Thursday, April 23, 2009
Frankel Sees Challenges For Champs Elysees in Closing-day Fifth Third Elkhorn
Racing fans lamenting the early retirement of the stars of Thoroughbred racing are in for a real treat on Friday, closing day of Keeneland’s spring season. The ninth race is the $200,000 Fifth Third Elkhorn (G2), a 1½-mile turf stakes that brings together a collection of older runners with a long list of accomplishments. Among them is Juddmonte Farms’ homebred Champs Elysees (GB), a two-time Grade 1 winner on turf who is the 2-1 morning line favorite.
A full brother to champions Intercontinental (GB) and Banks Hill (GB), Champs Elysees is coming off a second-place finish to Einstein (BRZ) in the March 7 Santa Anita Handicap (G1) over a synthetic surface. The Fifth Third Elkhorn marks the Keeneland debut for the 6-year-old son of Danehill, who has been at the track for some 10 days.
“There was really no other place to run him,” said trainer Bobby Frankel, being quite modest about the talents of the versatile Champs Elysees. “He’s got a chance. He’s giving everybody six pounds. He’s got a bad post; (it’s a) big field. Maybe we’ll get lucky.”
Ridden by Jose Valdivia Jr., Champs Elysees drew post 11 in the 12-horse race. His rivals include 2004 Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) winner Better Talk Now, who has competed in five consecutive runnings of the Breeders’ Cup Turf and is making his 10-year-old debut in the Fifth Third Elkhorn. Another is Always First (GB), who was second in the Fifth Third Elkhorn in 2007 and won Keeneland’s Sycamore (G3) last fall. Others include Brass Hat, Embossed (IRE) and Transduction Gold – all of whom competed in the Fifth Third Elkhorn last year. In fact, Transduction Gold is racing in the Fifth Third Elkhorn for the third consecutive year.
While discussing Champs Elysees, Frankel was sitting on a park bench outside his barn and watching multiple Grade 1 winner Ventura being bathed. Frankel said Ventura, another Juddmonte Farms homebred, would make her next start in the Just a Game (G1) over one mile on turf at Belmont Park on June 6. The 5-year-old daughter of Chester House won the race last year. At Keeneland on April 9, she was second to Informed Decision in the Vinery Madison (G2).
New York also will be the next destination for Champs Elysees. “There’s a lot of races for him there,” Frankel said. “We’ll see.”
KEENELAND SEPTEMBER YEARLING SALE YIELDS 12 KENTUCKY DERBY HOPEFULS
The 2007 Keeneland September Yearling Sale has yielded 12 of the 20 leading 3-year-olds by graded stakes earnings that are being pointed at the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1).
The group includes Toyota Blue Grass (G1) winner General Quarters and runner-up Hold Me Back; Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner Pioneerof the Nile; Louisiana Derby (G2) winner Friesan Fire; Illinois Derby (G2) winner Musket Man; and Grade 1 winner Square Eddie. Another standout is Florida Derby (G1) runner-up Dunkirk, who was sold for the sale-topping price of $3.7 million.
Keeneland sales graduates among the 20-leading Kentucky Derby contenders by graded stakes earners as of April 21:
Desert Party: $425,000 Keeneland September. Consignor: Hunter Valley Farm, agent, for Sinatra Thoroughbreds and Wayward Wind Farms. Buyer: Hidden Brook, agent for Paul Pompa Jr.
Dunkirk: $3.7 million Keeneland September. Consignor: Lane’s End, agent. Buyer: Demi O’Byrne.
Flying Private: $700,000 Keeneland September. Consignor: Mulholland Springs, agent. Buyers: Robert Baker and William Mack.
Friesan Fire: $725,000 RNA Keeneland September. Consignor: Vinery Ltd.
General Quarters: $20,000 Keeneland September. Consignor: Paramount Sales, agent. Buyers: Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey.
Hold Me Back: $400,000 Keeneland September. Consignor: Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent. Buyer: Maverick Racing.
Mr. Hot Stuff: $200,000 Keeneland September. Consignor: James B. Keogh, agent. Buyer: Tony Lacy, agent.
Musket Man: $15,000 Keeneland September. Consignor: Hidden Brook, agent. Buyer: Vic Carlson.
Pioneerof the Nile: $290,000 Keeneland September. Consignor: Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency, agent. Buyer: Zayat Stables.
Square Eddie: $200,000 Keeneland September. Consignor: Brookdale Sales, agent. Buyer: Kern/Lillingston Association, agent.
West Side Bernie: $62,000 Keeneland January. Consignor: Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency, agent. Buyer: Indian Hill Farm. $50,000 Keeneland September. Consignor: Eaton Sales, agent. Buyer: Kelly Breen, agent for K&G Stables.
Win Willy: $25,000 Keeneland September. Consignor: Eaton Sales, agent for Overbrook Farm. Buyer: Jer-Mar Stables
A GREAT DAY FOR ‘Ws’ IN KEENELAND’S FINAL SPRING MEETING HANDICAPPING CONTEST
Brian Walsh nailed the last two winners on the Wednesday Keeneland card and went back to his home in Long Beach, New York, $1,300 richer and the winner of the final Keeneland Handicapping Contest presented by Formulator Web of the 2009 spring meeting. Walsh edged Florence, Kentucky, resident Joe Whitford, who held a slim lead going into the final race of the day.
“Jon Court flew in to ride Gloria Goodbody for John Glenney, so I knew she was live,” Walsh said. “She was the only speed in the race and a huge price ($70.80). I picked four winners on the card but I should have had five. There was a trainer from Tampa Bay Downs on our plane here and he told me to bet on Tom Proctor’s filly in the sixth (Prytania). Even though she looked good in the (Daily Racing) Form, I didn’t listen and bet on a loser.”
Despite getting beat in the last race, Whitford had a super day as he finished second, third and fifth using his maximum of three entries, and banked $984 for a solid day of handicapping. Cash prizes were paid to the top 10 finishers from the $2,720 purse.
“It was only Mr. Walsh’s second trip to Keeneland and he seemed to be right on top of the action,” said contest coordinator Jude Feld. “He was really worried going into the ninth race, but when he backed the winner, he knew he couldn’t be any worse than second. Even though Mr. Whitford missed out on the top prize, he holds the distinction of cashing on all three of his cards. That was a first in Keeneland’s live meet contests and a very difficult feat to accomplish.”
2009 KEENELAND SPRING MEET LEADERS
(Stats Through Wednesday, April 22)
Current Meet Leading Jockeys
Name Sts 1st 2nd 3rd Purses
Julien Leparoux 89 25 18 10 $1,233,022
Kent Desormeaux 79 15 10 12 1,068,550
John Velazquez 50 11 5 5 639,793
Garrett Gomez 46 10 8 8 718,758
Rene Douglas 51 8 8 7 362,340
Miguel Mena 77 7 7 15 411,035
Jamie Theriot 49 7 3 5 280,405
Shaun Bridgmohan 49 6 1 4 237,795
Corey Lanerie 46 5 5 1 422,550
Robby Albarado 85 4 16 8 332,651
Edgar Prado 52 4 11 8 456,101
Current Meet Leading Trainers
Name Sts 1st 2nd 3rd Purses
Bill Mott 36 6 6 6 $658,165
Shug McGaughey 21 6 4 6 401,385
George Arnold II 22 6 1 3 206,775
Michael Maker 32 5 8 4 198,575
Wesley Ward 16 4 5 1 158,680
Todd Pletcher 22 4 2 2 382,740
Steve Asmussen 18 4 2 2 156,045
Jonathan Sheppard 8 4 1 1 416,725
Barclay Tagg 14 3 2 3 147,245
Ian Wilkes 17 3 2 2 141,820
Ken McPeek 17 3 1 2 179,186
Michael Matz 21 3 1 1 131,105
Tom Amoss 14 3 0 1 67,765
Angel Penna Jr. 6 3 0 1 135,775
Current Meet Leading Owners
Name Wins
Augustin Stable (George Strawbridge) 5
WinStar Farm LLC (Bill Casner, et al) 5
Phipps Stable (Ogden Mills Phipps, et al) 4
Ken & Sarah Ramsey 4
Dixiana Stables Inc. (William Shively) 3
Heiligbrodt Racing Stable (Bill & Corrine Heiligbrodt) 3