Aristides

Chasing Dreams Racing 2008’s favored Noble’s Promise, the fifth-place finisher behind Super Saver in the 2010 Kentucky Derby, returned to Churchill Downs on Saturday and wore down Atta Boy Roy in the stretch to score a one-length victory in the star-studded 23^rd running of the $110,300 Grade III Aristides Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs.

            The victory by Noble’s Promise completed a memorable day for trainer Ken McPeek, who swept Saturday’s pair of featured Grade III races at the home of the Kentucky Derby.  McPeek also saddled Salty Strike to win the $109,300 Dogwood Stakes for 3-year-old fillies earlier in the day.

            Noble’s Promise, one of three Grade I stakes winners in the eight-horse field for the Aristides, rallied from fourth under jockey Alan Garcia and paid $5.20, $3.60 and $2.40.  Atta Boy Roy, the Aristides runner-up for the second consecutive year, led most of the way under Jesus Castanon before giving way in the final yards and returned mutuels of $11.00 and $5.40.  Capt. Candyman Can, who broke slowly under Calvin Borel, rallied in the stretch to finish a clear third and paid $2.40 to show.

            The winner scored his first graded stakes victory since a win in Keeneland’s Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity in October of 2009.  He had won last fall’s $85,000 Jimmy V Stakes during Breeders’ Cup Weekend at Churchill Downs.  In his previous start, Noble’s Promise had finished a close fifth to Aikenite in his first start of the year in the Grade II Churchill Downs Stakes on Kentucky Derby Day.

            The Aristides victory improved the career record of Noble’s Promise to 5-3-1 in 14 races and made the son of Cuvee racing’s latest millionaire.  The winner’s prize of $66,336 pushed his career earnings to $1,027,774.  The Aristides victory was the second for McPeek, who won the race in 2009 with Bold Start.  The winner covered six furlongs over a fast track in 1:08.74.

            “It’s always fun to win two stakes in one day,” McPeek said.  “He’s a nice horse and now he’s a millionaire. There were some other nice horses in the race, but I thought they would have a tough time beating him today.”

            Noble’s Promise joined third-place finisher Capt. Candyman Can and Here Comes Ben, who finished sixth, as Grade I stakes winners in the strong Aristides field.  The field also included the 1-2-3 finishers in the 2010 Aristides in Riley Tucker, Atta Boy Roy (who also won the Grade II Churchill Downs over the track in 2010) and Cash Refund.  Hurricane Ike won the Grade III The Cliff’s Edge Derby Trial in 2010.

            Cash Refund blew out of the starting gate to take the early lead in the Aristides, but was joined after the opening quarter by Atta Boy Roy, who had the lead at the half-mile in a swift :44.46, and Noble’s Promise moved under Garcia to join the leading duo.  Capt. Candyman Can, Here Comes Ben, and Riley Tucker all broke slowly, with the former making the steadiest progress of that trio as the battle continued on the front end.  Atta Boy Roy and Castanon pushed clear of Noble’s Promise and Cash Refund at the top the stretch, but Garcia sent the eventual winner after the leader and Capt. Candyman Can launched a bid on the far outside.  The top pair battled through the latter part of the stretch before the stubborn Atta Boy Roy gave way late and Noble’s Promise pushed clear.  

            Good Lord, the second longest shot in the field at 34-1, hopped at the start but rallied to finish fourth, three lengths behind Capt. Candyman Can.  He was followed past the finish by Riley Tucker, Here Comes Ben, Hurricane Ike and early pacesetter Cash Refund.          

ARISTIDES POST-RACE QUOTES

Alan Garcia, jockey on Noble’s Promise (winner)

“It was a very good trip for me and my horse. I was able to keep him relaxed behind the leaders in third. Finally I asked him at the top of the stretch and he ran very well. I had plenty of confidence in my horse and I knew he was going to win. It was definitely worth the trip (to Churchill Downs).”

Ken McPeek, trainer of Noble’s Promise (winner)

“I felt like he (Noble’s Promise) could improve three or four lengths off his last race. That race (the Churchill Downs (GII)) was a tough one coming off a layoff so we backed off him since then. He’s a nice horse and now he’s a millionaire. There were some other nice horses in the race, but I thought they would have a tough time beating him today.”

            “I think we did a good job of trying to stretch him out for the Triple Crown last year. He only got beat six lengths in the (Kentucky) Derby (GI), but we were really stretching him out as far as he could go and he didn’t embarrass us, but running that far wasn’t his game. I think he’s found his niche with sprinting. I’d love to run him in the Vanderbilt (GI on Aug. 7) and the Forego (GI on Sept. 3) at Saratoga and then bring him back here in the fall for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.”

On winning both stakes on the card:

“It’s always fun to win two stakes in one day.”

Valorie Lund, trainer of Atta Boy Roy (runner-up)

“He ran really well.  If we didn’t have to hook that other horse the result might have been different, but somebody’s got to go after Cash Refund.  You can’t leave him alone on the lead.” 

Q: Are you thinking fall and the Breeders’ Cup Sprint again with this horse?

“That’s what I’m thinking.  We’ll have to take it step-by-step, but that would be what I’m thinking because I think he’s every bit as good this year as last.  We’ll just go on through the season and battle through the summer.”

Q: What were you thinking at the head of the stretch?

“I thought he might hold him (Noble’s Promise) off.  I could see that horse coming and I’m thinking, ‘We’ve already done an awful lot of work up here.’  He almost held on.  Jesus said he was so incredibly game and a classy horse – and, of course, I like to hear that.”

Q: But you knew that …

“Oh yes, I knew it.  But I still like to hear it.  I’m like a proud mother.”

Q: Will he stay here or will you ship back to Canterbury?

“We’ll go back to Canterbury and train over that surface.  It’s a real kind surface, plus he swims.  So they’ve got a pool there.  They’ve got a kind surface and I like it – it’s nice and deep, so he gets a lot out of it.  It’s a great surface to train on, so I’ll train him there and ship.”

Jesus Castanon, jockey on Atta Boy Roy (runner-up)

“He ran big and he gave a good kick.  He was doing it easy and when I got to the quarter-pole I let him pick it up and he really gave me a nice kick, but we just got beat.   When the other horse (winner Noble’s Promise) came to me with about 70 yards to go, my horse was trying so hard to keep up with that one.”

Ian Wilkes, trainer of Capt. Candyman Can (third)

“He ran good.  He broke a little bad today.  He stood in the gate a long time.  You can’t break that bad.  You have to be able to jump and run.”

Q: You had a little hope at the head of the stretch …

“He used himself to get into position.  He ran good.  You can’t complain.  He brings his ‘A’ game.”

Calvin Borel, jockey on Capt. Candyman Can (third)

“He didn’t break that good and I was kind of disgusted with that, but he showed up and he tries hard.  I thought I might get ‘em at the head of the stretch, but he kind of faltered there.  But he tried.  These are good horses.”

A strong field of eight accomplished sprinters headed by Grade I stakes winners Capt Candyman Can and Here Comes Ben and defending winner Riley Tucker has been entered to compete in Saturday’s 23^rd running of the $100,000-added Aristides (Grade III) at Churchill Downs.

            This year’s running of the Aristides looms as an important prep for important early prep for the $2 million Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint (GI), which will be run over main track at Churchill Downs on Saturday, Nov. 5.

            The six furlong race for 3-year-olds and up is one of a pair of Grade III events on Saturday’s 11-race program, which is set to begin with the first race at 12:45 p.m. (all times EDT).  The Aristides is scheduled as the tenth race with a post time of 5:29 p.m.  The co-featured $100,000-added Dogwood Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at a mile immediately precedes the Aristides.

            Each member of the Aristides field boasts at least one victory over the main track at Churchill Downs, but Capt. Candyman Can and Here Comes Ben possess the strongest career accomplishments.

            Rosemary Rauch and David Zell’s Capt. Candyman Can, winner via disqualification of the 2009 King’s Bishop (GI) at Saratoga, did not race in 2010 because of injury, but has returned in 2011 with three strong races coming into the Aristides.  The 5-year-old Candy Ride gelding won non-graded stakes races at Tampa Bay Downs and Gulfstream Park over the winter and finished fourth, beaten just three-quarters of a length by Aikenite, in the $300,000-added Churchill Downs (GII) on Kentucky Derby Day.  It was the first time in four races at Churchill Downs, which include wins in the Iroquois (GIII) and Matt Winn, in which Capt Candyman Can had finished worse than third. 

            Calvin Borel will ride Capt. Candyman Can from post three for trainer Ian Wilkes.

            Marianne and Brandon Chase’s Here Comes Ben, winner of last year’s Forego (GI) at Saratoga, will make his second start of the year after a stellar 2010 during which he won four of six races.  His wins included the Kelly’s Landing overnight stakes at Churchill Downs before son of Street Cry finished the year with an 11^th-place finish as the favorite in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (GI).  Here Comes Ben finished seventh to Aikenite in the Churchill Downs in his 2011 debut.

            Julien Leparoux will ride the Charles Lopresti-trained Here Comes Ben, who breaks from the rail post in the Aristides as the veteran sprinter bids for a fourth career victory at Churchill Downs.

            Zayat Stables’ Riley Tucker, searching for his first stakes victory since his mild surprise in last year’s renewal of the Aristides, will be sandwiched between his Grade I-winning opponents on Saturday when he breaks from post two for trainer Steve Asmussen.   Kent Desormeaux will be aboard the 6-year-old son of Harlan’s Holiday who is coming off a runner-up finish to Aristides rival Cash Refund in a six-furlong allowance prep on May 15.

Eligible to improve in the Aristides in Chasing Dreams Racing’s Noble’s Promise, who finished a fast-closing fifth in Aikenite’s Churchill Downs in his first start of 2011.  The Ken McPeek-trained son of Cuvee finished fifth to Super Saver in last year’s Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) and narrowly lost the Rebel (GII) at Oaklawn Park in a runner-up finish to eventual Preakness (GI) winner and 3-year-old champion Lookin At Lucky.  Noble’s Promise, who won the Jimmy V. Stakes at Churchill Downs on Breeders’ Cup Weekend, will break from post eight with Alan Garcia aboard.

R.E.V. Racing’s Atta Boy Roy, the runner-up in the 2010 Aristides, is back for another try at Churchill Downs for trainer Valorie Lund.  Jesus Castanon will ride Atta Boy Roy, who scored the greatest victory of his career when he took the 2010 Churchill Downs over a sloppy track.  He starts from post seven.

Cash Refund, a homebred Petionville gelding who finished third in the 2010 Aristides, carries the hopes of Louisville-based owners Richard, Elaine and Bert Klein in Saturday’s renewal.  The Steve Margolis trainee notched his second career victory at Churchill Downs when he turned back Riley Tucker in the track’s May 15 allowance prep for the Aristides.  Shaun Bridgmohan will ride Cash Refund, who drew post five.

Dawn and Ike Thrash’s Hurricane Ike, winner of the 2010 The Cliff’s Edge Derby Trial (GIII) at Churchill Downs, will attempt to snap a four-race losing streak when he runs in the Aristides.  Formerly trained by John Sadler, the 4-year-old son of Graeme Hall will be saddled in the Aristides by Jeff Thornbury and Robby Albarado will be the saddle as Hurricane Ike breaks from post four.

Thomas Shank and Stan Young’s Good Lord, an impressive winner of a seven-furlong allowance winner on Kentucky Derby Day, will make his stakes debut beneath the Twin Spires in his bid for the Aristides.  Trained by veteran Forrest Kaelin, the 4-year-old gelded son of Greatness has a record of 2-2-2 record in eight races at Churchill Downs.  Leading jockey Corey Lanerie will ride Good Lord from post six.

The field from the 23^rd running of the Aristides includes (from the rail out, with jockey): Here Comes Ben (Leparoux), Riley Tucker (Desormeaux), Capt. Candyman Can (Borel), Hurricane Ike (Albarado), Cash Refund (Bridgmohan), Good Lord (Lanerie), Atta Boy Roy (Castanon), Noble’s Promise (Garcia).

All starters in the Aristides will carry 118 pounds.

R.E.V. Racing’s Atta Boy Roy, who scored a wire-to-wire victory in the seven-furlong Churchill Downs (GII) on Kentucky Derby Day, will face five rivals Saturday in the 22nd running of the $100,000 Aristides (GIII) for older sprinters.

The six-furlong Aristides shares top billing on Saturday with the 36th running of the $100,000-added Dogwood (GIII) for 3-year-old fillies at a mile on the main track. The Dogwood drew a field of eight, including two runners that competed four weeks ago behind the victorious Blind Luck in the 136th Kentucky Oaks (GI).

The Aristides goes as the eighth race on the 11-race program with an approximate post time of 4:29 p.m. (EDT). The Dogwood is the 10th race with a 5:29 p.m. post time. First post time Saturday is 12:45 p.m.

Trained by Valorie Lund, Atta Boy Roy drew the rail for the Aristides and will carry high weight of 124 pounds. Calvin Borel, who was aboard for the Derby Day victory, has the call Saturday as he shoots for his second Aristides win. Borel rode Bet On Sunshine to victory in 2001.

Second high weight in the Aristides belongs to Bertram, Richard and Elaine Klein’s Cash Refund, who will carry 122 pounds and break from post position five under Brian Hernandez Jr. Trained by Steve Margolis, Cash Refund has won five of six career starts and captured two sprint stakes this winter at Fair Grounds.

Bold Start won last year’s Aristides for trainer Ken McPeek with Robby Albarado riding.

The field for the Aristides, from the rail out, is as follows: Atta Boy Roy (Borel, 124 pounds), Chief of Affairs (Miguel Mena, 120), Lissa’s Star (Corey Lanerie, 118), Riley Tucker (Shaun Bridgmohan, 118), Cash Refund (Hernandez Jr., 122) and Cassoulet (Francisco Torres, 118).

Starlight Partners’ Ailalea, fifth in the Kentucky Oaks, and Twin Creeks Farm, Sky Chai Racing and Bluegrass Equine Center’s Age of Humor, 12th in the America’s premier race for 3-year-old fillies, headline the Dogwood field.

lalea, trained by Todd Pletcher, won the Tempted (GIII) at Aqueduct last fall and this year, prior to the Oaks, finished sixth in the Forward Gal (GII) at Gulfstream Park and sixth in the Fair Grounds Oaks (GII). Ailalea, breaking from post position four, will carry top weight of 123 pounds and be ridden by Calvin Borel, who won the Dogwood in 2007 on Lady Joanne.

Age of Humor, trained by Mike Maker, opened the year with a victory in the Busanda at Aqueduct and followed that up with a third-place finish in the Silverbulletday (GIII) at Fair Grounds and a runner-up finish in the Bourbonette Oaks (GIII) at Turfway Park. Francisco Torres has the call on Age of Humor, who will carry 117 pounds and break from post position two. Torres won the 2000 Dogwood on Welcome Surprise.

Hightap won last year’s Dogwood for trainer Steve Asmussen with Shaun Bridgmohan riding. That duo is represented Saturday by the Heiligbrodt Racing Stable’s Vertical Vision, a two-time stakes winner in 2009. Vertical Vision will carry 119 pounds and break from post position six.

The field for the Dogwood, from the rail out, is as follows: Tap Tap Tapping (Freddie Lenclud, 117 pounds), Age of Humor (Torres, 117), Fuzzy Britches (Corey Lanerie, 119), Ailalea (Borel, 123), Helen Belen (Sal Gonzalez Jr., 119), Vertical Vision (Bridgmohan, 119), Visavis (Jamie Theriot, 117) and Bell’s Shoes (Jon Court, 117).

A landmark day for jockey Robby Albarado got even better when he guided Lawrence Carroll’s Bold Start to a 2 ¾-length victory over Semaphore Man in Saturday’s 21st running of the $112,600 Aristides (Grade III) for sprinters at Churchill Downs.

            One race earlier, Albarado became the 56th North American jockey to reach the 4,000-victory milestone when he rode Barbara Hunter’s Keertana ($5.20) to victory in the ninth race at Churchill Downs.

            In his milestone triumph, Albarado split horses in deep stretch on the Matt Winn Turf Course to edge Kiss Mine by three-quarters of a length for the victory.

A 35-year-old native of Lafayette, La., Albarado rode his first winner at age 16 at Evangeline Downs in Louisiana. Albarado, who won his first Churchill Downs riding title at the 2008 Spring Meet, has ridden 812 of his 4,001 winners beneath the Twin Spires, the sixth-largest win total in track history.

Albarado was the regular rider for two-time Horse of the Year Curlin on which he earned his only victory in a Triple Crown race, the 2007 Preakness. Albarado also was the regular rider for 2003 Horse of the Year Mineshaft.

In his career, Albarado has ridden more than 24,000 races with earnings in excess of $149 million.

In the Aristides, Albarado rated Bold Start in third place in the run down the backside just off the pace set by Garifine, who was tracked by Semaphore Man through a first quarter-mile in :21.88. The top three remained unchanged to the head of the lane after a half-mile in :44.73.

In the stretch, Semaphore Man grabbed a brief lead under Jesus Castanon, but was headed at the eighth pole by Bold Start, who drew away to the victory. Knights Cross rallied for third under Corey Lanerie, finishing three-quarters of a length in back of Semaphore Man.

            Bold Start, a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Jump Start out of the Flying Paster mare Dorky, returned $10.80, $5.80 and $4.80. Semaphore Man paid his backers $6.40 and $4.40 with Knights Cross returning $10.40 to show.

Completing the field in order were favored Sok Sok, Grand Sensation, Premium Wine, Success Success, Vicarian, Garifine and Early Return. Cassoulet was scratched.

Bold Start covered the six furlongs on a fast main track in 1:09.04.

The victory was worth $66,321 and increased Bold Start’s career earnings to $528,810 with nine victories in 31 starts. Four of the victories have come on the main track at Churchill Downs.

Racing resumes Sunday with a 10-race card beginning with a 12:45 p.m. EDT post time.

POST-RACE QUOTES – THE ARISTIDES

KEN McPEEK, trainer of BOLD START (winner)

 “He deserves it. He’s been so solid for so long. It seems like he was always knocking on the door but hadn’t quite gotten over it. I’m thrilled he did it here. He’s still got plenty of good races left in him. He loves it here. He’s just rock solid. He always does everything right. We’ve found a little niche with him sprinting. When he was younger I tried him a little long and a little on turf and even then he ran well. We have plenty of options.”

ROBBY ALBARADO, jockey on BOLD START (winner)

“He ran good last time. I think his Churchill record speaks for itself. He excels when he gets here to Churchill. It seems to be that he runs well in the bigger races. Kenny (McPeek) has done a great job getting him ready for today.

Q: Were you confident on the final turn?

“Honestly, I was real confident because he broke so well and put himself into a forward position where he gave himself a chance. . . . It worked out well for us to go 1:09 flat. He’s a good horse.”

Q: On 4,000 career victories:

 “I guess my next goal would be 5,000. That’s kind of the end your career or the retirement number for most jocks. Once you get to that 5,000, you start looking for the way out. I’m not saying that’s my way out, but you set goals for yourself.

“I never thought I’d get to 4,000 so it’s an honor. I’ve got to congratulate all of the owners and trainers who have supported me continuously throughout the years. They stuck by me, and it’s pretty much been the same guys for the last 10 to 15 years.”

JESUS CASTANON, jockey on SEMAPHORE MAN (runner-up)

“I had a good trip.  The horse broke sharp out of the gate and I wasn’t really trying to get ahead of the other one (Garifine), but my horse was running.  He made an easy lead going to the five-sixteenths pole, but the winner had a lot of horse and he just kind of got outrun the rest of the way.

            “He gave me a nice burst at the top of the stretch.  When I asked him to go, he really gave me a nice little kick, but the last sixteenth of a mile he just couldn’t  keep up with the winner.”

COREY LANERIE, jockey on KNIGHTS CROSS (third)

“He ran awesome.  His post position (nine) suited him well.  Last time he was in between speed horses, but today on the outside he broke and got to sit a little off of it with no pressure.  We wanted to sit back a little, or just be wherever he was comfortable, and he really finished up. He was just third best.” 

SHAUN BRIDGMOHAN, rider of SOK SOK (fourth as the favorite)

“He broke good enough and it kind of set up real good.  I was cruising in behind ‘em and they got away from him a little in the turn, so I got after him a little bit.  He ran pretty good.  He hung in there and he tried to come back on them there are the end.”