Lane's End Farm has banner weekend in U.S. turf racing - UPI.com

Lane’s End Farm has banner weekend in U.S. turf racing – UPI.com

Posted by Admin November 11, 2024 Horse Racing

1 of 3 | Integration wins Saturday’s Grade II Red Smith at Aqueduct. Photo by Susie Raisher/Cognianese Photography, courtesy of NYRA

Nov. 11 (UPI) — Lane’s End Farm’s stallions and owner partnerships enjoyed a memorable weekend of turf racing, with winners in graded stakes in New York and Kentucky highlighting a solid North American schedule.

On the global scene, Via Sistina confirmed her place among the world’s best with another authoritative win in Australia and Stunning Rose was impressive, if not stunning, in a Japanese comeback.

Onward.

Turf

Integration rallied by the dueling Limited Liability and Rebel Red in the final furlong to win Saturday’s $300,000 Grade II Red Smith Stakes at Aqueduct by 2 lengths.

Limited Liability held second by a nose, giving trainer Shug McGaughey the exacta. Integration, a 4-year-old Quality Road colt, ran 1 3/8 miles on firm turf in 2:13.28 with Flavien Prat up.

At Churchill Downs, Battle of Normandy stalked the pace and shot by in the lane to win Saturday’s $300,000 Grade III River City Stakes by 1 3/4 lengths over Reckoning Force. Gigante and the favorite, Cash Equity, filled out the superfecta.

Battle of Normandy, a City of Light colt, got the 1 1/8 miles on firm going in 1:48.79 under Luan Machado.

McGaughey trains Integration and Battle of Normandy for West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing — the latter partnership affiliated with Lane’s End Farm in Versailles, Ky. City of Light was sired by Quality Road and both stand at Lane’s End Farm.

Deterministic rallied to the lead a furlong from home in Saturday’s $200,000 Grade III Hill Prince Stakes for 3-year-olds at Aqueduct and held off a late rally by Cugino to win by 1 length.

Cugino, also campaigned by West Point Thoroughbreds in partnership with Jimmy Kahig LLC, is by another Lane’s End stallion, Twirling Candy, and also trained by McGaughey.

Filly & Mare Turf

O Sunday at Aqueduct, Be Your Best led from the start in the $300,000 Grade III Long Island Stakes and held on gamely at the end of 1 3/8 miles to win by a nose over the favorite, No Show Sammy Jo. Immensitude was third.

Be Your Best, an Irish-bred, 4-year-old filly by Muharaar, got home in 2:14.36 with Frankie Dettori in the irons for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.

Also, Venencia rallied from last of eight to capture Sunday’s $135,000 Forever Together Stakes at Aqueduct by a neck over Breath Away, and No Mo Candy stalked the pace in Friday’s $175,000 Grade III Pebbles Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Aqueduct, ran by the leader and edged away to win by 1 1/4 lengths.

Turf Sprint

Alogon and Works for Me hit the wire together at the end of Saturday’s $150,000 Aqueduct Sprint Championship, dead-heating for first and second just a head in front of the pacesetter, Jean Valjean. The favorite, Senbei, never fired and finished eighth.

Love Appeals used a four-wide rally to gain the late lead in Friday’s $150,000 Autumn Days Stakes for fillies and mares at Aqueduct and edged clear to win by 1 1/4 lengths.

Filly & Mare Sprint

Upper Case took back early while saving ground in Saturday’s $300,000 Dream Supreme Stakes at Churchill Downs, and then angled out for a stretch run that saw her home first by 1 1/4 lengths over Mystic Pleasure. The favorite, Spirit Wind, was third.

Also, Stormcast shot quickly to the front in Saturday’s $135,000 (Canadian) Grade III Bessarabian Stakes at Woodbine, showed the way and won by 1/2 length.

And on Sunday at Del Mar, Chismosa won the $100,000 Betty Grable Stakes for state-bred fillies and mares by a neck over Big Summer.

Sprint

Big City Lights found another gear in the stretch run of Saturday’s $100,000 Cary Grant Stakes for California-breds at Del Mar and powered away to an 8 1/2-length victory.

The 5-year-old son of Mr. Big won the Grade III Palos Verde back in February and finished third in both the Grade II Triple Bend at Santa Anita and Grade II Pat O’Brien at Del Mar in his two previous starts.

Distaff

Elysian Field rallied six-wide from the back of the field to land Saturday’s $135,000 (Canadian) Grade III Maple Leaf Stakes at Woodbine by 1 1/2 lengths over Millie Girl. Queen Regent was third, 1/2 length to the good of the favorite, Caitlinhergrtness.

At Laurel Park, Foxy Junior caught breakaway leader Malibu Beauty at the top of the stretch in Saturday’s $100,000 Thirty Eight Go Go Stakes and got by to win by 2 3/4 lengths over that foe. The 4-year-old daughter of Cuba ran 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:44.18.

Juvenile

Sacred Thunder rallied from just off the pace to win Saturday’s $100,000 James F. Lewis Stakes at Laurel Park by 1 length over Re Markably. The Holy Boss colt got 6 furlongs on a fast track in 1:10.45. His record stands 3-3-1 from seven trips.

Juvenile Fillies

Caprice outfinished Great Andrei by 1/2 length to get the win in Saturday’s $100,000 Smart Halo Stakes at Laurel Park. A Golden Lad filly, Caprice was clocked in 1:11.58, improving her record to four wins from five starts.

Around the world, around the clock

Australia

Via Sistina confirmed her place among the world’s best runners with a 2 3/4-length thrashing of a quality field in Saturday’s Group 1 TAB Champion Stakes at Flemington.

The victory followed a remarkable, 8-lengths win in the Cox Plate just two weeks earlier in which she shrugged off a mid-week training mishap and lowered the course record previously held by Winx by nearly 2 seconds.

Also on Saturday at Flemington, Mr Brightside won the Group 1 VRC Champions Mile by 1/2 length from Antino as the favorite, Pride of Jenni, finished last and was retired.

Owner Tony Ottobre told local media he will seek a date for her in Japan with 2023 World’s Best Racehorse Equinox.

Also, Sunshine in Paris won a tight, three-way photo at the end of the Group 1 Darley Champions Sprint.

Japan

Stunning Rose returned to the form she flashed two years ago in winning Sunday’s Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Kyoto Racecourse by 2 lengths.

The King Kamehameha mare looked to be going places after finishing second in the Japanese Oaks, but then was hampered by injury through her 4-year-old season.

On Sunday, Cristian Demuro rode her confidently from just off the pace, took the wide road into the stretch and wasn’t challenged in the late going. The favorite, Regaleira, was blocked in the stretch and finished fifth.

Germany

Assistent came from off the pace to win Sunday’s Group 1 Grosser Allianz Preis von Bayern at Munich by a neck over Tiffany. The favorite, Ancient Wisdom, held the lead, was headed and rallied, but eventually settled for third.