes (Group 2) at Naas Racecourse in County Kildare, Ireland.

Let’s look at the American Pharoah Stakes (G1) which is the first Grade One race on the Kentucky Derby Trail and a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Challenge Race.

Hall of Fame Trainer Bob Baffert sends EIGHT RINGS to the starting gate as the 9-5 morning line favorite and he comes into this race with a 1-0-0 in two starts. His last race was the Del Mar Futurity (G1) where he lost his jockey out early in the race. So, here’s a look at video and chart call of his maiden debut win at Del Mar on August 4:

EIGHT RINGS had speed off the rail then dueled thee deep, took the lead on the turn, kicked clear and angled to the inside leaving the turn and drew off under a brisk hand ride a couple backhanded taps of the whip and steady handling late.

Eight Rings looked good to win his maiden debut by an impressive 6¼ lengths.

Empire Maker, the sire of Eight Rings, was a good, competitive runner that compiled a 4-3-1 record in eight starts with $1,985,800 in career earnings.

As a two-year-old his most notable race finish was third in the Remsen Stakes (G2).

At the age of three, Empire Maker won the Florida Derby (G1), Wood Memorial Stakes (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1). He finished second in the Kentucky Derby (G1), Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) and Sham Stakes.

As a stallion, Empire Maker has sired numerous outstanding runners such as Royal Delta, Pioneerof the Nile, Grace Hall, Emollient, Bodemeister, Mushka, Acoma and In Lingerie to name a few.

Eight Rings has an A Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® and I look for him to run a good race

EXPRESS TRAIN (4-1) comes into this race with a 1-1-0 record in two starts including a maiden win last out at Del Mar on August 28. Here’s the video and chart call of that race:

EXPRESS TRAIN had good early speed and set a pressured pace inside, dueled between foes a half mile out, regained the advantage into the second turn, inched away a bit off the rail leaving that turn and drew off under some urging with the whip turned down and hand urging, then a left-handed crack of the whip a sixteenth out.

Express Train showed his talent and looked good breaking his maiden by an impressive 14 lengths. Also, in his debut he finished a respectable second to Eight Rings.

Union Rags, the sire of Express Train, was a competitive colt on the trail to the 2012 Kentucky Derby (G1), compiling an overall 5-1-1 record in eight career starts with $1,798,800 in earnings.

As a two-year-old, he won the Three Chimneys Saratoga Special (G2) and Champagne (G1) stakes and finished second in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) stakes.

At the age of three, Union Rags won the Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth (G2) stakes and finished third in the Florida Derby (G1) en route to a seventh-place finish in the Kentucky Derby (G1). He finished his career with a narrow win by a neck over Paynter in the Belmont (G1) stakes.

As a stallion, Union Rags’ leading lifetime runners with career earnings over $500,000 include: Paradise Woods, Free Drop Billy (a yearling we profiled [Hip 104] at the 2016 Keeneland September Sale), Union Strike, Dancing Rags, Tequilita, Catalina Cruiser, and No Dozing.

Express Train is a colt we profiled (Hip 1016) as a yearling at the 2018 Keeneland September Sale and he has an A+ Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile®. I look for him to run a good race and, perhaps, upset.

NUCKY (10-1) comes into this race for trainer Peter Miller with a 2-1-0 record in five starts including a win in the Runhappy Del Mar Futurity (G1) last out. Here’s the video and chart call:

NUCKY dueled outside then four wide into the turn and three deep leaving the turn, bumped with a rival while taking the lead in upper stretch, inched away in mid-stretch, drifted in and won clear under urging.

Coming into the Del Mar Futurity off a 10-length victory last out, Nucky looked go to claim his first graded stakes win by 2¾ lengths.

Ghostzapper, a 2012 Hall of Fame inductee and the sire of Nucky, was an incredibly talented, multiple graded stakes winner that compiled a 9-0-1 record in 11 starts with $3,466,120 in career earnings.

As a two-year-old, Ghostzapper won his maiden special weight debut by nine lengths and was 1-0-0 in two starts. At the age of three, Ghostzapper won the Vosburgh Stakes (G1) and finished third in the King’s Bishop (G1), compiling a 3-0-1 record in four starts.

As a four-year-old, Ghostzapper was undefeated in four starts winning the Tom Fool Handicap (G2), Philip H. Iselin Breeders’ Cup Handicap (G3), Woodward Stakes (G1) and the Breeders’ Cup Classic Powered by Dodge (G1). In addition, Ghostzapper was selected as the 2004 Eclipse Horse of the Year and Eclipse Champion Older Horse.

In his only start as a five-year-old, Ghostzapper was a 6 ¼ length winner of the one-mile Metropolitan Handicap (G1).

As a stallion, Ghostzapper’s leading lifetime runners include: Shaman Ghost, Moreno, Judy the Beauty, Paulassilverlining, Better Lucky, Stately Victor, Molly Morgan, Contested and McCraken to name a few.

Nucky has a B Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® and that makes him competitive in this race.

AMERICAN THEOREM (5-1) comes into this race off a maiden debut win for trainer George Papaprodromou. Here’s the video and chart call of that race:

AMERICAN THEOREM stalked off the rail, waited off heels into the turn, came out three deep into the stretch to gain the lead in upper stretch, inched away in mid-stretch, drifted to the inside and proved best by under a steady hand ride and hold late.

American Theorem stalked the pace for most of the race until he took the lead in the stretch and pulled away to win by an easy 1½ lengths.

American Theorem has a C Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® and his Behavior Index makes him competitive in this race.

American Pharoah, the sire of American Theorem, was an outstanding runner and the 2015Triple Crown winner that compiled a 9-1-0 record in 11 starts with $8,650,300 in career earnings.

As a two-year-old, American Pharoah was 2-0-0 in three starts with wins in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) and FrontRunner Stakes (G1).

At the age of three, American Pharoah won the Kentucky Derby (G1), Preakness Stakes (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1). In addition, he won the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1), Arkansas Derby (G1) and Rebel Stakes (G2). He finished second in the Travers Stakes (G1).

As a stallion, American Pharoah’s first crop of runners began racing in 2019. One of his runners, Monarch of Egypt, is a colt we profiled (Hip 554) at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale and he’s running Saturday in the Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes (Group 1) at Newmarket Racecourse. A bay colt by American Pharoah out of Up (IRE) by Galileo (IRE), Monarch of Egypt has an A+ Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile®.

*****

A total of 35 races comprise the Road to the Kentucky Derby. In addition, there are seven races on the European road to the Kentucky Derby and four races on the Japan road to Derby glory.

2019/2020 KENTUCKY DERBY LEADERBOARD

Ranking, total points, Trainer

1. Dennis’ Moment, 10, Dale Romans,

2. +Scabbard, 4, Eddie Kenneally

3. Lebda, 2, Claudio Gonzalez

4. Letmeno, 1, Ian Wilkes

          + = A young colt we profiled as a yearling (Hip 802) at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Iroquois Stakes Racing Roundup

©2019 Calvin L. Carter. All rights reserved.

The much anticipated journey on the 2019-2020 Road to the Kentucky Derby begins Saturday at Churchill Downs with the 38^th running of the $200,000 Iroquois Stakes (G3). DENNIS’ MOMENT, the 9-5 favorite, heads the field of 10 runners that will go to the post at 5:26 p.m. ET.

Dennis’ Moment comes int this race for trainer Dale Romans off an exciting 19-length maiden win at Ellis Park on July 27. Here’s the video and chart call:

DENNIS’ MOMENT was away early to set the pace at the outset, was off the rail into the lane then drew off from rivals with ease down the lane under a brisk drive and demolished the field.

Dennis’ Moment looked good breaking his maiden with ease by 19 lenghts, perhaps, giving us a preview of more good things to come.

Tiznow, the sire of Dennis’ Moment, was a multiple graded-stakes winner and an outstanding router who compiled an 8-4-2 record in 15 starts with $6,427,830 in career earnings.

Tiznow did not race until he was three years old, making nine starts and compiling 5-3-0 record with $3,445,950 in earnings. His stakes wins include the Affirmed Handicap (G3), Goodwood Breeders’ Cup Handicap (G2), the Super Derby (G1) by six lengths and he finished the season with a win in the most 2000 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) where he defeated the European champion Giant’s Causeway by a neck.

As a four-year-old, Tiznow was 3-1-2 in six starts and $2,981,880 in earnings with stakes wins in the San Fernando Breeders’ Cup Stakes (G2), the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) and he successfully defended his title of champion in Breeders’ Cup Classic when he defeated the European invader and formidable winner of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Sakhee, by a nose.

As a stallion, his leading lifetime runners include: Well Armed, Tourist, Colonel John, Tizway, Morning Line, Tiz Miz Sue, Folklore, Bullsbay, Tough Tiz’s Sis, Gemologist, Da’ Tara and Strong Mandate.

Dennis’ Moment has an F Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® but his Behavior Index makes him competitive in this race.

A long shot I like is JANUARY WON (15-1) who steps up to stakes competition off a maiden debut win for trainer Ken McPeek. Here’s the video and chart call:

JANUARY WON settled into the two path after the field had been sent off and running, pursued the pace from between rivals for the majority of the run around the bend, stepped onto the head of the stretch, narrowed in, shoe-horned itself in between the ones to catch inside the sixteenth pole, wrested away the advantage in the final forty yards and shook free.

January Won showed a lot of grit in his debut win and I like the way he wrestled between horses in the final yards to get up for the win.

New Year’s Day, the sire of January Won, only raced as a two-year-old and he was a colt I liked to win the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Stake (G1). In December, New Year’s Day showed some tenderness in his right hind after a gallop and X-rays showed that he had a sesamoid injury.

His connections retired New Year’s Day who finished his career with a 2-0-1 record in three starts including a 1¼-length win in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Stakes (G1).

As a stallion, New Year’s Day’s most notable runner is Maximum Security who finished first in the 2019 Kentucky Derby (G1) but was placed 17^th due to interference with War of Will at the top of the stretch.

Other leading  progeny include Bourbon Resolution, Fighting Mad, Direct Order and New Year’s Wish to name a few.

January Won was a colt (Hip 88) we profiled at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton July Kentucky Select Yearling Sale and he has a B Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile®.

It remains to be seen if he can step up to win in stakes competition. However, January Won has room to improve in his second start of the season, and, perhaps upset at a nice price.

FLUTE MAKER (8-1) is also trained by Ken McPeek and he comes into this race off an impressive maiden win at Saratoga on August 21. Here’s the video and chart call:

FLUTE MAKER broke a half step slow, recovered to track the vanguard down the backstretch, advanced four wide to make a bid midway through the turn then took a short lead, was asked while moving out five wide outside the quarter-pole, shook clear into the sixth path into the stretch, was put to a right-handed whip outside the furlong marker, widened under the whip until outside the sixteenth-pole then was placed under a strong hand ride, continued under a strong hand ride until the final seventy yards before being eased up while much the best.

Flute Maker looked good breaking his maiden over a sloppy track by an impressive 11-length margin.

Sky Mesa, the sire of Flute Maker, was a multiple graded-stakes winner that compiled a 3-1-1 record in six starts with $633,076 in career earnings.

As a two-year-old, Sky Mesa was undefeated in three starts with stakes wins in the Hopeful Stakes (G1) and Lane’s End Breeders’ Futurity (G2).

At the age of three, Sky Mesa compiled an 0-1-1 record in three stars with a second-place finish in the Haskell Invitational Handicap (G2) and third-place in the Dwyer Stakes (G2).

As a stallion, Sky Mesa’s notable leading lifetime runners include General Quarters, Sky Diva, Perfect Alibi, Ami’s Mesa, Dynamic Sky and Thiskyhasnolimit to name a few.

Flute Maker has an A Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® and I look for him to take another step forward.

SCABBARD (5-1) comes into this race with a 1-1-0 record in two starts for trainer Eddie Kenneally including a second-place finish in the Saratoga Special Stakes (G2). Here’s the video and chart call of that race:

SCABBARD came in while breaking near the back of the field, settled towards the rear of the field, saved ground while roused on the turn, swung three wide into the stretch then came under the whip an safely secured the place while no match for the winner.

Scabbard finished a respectable second in his stakes debut just 3¾ lengths shy of victory.

More Than Ready, the sire of Scabbard, was a multiple graded-stakes winner that compiled a 7-4-1 record in 17 starts with $1,026,229 in earnings. He won the WHAS-11 Stakes, Flash Stakes, Tremont Stakes (G3), Sanford Stakes (G2), Hutcheson Stakes (G2) and finished second in the Louisiana Derby (G2) and Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1) in route to a fourth-place finish in the 2000 Kentucky Derby (G1).

At stud, More Than Ready made quite a mark with in Australia with his sons Phelan Ready and Sebring who were champion 2-year-colts with over $2 million in career earnings. Some of his best runners in America have been the turf-sprinter Regally Ready with over $1 million in career earnings and Pluck, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Stakes (G2) and Summer Stakes (G3) with $727,290 in career earnings, and Verrazano.

Scabbard Has a C Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® and his Behavior Index makes him competitive in this race.

Honorable mention goes to Rowdy Yates (7-2), Letmeno (10-1) and Lebda (10-1).