FAIR GROUNDS: SUPER SANTA TURF, DIRT STAKES RECAPS

By Michael Adolphson —-

WESTERN RESERVE A DETERMINED DILIBERTO WINNER; CASH CONTROL, GREEN MASK BEST IN TOUGH BATTLES

NEW ORLEANS (December 17, 2016) – Marc Detampel’s Western Reserve ($10.60, $5.20 and $3.60) provided a quick return on investment for his owner and trainer Brad Cox as the son of Indian Charlie stalked, pounced and held off a trio of challengers to win his first start for said connections in the $75,000 Buddy Diliberto Memorial on Saturday afternoon at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. Ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan, the recent $87,000 Keeneland November purchase held off Michael Hui’s Mike Maker-trained Greengrassofyoming ($6.60 and $4.40) under Robby Albarado by a nose, with Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey’s Maker-trained Granny’s Kitten under Miguel Mena another nose back in third. To that trio’s inside, and another half-length back, was local favorite Chocolate Ride, who failed to crack the top three under Florent Geroux in his first start in seven months for Cox and owner GenStar Thoroughbreds.

“I had a good trip,” Bridgmohan said. “There were two in front of me and I had the perfect stalking trip. When I called on him, he responded very well. He kept digging and giving me everything he’s got and that’s all you can ask.”

“He’s been working like a really good horse,” Cox added. “He’s a tough horse and showed that today. He tries really hard. We’ll look down the road at the other turf stakes here for him.”
Western Reserve broke from post seven of 12 and stalked the early pace set by Sky Flight and defending Diliberto winner Ibaka, who carved out fractions of 23.83 and 48.62. Around the far turn, Bridgmohan engaged the leaders through three-quarters in 1:13.32 before forging to the front at the top of the stretch. Pursued throughout the lane by Granny’s Kitten and Chocolate Ride, he outfought said challengers before holding off a late surge by Greengrassofyoming and hitting the wire in 1:43.25. Western Reserve won for the fourth time in 15 starts and earned $45,000 to increase his career mark to $211,795.
“I had a nice run (on Greengrassofyoming),” Albarado said. “I think it is a little short for him. I think the next race for him is a little further and will be a little better for him.”
“(Granny’s Kitten) ran a big race,” Mena said. “I had a great trip behind the winner and turning for home we thought we had it, but the winner just held on.”
“I had a good trip,” Geroux said of Chocolate Ride, who was seeking the only open two-turn Fair Grounds turf stakes the 6-year-old had not won. “I thought I had them when I split horses. He steadied a little bit and was maybe a little bit rusty. Hopefully he can move forward from this.”
“He ran an even race,” Cox added on Chocolate Ride. “He made a run coming down the lane, which is positive coming off the layoff. We didn’t think he was 100-percent and he should improve and the mile and an eighth next time should help him.”
Pumpkin Rumble, Glorious Empire (IRE), Belomor, R. Great Adventure, Oakton, Golden Soul, Ibaka and Sky Flight completed the order of finish.

Earlier in the day, the $75,000 Blushing K. D. Stakes produced a thrilling stretch battle between the top two finishers in last month’s Grade III Cardinal Handicap at Churchill Downs, with Richard and Bertram Klein’s Cash Control and Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey’s Kitten’s Roar knocking heads through the lane. Cash Control gamely fought back after being passed in mid-stretch to post a head victory in the 1 1/16-miles event over the Stall-Wilson turf course.

Trained by Brad Cox, Cash Control was ridden again by her regular rider Shaun Bridgmohan and was rated comfortably off the race’s loose early leader, Freudie Anne, through splits of 23.44, 48.24 and 1:12.94. As that leader began to tire, Cash Control took aim nearing the top of the lane to briefly take the lead before being headed and passed by the Mike Maker-trained Kitten’s Roar under Florent Geroux. The race favorite, however, was not to be denied, battling back in deep stretch to stop the clock in 1:42.92. Darrell and Sadie Brommer’s Prado’s Sweet Ride was another 3½ lengths back in third under Francisco Torres for trainer Richie Scherer.

“She’s an ultra-game filly,” Bridgmohan said. “She dug in today. That horse passed her and she gutted it out. She’s a very nice filly and has been very good to me.”

“The filly in front was just super-game and kept going,” Geroux added. “I thought I had her, but she didn’t give up.”

The 5-year-old daughter of Pioneerof the Nile earned her 10th win from 20 lifetime starts and crossed the half-million dollar mark in career earnings after the $45,000 winner’s share boosted her bankroll to $536,794, making her the highest-earning offspring of star broodmare Hidden Assets. She returned $4, $2.40 and $2.20. Kitten’s Roar paid $3.20 and $2.80, with Prado’s Sweet Return returning $10.20.

Uchenna (IRE), Whiskey Eyes, Nisharora (IRE), Secret Someone, Quest (GB), Freudie Anne, Selenite, Dynazar and Zeta Zody completed the running order.

Two races prior, Abdullah Saeed Almaddah’s even-money favorite Green Mask settled in just behind the pace set by Steve Vanovich et al.’s Latent Revenge before angling out turning for home to score a hard-fought neck victory in the $75,000 Bonapaw Stakes over 5½ furlongs on the Stall-Wilson turf course.

Trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Robby Albarado, Green Mask acquitted himself admirably in last month’s Grade I Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at about 6½ furlongs down the hill at Santa Anita and relished the class relief in the Bonapaw.

“He actually put me there within himself so I was very comfortable,” Albarado said. “[Latent Revenge] ran exceptionally well, because it took me a bit to get by him.”

Latent Revenge sped to the lead at the break and clocked off splits of 22 flat and 45.67 under Francisco Torres while maintaining a clear lead into the stretch. The Greg Foley trainee stayed on gamely but could not turn back the favorite’s class-dropping charge in the final yards while finishing a length clear of William Stiritz’s Scott Becker-trained warhorse Hogy, who closed resolutely under Joe Rocco, Jr.

“I thought we had it,” Torres said. “Greg had him right and he ran his eyeballs out, but he just got beat at the wire. Sometimes it’s a big difference between five and five and a half furlongs. He ran a big race.”

Green Mask won for the fifth time in 21 career starts and earned $45,000 for the victory, padding his career bankroll to $600,916. The Bonapaw was the second stakes win for Green Mask and first under conditioner Brad Cox, who took over training earlier this year. The 5-year-old son of Mizzen Mast returned $4.20, $3 and $2.20. Latent Revenge paid $10.40 and $6, with Hogy returning $3.20.

Grand Candy, Almasty, Shadow Rock, Cha Mono, Small Fortune, Win Lion Win, Great Wide Open (IRE) and Bucchero completed the order of finish.

HONORABLE DUTY RESURGENT IN TENACIOUS; PROFORMA, GOLDEN MISCHIEF BEST IN JUVENILE STAKES

DARRS, Inc.’s Honorable Duty ($14, $7.80 and $5.60) gave his ownership its second stakes victory on the day as the Brendan Walsh trainee won the $75,000 Tenacious Stakes by three-quarters of a length under James Graham. Raagheb ($37.80 and $16.40) was a game three-quarter-length runner-up under Mitchell Murrill, While Ten Strike Racing’s Brad Cox-trained Financial Modeling was another 2¼ lengths back in third under Shaun Bridgmohan.

After briefly contesting the lead from his rail post in the mile and 70-yard event, Honorable Duty, a son of Distorted Humor, sat in a comfortable rhythm in second while Financial Modeling carved fractions of 23.59, 47.78 and 1:12.43. Looking beaten and appearing to retreat slightly on the far turn, Honorable Duty then found a new gear once the field of nine turned for home, going from fifth to first in an eighth of a mile and winning at the wire with plenty of energy in 1:42.37.

David Ross’ DARRS, Inc. won the $75,000 Sugar Bowl Stakes earlier in the card with promising Mike Stidham-trained 3-year-old gelding Proforma. Walsh, winless in his first seven starts at the meet, was elated to get off the duck in a blacktype event.

“It feels super,” Walsh said. “He’s a nice horse and I think he’ll win some nice races. We have always thought that. We gelded him and took the blinkers off and James gave him a great ride. He made a second effort like that at Keeneland this year when he broke his maiden. He just digs in and finds more. He’s still improving.”

“Brendan told me just keep out of his way and save as much ground as possible,” Graham added. “We got into a good rhythm quick and he finished up really well.”
Honorable Duty, out of the A. P. Indy broodmare Mesmeric, was bred by Juddmonte Farms and is a grandson of the great Broodmare of the Year Toussaud. He won for the fourth time in 10 starts and earned $45,000 to increase his career mark to $186,276.
“Looking at the race there wasn’t a lot of speed, so I encouraged him to get in there earlier, which he did,” Murrill said of his 44-1 runner-up. “He got a little hung up in there on the final turn, but when it opened up, he was digging hard. I was trying to pick him up and put him down as hard as I could, but the winner was just a little better.”

“He had to work a bit to get the lead today, but I thought he was trying the whole way,” Bridgmohan said of Financial Modeling the 9-2 morning-line favorite. “He gives you what he has.”

Fear the Cowboy, Hesinfront, Great Minds, Dazzling Gem, The Truth Or Else and Tale of Verve completed the order of finish.

DARRS Inc.’s Mike Stidham-trained Proforma tracked the pace while three paths off the fence on the turn before confronting the leaders and drawing clear to a three-length win in the $50,000 Sugar Bowl Stakes for juveniles.

Ridden by Florent Geroux, the son of Munnings impressed in his most recent start when breaking his maiden in a swift race at Churchill Downs on Nov. 27 and was able to easily best Bret Jones Larry Jones-trained Running Mate, who was sent to post at 2-5 under Gabriel Saez, but could not keep pace with the winner once the field straightened for home. Running Mate stayed on to finish 3½ lengths clear of William McCarty’s Divine Caleb, who was ridden by C. J. McMahon for trainer Karl Broberg. After McMahon claimed foul against Saez, Divine Caleb was elevated to second with Running Mate demoted to third for interference in the lane.

“Had a very good trip,” Geroux said. “I was able to track the heavy favorite right off the bat and from there my horse was traveling very well. When I pushed the button, my horse responded.”

“We knew we had [Running Mate] to beat, and he’s a very nice horse,” Stidham added. “Our horse is just really starting to find his way and learn how to run, and today he obviously ran a big race.”

“I didn’t get the trip that I wanted,” Saez said. “He started to get a little tired the last 150 yards and didn’t run the race I was expecting. At the same time, I think he will be better going two turns next time.”

Proforma stopped the clock for six furlongs on the main track in 1:10.72 after tracking early splits of 22.27 and 46.12. In doing so, he won for the second time in three starts and earned $30,690 to boost his bankroll to $71,290. The winner paid $7.20, $4.60 and $2.10. Divine Caleb returned $10.20 and $3, with Running Mate paying $2.10.

Keep Talking, At Your Word and Monday Pirate completed the running order.

Later on the card, the juvenile fillies had their headliner in the Sugar Bowl’s sister race, the $50,000 Letellier Memorial at six furlongs.

William and Corinne Heligbrodt’s Golden Mischief bounced back for trainer Steve Asmussen after a dull run in the Grade III Delta Princess last month, producing a flashy late rally under David Flores while cutting back in distance to post a 2¼-length win. Wayne Sanders and Larry Hirsch’s Bret Calhoun-trained pacesetter Flatter Up sped through splits of 21.98 and 45.56 under C. J. McMahon before being overtaken by the winner inside the eighth-pole, while holding a length clear of Twin Creeks Racing Stables and Head of Plains Partners’ Mike Stidham-trained Forest Circle, who finished third under Florent Geroux. The final time was 1:10.90

“Steve wanted me to just put her in the race and then sit on her,” Flores said. “She’s very tactical, and I was patient, saved ground on the turn, and then I just pointed her out and she accelerated.”

“She ran an awesome race like I knew she would,” said McMahon. “She ran aggressively and took me right along. When I asked her to finish she kicked on. I don’t want to take anything away from her – she’s an awesome filly – but she just got caught. I think she’ll show a lot more improvement.”

Golden Mischief won for the fourth time in eight career starts and earned $30,380 to build her career bankroll to $166,730. The daughter of Into Mischief paid $5, $3 and $2.40. Flatter Up returned $3.40 and $2.60, with Forest Circle paying $2.80

Hotshot Anna, Taleoftheprincess, R Naja and Whole Scoop completed the running order.