Fair Grounds

10th-Fair Grounds, $50,000, Msw, 1-2, 3yo, 6f, 1:11.06, ft, 2 1/4 lengths. Making his first career trip to the post, DEFEATER (c, 3, Union Rags--Internal Affair, by Orientate) spoiled the debuts of the Godolphin favored entry of Colonel Bowman (Curlin) and Gershwin (Distorted Humor) to take out the Saturday finale at Fair Grounds. A firming proposition to be off as the 8-5 second favorite, the $210,000 Keeneland September yearling graduate raced last but one as Gershwin conducted his business up front. That half-brother to 'TDN Rising Star' Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper)...

Leave it to one of the darkest days of the year to deliver two glimmering equine efforts that could combust into shining stars for the 2021 racing season. On the cusp of the winter solstice, breakout races book-ended the Saturday Fair Grounds card. One was a smart, step-wise progression by a juvenile colt in a NW2L allowance who now has credible GI Kentucky Derby aspirations. The other was an admirably impressive comeback by a still-undefeated 3-year-old whose own chance at the 2020 Derby got derailed by injuries and untimely setbacks....

The Tenacious S. at Fair Grounds was the site of the eagerly anticipated return of MAXFIELD (c, 3, Street Sense--Velvety, by Bernardini), whose stop-and-start nature of his career due to injury has done nothing to diminish the excitement surrounding the undefeated colt. Bursting onto the scene in September of 2019 in a one-mile Churchill maiden, he won like a good horse and promptly made the jump to the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland, winning by 5 1/2 lengths to be slated as one of the top contenders for the...

Quick Tempo (Tapizar), a debut winner over the Arlington synthetic Aug. 20 and off the board after dueling in the grassy Ontario Racing S. at Woodbine Sept. 19, posted a big figure allowance win at Parx at third asking Oct. 20. He lost little in defeat staying on for second after setting a hot pace in the Nyquist S. on the Breeders' Cup Friday undercard at Keeneland Nov. 6. Favored at 4-5 to post a career high here, the dark bay broke like a rocket from his rail draw, was...

1st-Fair Grounds, $48,500, Alw, 12-19, (NW2L), 2yo, 1 1/16m, 1:45.56, ft, 2 1/2 lengths. PROXY (c, 2, Tapit--Panty Raid {MGISW, $1,052,380}, by Include) missed by a neck in his off-the-turf debut at Monmouth Oct. 24 and broke through next out here Nov. 26. Hammered down to 3-5 favoritism in this four-horse affair, the Godolphin homebred seized the early advantage as he did in his graduation and was hounded by his rivals through a :24.97 first quarter. Briefly headed by Assumption (Medaglia d'Oro), the bay regained command as the half went...

7th-Fair Grounds, $47,000, Msw, 12-18, 2yo, f, 1m 70y, 1:44.37, ft, 5 1/4 lengths. DIVINE COMEDY (f, 2, Into Mischief--Via Strata, by Street Cry {Ire}) could only manage sixth in her 6 1/2-panel unveiling at Churchill Downs Sept. 17 and received Lasix for this first try at two turns. Going straight to the front, the 3-1 shot walked the dog through a half-mile in :48.40 and continued unchallenged into the lane, cruising clear to a 5 1/2-length success. Wicked Bisou (Wicked Strong), the half-sister to champion Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute),...

Sun Path (Munnings) was heavily favored at 1-5 to improve off a good-looking maiden breaker last time and ran to the money with an ultra-impressive victory at Fair Grounds Friday. The Juddmonte homebred stalked from second, keeping a close eye as Rock Star Parking (Upstart) clicked off opening splits of :24.05 and :47.72. Taking control at the three-eighths pole, the chestnut ran with her head cocked to the right as she ran on the wrong lead in early stretch. Once she swapped leads midway down the lane, Sun Path took...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency SIX-FIGURE MEDAG COLT MAKES FIRST START AT TAMPA 3rd-TAM, $27.5K, Msw, 2yo, 1m 40yds, 1:12 p.m. Godolphin's NEW DAWN (Medaglia d'Oro), a $600,000 KEESEP buy, will face the starter for the first time Saturday at Tampa. She is out of SW Wait Til Dawn (Giant's Causeway), who is a full-sister to GSW Excited, who in turn is the dam of SW & MGSP Thrilled (Uncle Mo). This is also the family of MGISW Spain (Thunder Gulch). TJCIS PPs   PLETCHER UNVEILS PRICEY 'CHROME' COLT 5th-AQU,...

8th-Fair Grounds, $48k, Alw, N2L, 2yo, f, 1m70yds, post time: 5:23 p.m. ET Juddmonte homebred SUN PATH (Munnings) stretches to two turns and takes on winners for the first time for Brad Cox following a good-looking, maiden breaker at second asking going seven furlongs at Churchill Downs Nov. 8. The 2-year-old is a full-sister to the Cox-trained Bonny South, heroine of this year's GII Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks and runner-up in the GI Alabama S. Her dam is a half to French Group 1 winner Etoile Montante (Miswaki), who is...

Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, crediting strong simulcast handle, has announced a 10% across-the-board purse increase. "We're extremely excited to announce a 10% increase to our daily purse structure," Fair Grounds' racing secretary Scott Jones said. "Based on the strong early handle returns and continued support from our owners and horsemen, we are in a position to raise purses." As a result of the increase, which will go into effect for condition book #3 (which starts Jan. 1), purses on allowance races will be bumped up $3,000, while all...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency DOC GIRL (Elusive Quality), a $320,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase and the most expensive of her late sire's progeny to sell in 2019, is a half-sister to MSW Doc Boy (Into Mischief) and is out of an unraced daughter of Eclipse Award-winning turf distaffer Perfect Sting (Red Ransom), herself the dam of GSW Smart Sting (Smart Strike) and GSP Perfect Bullet (El Prado {Ire}). TJCIS PPs

8th-Fair Grounds, $47,000, Msw, 11-27, 2yo, 6f, 1:10.15, ft, 3 1/4 lengths. SWIFTSURE (c, 2, Uncle Mo--Island Saint {GSP, $133,860}, by Speightstown) had lit up the Fair Grounds main track in his two most recent morning trials--a bullet five furlongs from the gate in :59 4/5 (1/24) Nov. 13 and five-eighths in 1:00 flat (2/45) a week later--and was no secret at 11-10 to get his career off on a high note. Very alertly into stride, the dark bay colt set a pressured pace down inside from the much more...