Brunacini edges the favorite, Book’em Danno, in Saturday’s Perryville Stakes at Keeneland. Photo courtesy of Keeneland
Oct. 21 (UPI) — With less than two weeks to go to the Breeder’s Cup World Championships, North American horse racing fans found plenty of worthy weekend action on the turf and in the 2-year-old ranks.
While it’s late for the action to figure in the big races Nov. 1 and 2 at Del Mar, the winners easily could take a major role farther down the calendar and into 2025.
Here’s the rundown:
Keeneland
Brunacini got the lead with an outside stretch rally in Saturday’s $300,000 Grade III Perryville Stakes for 3-year-olds and held off odds-on favorite Book’em Danno, who had to squeeze through a narrow opening inside rivals.
The margin was a neck with Brunacini, a 28-1 shot, finishing the 7 furlongs on a fast track 1:22.80. The winner was making his third start and first against winners.
Book’em Danno, second to Forever Young in the Group 3 Saudi Derby in February, booked back-to-back defeats for the first time in his 10-race career.
Emery smoothly turned a stalking trip into a 2-length victory in Saturday’s $350,000 Grade II Lexus Raven Run Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.
The More Than Ready miss, trained by Brad Cox, ran 7 furlongs on the fast main track in 1:23.21 with Tyler Gaffalione up. My Mane Squeeze came from last of 10 to finish second.
On Sunday, Chop Chop stalked the pace in the $300,000 Grade III Rood & Riddle Dowager Stakes for fillies and mares, took over in the stretch and held off long shot Forever After All by a nose.
The 4-year-old City of Light filly, with Luan Machado riding for trainer Brad Cox, finished 1 1/2 miles on firm turf in 2:29.00.
Aqueduct
Child of the Moon rolled from well back in Saturday’s $150,000 Athenia Stakes for fillies and mares and outfinished the favorite, Prerequisite, by a neck.
A 4-year-old, French-bred filly by The Grey Gatsby, Child of the Moon ran 1 1/8 miles on firm turf in 1:48.63, with Manny Franco up for trainer Chad Brown. She is 2-for-3 since arriving from France.
Brown showed the pipeline fueling his East Coast turf prowess remains wide open as he saddled Valuation Metric to win Saturday’s $150,000 Awad Stakes for 2-year-olds by a head over the favorite,
Tiz Dashing. Valuation Metric, a Munnings colt, completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.71 with Flavien Prat in the irons for Brown. He got his first win in his third start.
Then on Sunday, Brown sent out Irish-bred Opulent Restraint to win by a nose in the $150,000 Chelsea Flower Stakes for 2-year-old fillies. The Dubawi filly now is 2-for-3.
A flurry of scratches left only four to contest Friday’s $150,000 Glen Cove Stakes for 3-year-old fillies and the favorite, Ellen Jay, took advantage with a 1 1/2-length victory.
The Constitution filly, trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Flavien Prat, ran 6 furlongs on the firm outer turf course in 1:07.38, according to Equibase.
Run Carson sprinted out to a big lead in Friday’s $135,000 Carle Place Stakes for 3-year-olds and coasted home first by 2 1/4 lengths over Live High Live Low. The Maclean’s Music colt, with John Velazquez up for trainer Kelsey Danner, reported in 1:06.85 for the 6 furlongs of firm turf.
Woodbine
Dresden Row shot to a daylight lead in the stretch run of Saturday’s $135,000 (Canadian) Grade III Ontario Derby and fended off a late bid by Bail Us Out to win by 1/2 length.
The Kentucky-bred but locally trained Lord Nelson colt ran 1 1/8 miles on the all-weather track in 1:49.12, with Ryan Munger up for trainer Lorne Richards. The win was his fifth from eight starts, all at Woodbine.
On Sunday, Unbridled Weather dealt with several challengers before landing the $100,000 (Canadian) Frost King Stakes for Ontario-sired 2-year-olds by a neck over Awesome Rainbow.
And Brengungirl rallied down the lane to win the companion South Ocean Stakes for 2-year-old fillies.
Gulfstream Park
Rated by Merit remained undefeated with a 3 1/4-length victory in Saturday’s $200,000 Affirmed Division of the Florida Sir Stakes and remains eligible for a sweep. Owner Vinnie Viola said that path is the preferred one for his colt “to get him enough time to show us where he wants to wind up.”
Win N Your In avenged a loss as the favorite in the first leg of the filly series with a 4 1/2-length score in Saturday’s $200,000 Susan’s Girl Division. Trainer Carlos David attributed the earlier defeat to the hot weather that day and said Saturday’s conditions suited much better.
Santa Anita
Sumter stalked in Saturday’s $80,000 Lure Stakes, took the lead with perfect timing by jockey Mike Smith and had just enough left to hold on to by a neck from Mi Hermano Ramon. Sumter, a 5-year-old War Front gelding, ran 1 mile on firm turf in 1:32.90.
Parx Racing
Concealed Carry led throughout Saturday’s $75,000 M.P. Ballezzi Appreciation Mile and hung on to prevail in a four-horse photo finish. The 5-year-old Competitive Edge gelding ran 1 mile on a fast track in 1:39.72.
Pleasanton
Arctic Breeze swept to a 5-lengths, stretch-running win in Saturday’s $75,000 Bart Heller Stakes for fillies and mares. The 3-year-old Arrogate filly, taking on older foes, ran 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:51.70.
Remington Park
Friday night was for state-breds on Oklahoma Classics night. The track was fast and the turf was firm.
Inca Empire rallied four-wide to get the lead in the $175,000 Oklahoma Classics Cup and ran on to win by 1 3/4 lengths over C W Prize.Miss Code West, the heaviest of odds-on favorites, won the $145,000 Distaff Handicap by 4 lengths after a stalking trip through the early furlongs.
Mister Omaha, the favorite, kicked away in the stretch to win the $100,000 Juvenile by 5 1/2 lengths. Elegant Echo rallied five-wide from well back to win the $100,000 Lassie for 2-year-old fillies.
Eakly rated kindly on the lead in the $130,000 Turf Classic Handicap and ran on to win by 2 lengths from Mind Bolt. Odds-on favorite Doudoudowanadance was a gate-to wire winner in the $130,000 Distaff Turf.
Lake Bee pulled off one of the night’s few upsets, albeit a minor one, in winning the $130,000 Sprint by 1 lengths over Breakable Code. Take Me Serious, the odds-on favorite, dueled to the lead and drew off to win the $130,000 Distaff Sprint by 3 1/2 lengths.
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