Pat Day Mile

To say that the connections of Seize the Grey (Arrogate) were disappointed that the 3-year-old wouldn't be making it into the starting gate for the GI Kentucky Derby is an understatement. D. Wayne Lukas, who had Just Steel (Justify) tabbed to run later in the day, felt that the MyRacehorse runner could also have also been competitive in the Run For the Roses. While things didn't pan out for the grey to make it into the big dance, he still came away a winner Saturday, taking the GII Pat Day...

Vlahos (r, 3, Kantharos--Must Be Dreaming, by Run Away and Hide), a razor sharp debut winner for owner Dan Northrup and trainer Luis Mendez with a 98 Beyer Speed Figure at Santa Anita Mar. 9, has been purchased privately by Ty Leatherman and Todd Cady and transferred to Doug O'Neill. The sale price was not disclosed. The chestnut, a steal for $35,000 as a Keeneland September yearling, is aiming to make his next start in the $600,000 GII Pat Day Mile S. on the Kentucky Derby undercard. He has posted...

Trainer Todd Pletcher reported that both of his fillies that contested Friday's GI Central Bank Ashland S. emerged from the efforts none the worse for wear, but are likely to part company for the time being. 'TDN Rising Star' Leslie's Rose (Into Mischief) atoned for her third in the GII Davona Dale S. with a good-looking three-length victory in the Ashland, earning herself a ticket to the May 3 GI Kentucky Oaks in the process. "We are trying to sort things out, and we will let the dust settle from...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Courtlandt Farms' General Jim (Into Mischief) continued his all-conquering sire's fantastic weekend with a game neck victory over Fort Bragg (Tapit) after a stretch-long battle in Saturday's GII Pat Day Mile S. at Churchill Downs. Gilmore (Twirling Candy) finished third. "It was a magnificent win," winning owner Don Adams said. "To win on a day like today is truly special. He's become a nice horse, very special. He's won two in a row now and hopefully we'll see good things down the road. We'll let (trainer) Shug...

Coming from a culture where most wagering stipulates a fixed dividend, in the startling event that your horse happens to see through his part of the deal, I tend to view the morning line on American races as named for the hangover evidently being suffered by its compiler. Certainly by the time the market has been soberly hydrated with dollars and cents, I won't be expecting anything as close to an even play as the 4-5 listed about Forte (Violence) overcoming the wide draw that appears to introduce his only...

'TDN Rising Star' Jack Christopher (Munnings) returns to action Saturday in the GII Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs. A dazzling debut winner at Saratoga Aug. 18, the flashy chestnut scored another decisive victory in Belmont's GI Champagne S. Oct. 2, earning a 102 Beyer Speed Figure. He was the early favorite for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, but was scratched by the vet the day before the race. A stress fracture was discovered in the colt's left shin that required a screw to be inserted and he returned to...

J. Kirk and Judy Robison's Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) returns to one turn for the first time since winning the GI Champagne S. last October as the likely favorite in Saturday's GII Pat Day Mile beneath the Twin Spires. A $95,000 Keeneland September purchase, Jackie's Warrior is perfect in four starts up to a mile, having stamped himself as the leader of his generation with powerful front-running victories in the GII Saratoga Special S. and GI Hopeful S. ahead of a 5 1/2-length tally in the Champagne that made him...

One-turn mile graded races always attract intriguing fields, and Saturday's GII Pat Day Mile S. for sophomores at Churchill is no exception. Favored on the morning line is the Coolmore contingent's $3.65-million Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream buy Cezanne (Curlin). A debut winner sprinting at Santa Anita June 6, he added a first-level allowance tally going this distance (but around two turns) at Los Alamitos July 2. The Bob Baffert trainee didn't necessarily win like his 1-9 odds that day suggested he might, however, and then could only manage fourth--albeit while earning a...

Mr. Money has proven more or less unbeatable since a breakout romp in the GIII Pat Day Mile on GI Kentucky Derby Day May 4, and the progressive colt strung together his fourth consecutive win Saturday while becoming a millionaire. Breaking well from a high draw, the heavy favorite locked on to Plus Que Parfait early and traveled under stout restraint through opening splits of :24.42 and :49.10. He poked a head in front turning for home, and was clearly going much better than his rivals as he hit the...