Adding blinkers proved quite fruitful two days in a row for Brendan Walsh. 'TDN Rising Star' New Year's Eve (Kitten's Joy) donned blinkers for the first time Friday when registering an upset score in the GII Edgewood S. The additional equipment was even more lucrative for Walsh Saturday when Santin became the latest Grade I winner for his timeless sire Distorted Humor with a gutsy victory in the GI Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic S. at Churchill Downs.
Away alertly from the outside post in this 10-horse affair, the 7-1 shot tugged his way up into second, sitting off the speedy Tribhuvan (Fr)'s (Toronado {Ire}) flank through early fractions of :24.39 and :49.02. The Godolphin homebred allowed the pacesetter to pull clear, but still kept a close eye on him through three-quarters in 1:13.13. Shaken up by Tyler Gaffalione entering the lane, Santin was confronted by Mira Mission (Noble Mission {GB}) to his outside and those two drew clear of Tribhuvan in mid-stretch. The duo battled to the line, but Santin refused to be denied, digging in deep to keep Mira Mission at bay by a neck. Adhamo (Ire) (Intello {Ger}) completed the trifecta.
A debut winner at Indiana in September, Santin rallied to victory in a Keeneland allowance a month later and closed strongly to miss by just a neck in Del Mar's GI Hollywood Derby Nov. 27. Only able to manage fourth behind Cavalry Charge (Honor Code) and Adhamo when not getting much pace to run into in the GIII Fair Grounds S. Feb. 19, he raced closer to the pace last out when second in that venue's GII Muniz Memorial Classic S. Mar. 26.
Pedigree Notes:
With Saturday's victory, Santin makes 19 Grade I winners for the legendary Distorted Humor. He is also the 71st worldwide graded winner (68 NH & 3 SH) and 166th worldwide black-type winner (160 NH & 6 SH) for that WinStar stalwart. Santin is the third graded winner of the weekend at Churchill Downs out of a Medaglia d'Oro mare, following Friday's GII Alysheba S. winner Olympiad (Speightstown) and GII Twin Spires Turf Sprint S. victor Arrest Me Red (Pioneerof the Nile). He is also the fourth Grade I winner, 22nd graded victor and 58th black-type scorer produced by a daughter of that Darley stallion.
The winner's's dam, dual graded winner and Grade I-placed Sentiero Italia, is also a Godolphin homebred and made nearly $1 million under the care of retired trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. Santin is her first foal and her second foal Field Marshal (War Front) finished fourth in a maiden special weight at Churchill Thursday for trainer Bill Mott. The 10-year-old mare is also responsible for a juvenile colt by War Front and a yearling filly by Speightstown. The half-sister to Group 1 winner Ashkal Way (Ire) (Ashkalani {Ire}) visited Into Mischief last term.
Saturday, Churchill Downs
OLD FORESTER BOURBON TURF CLASSIC S.-GI, $1,000,000, Churchill Downs, 5-7, 4yo/up, 1 1/8mT, 1:49.72, fm.
1–SANTIN, 123, c, 4, by Distorted Humor
1st Dam: Sentiero Italia (MGSW & MGISP, $994,900), by Medaglia d'Oro
2nd Dam: Golden Way (Ire), by Cadeaux Genereux (GB)
3rd Dam: Diavolina, by Lear Fan
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brendan P. Walsh; J-Tyler Gaffalione. $595,200. Lifetime Record: 6-3-2-0, $813,200.
Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Mira Mission, 123, g, 4, Noble Mission (GB)–Kazamira, by Dynaformer. 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O-Mary Abeel Sullivan Revocable Trust; B-Mary A Sullivan (KY); T-Ian R. Wilkes. $192,000.
3–Adhamo (Ire), 123, c, 4, Intello (Ger)–Foreign Tune (GB), by Invincible Spirit (Ire). 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. (€250,000 3yo '21 ARARC). O-Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables LLC and Louis Lazzinnaro; B-Wertheimer et Frere (IRE); T-Chad C. Brown. $96,000.
Margins: NK, 6, 3/4. Odds: 7.10, 8.80, 2.40.
Also Ran: Shirl's Speight, Tribhuvan (Fr), Public Sector (GB), Bizzee Channel, Cavalry Charge, Kentucky Ghost. Scratched: Ivar (Brz).
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
