Mrs. Revere Stakes

PURE CLAN HAS LIGHT DRILL FOR BREEDERS’ CUP FILLY & MARE TURF – Lewis Lakin’s Pure Clan put in her final major move for her start in Friday’s $2 million Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (Grade I)  at Santa Anita by working three furlongs in :37.60 over a “fast” track early Sunday morning at Churchill Downs.

With regular morning partner Steve Schmelzel aboard, Pure Clan was on the track at 6:15. Trainer Bob Holthus watched from his usual backstretch viewing stand and expressed satisfaction with the move.
    “It was a nice little work,” Holthus said. “She will load in the morning about 4 and when she gets to Santa Anita, she will gallop on the turf Wednesday and Thursday morning.

Garrett Gomez will have the mount on Pure Clan, who turned in her only off-the-board finish in 15 starts with a 10th-place finish in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, which was also run at Oak Tree at Santa Anita.

“We are on the same schedule as last year,” Holthus said. “She had her last work before the race here and then shipped out. I know it was awful hot last year out there and that could have affected her.”

Temperatures were in the mid-90s last year for the Breeders’ Cup, but the long-range forecast for Arcadia, Calif., on Friday calls for a high of 81.

CAPT. CANDYMAN CAN PUTS IN FINAL WORK FOR BREEDERS’ CUP SPRINT – David Zell and the late Joseph Rauch’s Capt. Candyman Can worked a half-mile in :48.40 under jockey Freddy Lenclud on Sunday morning at the Skylight Training Center.

“It was a good work. I was happy with him,” trainer Ian Wilkes said of the move that was accomplished over a Pro-Ride surface that is similar to the one Capt. Candyman Can will run on Saturday at Santa Anita in the $2 million Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint (GI).

“He will leave from Skylight and go straight to the plane in the morning,” Wilkes said. “He may go to the track at Santa Anita on Tuesday; I’ll want to see how he travels.”

A four-time stakes winner this year, Capt. Candyman Can finished second to Fatal Bullet in his most recent start in the Phoenix (GIII) at Keeneland on Oct. 8 over the Polytrack.  The 3-year-old Candy Ride gelding is a two-time stakes winner at Churchill Downs, with wins in the Matt Win earlier this year and last fall’s Iroquois (GIII).

DENIS OF CORK RETURNS TO DAVID CARROLL’S BARN – Denis of Cork, who ran third in the 2008 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) and followed that with a runner-up effort in the Belmont Stakes (GI) has returned to the barn of trainer David Carroll.

“He is back galloping,” Carroll said. “He got back about a month and a half ago. We jogged him the first month and now he is galloping. We are delighted to have him back.”

Owned by Mr. and Mrs. William K. Warren Jr., Denis of Cork went on the shelf in the summer of 2008 when Carroll found the start of a hairline fracture in the colt’s left hind ankle. Denis of Cork was turned out at a farm in Ocala, Fla., and this January suffered an injury to his right front suspensory.

“It took us that long to get him back,” Carroll said. “We are just taking it day to day and I can’t even tell you when he’ll breeze. We are just trying to put a foundation back in him.”

When the Fall Meet ends here Nov. 28, Carroll will take Denis of Cork with the rest of his stables to New Orleans and the Fair Grounds meet.

Another standout for Carroll, the 4-year-old filly Acoma, may resurface in the $100,000-added Cardinal Handicap (GIII) at 1 1/8 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course.

A three-time graded-stakes winner at Churchill Downs, Acoma had her perfect record at Kentucky tracks end in her most recent start, a ninth-place finish in the First Lady (GI) at Keeneland on Oct. 10.

“She had trained well for the First Lady, but she caught soft turf and didn’t run at all,” Carroll said of Acoma, who had won all six of her previous starts in Kentucky. “We checked her over after that and she was fine, so hopefully we can go in the Cardinal and finish the year on a positive note.”    

MRS. REVERE DRAWS 40 NOMINATIONS – Nelson McMakin’s homebred Hot Cha Cha, winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (GI) at Keeneland, headlines a list of 40 nominations to the 19th running of the $175,000-added Mrs. Revere (GII).

The Mrs. Revere, won last year by Acoma, is for 3-year-old fillies and will be run at 1 1/16 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course on Nov. 14.

Hot Cha Cha is not the only Grade I winner nominated to the Mrs. Revere. Waratah Thoroughbreds’ Miss World, winner of the Garden City at Belmont Park in September, ran fourth behind Hot Cha Cha in the QE II.

Other graded-stakes winners on the turf nominated to the Mrs. Revere are Dell Ridge Farm’s Bluegrass Princess, who took a division of the Grade III Valley View at Keeneland; Barbara Hunter’s Keertana, winner of the Regret (GIII) here in June; and, Paul Pompa Jr.’s Mary’s Follies, winner of the Grade III Boiling Springs at Monmouth Park in June.

BARN TALK – Calvin Borel has picked up a second Breeders’ Cup mount according to agent Jerry Hissam. Borel will be reunited with Lets Go Stable’s Ready’s Echo for trainer Todd Pletcher for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (GI). Borel rode Ready’s Echo to a third-place finish in the seven-furlong Forego (GI) at Saratoga on Sept. 5. Borel’s other Breeders’ Cup mount is Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird in the $5 million Classic.

Julien Leparoux, who is confirmed on nine Breeders’ Cup mounts, has picked up the mount on Glen Hill Farm’s No Inflation in the Oak Tree Derby (GII) for trainer Tom Proctor on Saturday at Santa Anita. Third in the Jefferson Cup (GII) at Churchill Downs in June, No Inflation won the Grade III Kent at Delaware Park by 6 ¼ lengths on Sept. 5.

WORK TAB – Warrior’s Reward, who ran fifth as the favorite in the Perryville (GIII) at Keeneland last month, worked a half-mile at Churchill Downs in :50.80 for trainer Ian Wilkes. … Two probable starters for Friday’s $100,000 Ack Ack (GIII), Riley Tucker and Que Paso, put in half-mile moves. Riley Tucker covered the distance in :50 for trainer Steve Asmussen and Que Paso was clocked in :51 for trainer Allen Milligan.

CARROLL BEAMING AFTER ACOMA'S MRS. REVERE TRIUMPH - Trainer David Carroll said Sunday morning that Acoma came out of her triumph in Saturday's Mrs. Revere (GII) in good order.

"She is going to the farm and will be let down," Carroll said. "I'll pick her up in February and look for maybe the Doubledogdare in April at Keeneland."

Owned by Helen Alexander and Helen Groves, Acoma made the Mrs. Revere her third graded stakes victory of 2008 with one coming on dirt and two on turf.

"We have a lot of options with her," Carroll said. "She has won Grade IIIs, a Grade II and I'd like to get a Grade I with her.

"I don't think it is just the turf. She ran 1:34 when she won the Dogwood (on the dirt at Churchill Downs). The thing is that she just doesn't ship well and it is just a question of how she is doing. She likes to be settled in one place. Surface does not matter."

The two fillies who chased Acoma home on Saturday, My Baby Baby and Scolara, were both doing well Sunday morning.

"I thought she was gone at the sixteenth pole," Billy Wright, assistant to trainer Ken McPeek, said of Magdalena Racing's My Baby Baby. "She is fine this morning. There is no disgrace in losing to a filly of Acoma's caliber."

Kenny McCarthy, assistant to trainer Bill Mott, said that Scolara, who had finished fourth in the Valley View (GIII) behind Acoma, "came back fine and will live to fight another day. We just have to steer clear of Acoma."

LEPAROUX'S HOT START HAS RIDER ON RECORD PACE - When Pat Day set the riding standard for a Fall Meet with 55 victories in 1985, he averaged 1.8 wins a day over the 30 day-meet.

Through the first 10 days of the current 26-day meet Julien Leparoux has notched 23 victories, an average of 2.3 a day. Leparoux, who rode for the first time at Churchill Downs in the 2005 Fall Meet, is winning at a 30 percent clip (23 of 76). In Day's record Fall Meet, he won at a 28.6 percent rate (55 of 192).

Included in those victories are scores in half of the six stakes run thus far: the Iroquois on Capt. Candyman Can, the Dream Supreme on Elope and Saturday's Mrs. Revere on Acoma.

The bulk of the victories have come riding for trainer Mike Maker, who has saddled 14 winners and is on a record pace of his own to break the Fall Meet record for training wins of 20 set by Dale Romans in 2003. Many of the Maker horses have been for owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey, who have 11 wins this meet and well within range of the record of 15 held by T. Alie Grissom in 1965 over a 23-day meet.

"Hopefully everybody will break a record," said Leparoux, who has ridden all of Maker's winners.

Maker is taking his stable to Gulfstream Park in the winter, but Leparoux is not saying if he will go in the same direction.

"I don't know yet where I am going for the winter," Leparoux said. "I have three more weeks here, so there is no hurry to make a decision."

EINSTEIN WORKS HALF-MILE TOWARD COMEBACK - Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (GI) winner Einstein worked a half-mile in :49.40 over a fast track with trainer Helen Pitts up on Sunday morning.

It was Einstein's second work since finishing a troubled fifth in the Arlington Million (GI) on Aug. 9.

"He went beautifully, very nice," Pitts said of the 6-year-old gelding who is owned by Midnight Cry Stable. "He will work five-eighths next week and I will let him tell me (about a next start)."

Pitts said Einstein could make an appearance in the Nov. 28 Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (GII).

"I am just going to wait and see," Pitts said of the 1 1/8-mile race on the main track where Einstein finished second to 2007 Horse of the Year Curlin in the Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) in June. "If he doesn't go in the Clark, I may look around for something or just wait until Gulfstream."

NOMINATIONS FOR FIVE STAKES CLOSE SATURDAY - Nov. 15 is the closing day for nominations for five stakes, including four Grade II events slated for Thanksgiving Weekend.

The richest of the stakes is the $400,000-added Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (GII) to be run at 1 1/8 miles on the main track on Friday, Nov. 28. On Thanksgiving Day, the fillies and mares will get their chance at the same distance in the $150,000-added Falls City Handicap (GII).

Highlighting the closing-day "Stars of Tomorrow II" card that features all 2-year-old races are the Golden Rod (GII) for the fillies and the open Kentucky Jockey Club (GII). Both races are 1 1/16 miles on the main track.

Also closing Saturday is the Bet On Sunshine, a $61,000 overnight handicap for sprinters 3-years-old and up going six furlongs on the main track on Saturday, Nov. 22.

BARN TALK - Apprentice rider Brandon Meier posted his first Churchill Downs victory when Kori Kori scored a 5 ½-length triumph in Saturday's second race. "It felt great to get that first one out of the way," Meier said. "I rode her the other day at Keeneland and ran second and yesterday they took the blinkers off her and added distance and it made all the difference." Meier, 20, is the son of journeyman rider Randall Meier. ... A happy 42nd birthday to trainer Darrin Miller.

WORK TAB - Zabeel Racing International's Game Face, winner of this spring's La Troienne (GIII), worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 over a fast track for trainer Todd Pletcher. The move was the third fastest of 35 at the distance. ... Dogwood Stable's Blackberry Road, runner-up in last fall's Kentucky Jockey Club (GII), worked five furlongs in 1:03.60 for trainer David Carroll.

ALBARADO STILL ROLLING, HOPING FOR ANOTHER RIDE ON CURLIN - A strong start on the 26-day Fall Meet at Churchill Downs indicates that jockey Robby Albarado is in no danger of slowing down in a 2008 racing season that is close to equaling a 2007 season that was the best of his career.

            Along with his first-ever riding crown at Churchill Downs, Albarado earned the fall meet title at Keeneland to continue momentum in a year in which he has won nearly 200 races and his mounts have earned more than $12.2 million - but that Equibase earnings figure does not include the winning purse from Albarado's ride aboard reigning "Horse of the Year" Curlin in the $6 million Dubai World Cup.  Even without the Dubai money, Albarado's earnings total ranks seventh among North American riders with two months remaining in the year.  Last year, he finished second in total earnings with nearly $19.4 million and piloted 253 winners.

            Curlin, the first North American horse to earn more than $10 milllion, finished a disappointing fourth last week over the Pro-Ride synthetic surface at Santa Anita in his bid for a second consecutive victory in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic (Grade I). Majority owner Jess Jackson and trainer Steve Asmussen have yet to make a final decision, but the Classic might have been the final race of Curlin's career.

            "They're going to do what's in the best interest of the horse," he said.  "I'm sure they're going to evaluate him and we'll see what happens in that decision, but I wouldn't mind sitting on him a couple of more times."

            Albarado is among those who believe that Curlin was compromised in his Classic bid by the synthetic surface.  Curlin unleashed a big move on the far turn to gain the lead in the 1 ¼-mile Classic, but could not hold off the late rush of European stars Raven's Pass and Henrythenavigator, who finished 1-2. 

            "I think you saw America's finest turf race that day," Albarado said. "Curlin made his patented move around the turn, but just couldn't sustain it against those turf horses."

While the Classic was disheartening, Albarado has lost no faith in Curlin.  He has been aboard the 4-year-old son of Smart Strike in every race since he joined Asmussen's barn following a private purchase of the colt after his career debut early last year at Gulfstream Park.  Along the way, Curlin gave Albarado his first Triple Crown victory in the Preakness (GI), back-to-back wins in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI), his first win in the Dubai World Cup and his first success in the Breeders' Cup Classic.  While he finished third in the Kentucky Derby, Curlin gave Albarado a lasting memory at his home track when scored an emphatic victory in the $1 million Stephen Foster Handicap (GI).   

            "That was a great day - not only for myself and Curlin, but it was great for Churchill Downs," recalled Albarado.  "They really applauded him that day.  He had a big fan base here, and it was just great for Kentucky and Churchill Downs.  Curlin's taken me many places across the country, and it's been a great ride so far."

            When the Churchill Downs meet wraps up, the Louisiana native will head back to his home state to ride over the winter at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans.

            "Hopefully we can have a good meet there," he said.  "We've got great guys going there this winter - Jamie Theriot, Corey Lanerie and all those top guns.  Julien's going there, too, so it'll be a tough meet."

            And for the rest of the Churchill Downs Fall Meet and on through the winter in New Orleans, Albarado will be looking for a special young horse that can allow him to achieve his ultimate dream: to win the Kentucky Derby (GI) on the first Saturday in May.

            "Until I get that Derby, I won't feel complete," Albarado said.  "I'll be looking for the 2-year-olds the rest of this year, and hopefully we'll find us a 2-year-old here at Churchill Downs that we'll see in the Derby next year."

 
FIELDS TAKING SHAPE FOR MRS. REVERE, COMMONWEALTH TURF - Contenders are starting to line up for next week's mile and a sixteenth stakes races for 3-year-old turf horses: the $175,000 Mrs. Revere (GII) for fillies and the $100,000-added Commonwealth Turf (GIII).

            The 19th renewal of the Mrs. Revere lost one possible contender last week when Shadwell Stable retired Alwajeeha, winner of the Queen Elizabeth Challenge Cup (GI) at Keeneland and one of 44 3-year-old fillies nominated to the Churchill Downs race.  But several accomplished fillies are being pointed toward the last graded stakes race of the season in the 3-year-old filly division.

            The possible favorite in the Mrs. Revere could be Helen Alexander and Helen Groves' Acoma, winner of the Dogwood (GIII) on dirt and Keeneland's Valley View (GIII) on turf.  The regally-bred daughter of Empire Maker has a record of 4-1-1 in seven races for trainer David Carroll.  She also finished second in the Monmouth Oaks (GIII) and fourth to Music Note in the Coaching Club American Oaks (GI).

Other likely starters in the Mrs. Revere include Ron McCauley's Las Virgenes (GI) Golden Doc A; My Baby Baby, winner of the Pleasant Temper at Kentucky Downs; Keith Kinmon's Absolutely Cindy, who defeated males in the John Battaglia Memorial on Polytrack at Turfway Park; Frank Calabrese's Dreaming of Liz, winner of the Sweetest Chant at Arlington; Scolara, fourth in the Valley View for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott; recent Keeneland allowance winner Seemingly; and Overbrook Farm's Dark Sky, a winner of her last two starts over grass at Saratoga and Polytrack at Turfway Park. 

            Another possible starter in the Mrs. Revere is Heather Stark's multiple stakes winner Sky Mom, winner of the Arlington Oaks (GIII) on Polytrack.

            The Mrs. Revere will be run on Saturday, Nov. 8.

            The sixth running of the mile and a sixteenth Commonwealth Turf is expected to attract a field that includes Dr. John Chandler's Seaspeak, who finished first in Keeneland's Bryan Station (GIII) but was placed second via disqualification;  Skychai Racing and Sand Dollar Stable's Cherokee Triangle, runner-up in the Hawthorne Derby (GIII) and the Sunday Silence at Louisiana Downs; Donamire Farm's Jersey Derby winner Mr Maccool; Allen Farm LLC's Nistle's Crunch, third in the Saranac (GIII); Uptown Racing LLC's Boss Lafitte, winner of the Transylvania (GIII) at Keeneland and the USA Stakes at Lone Star Park; Snoose Goose, winner of the Honor Glide at Arlington Park and third in the Hawthorne Derby; Team Block's Amazing Results, second in the Perryville (GIII) on Polytrack at Keeneland and winner of the Forward Pass at Arlington; Sam-Son Farm's Cross Every Bridge, an easy winner of his lone start on the Woodbine turf in early October; and the Steve Asmussen-trained Jimmy Simms, who is unbeaten in two recent starts on the grass at Woodbine.

            The Commonwealth Turf attracted 24 nominations and will be run on Sunday, November 9.
 

LEPAROUX, MAKER, RAMSEYS CONTINUE TO SIZZLE IN MEET'S OPENING WEEK -  Jockey Julien Leparoux, trainer Mike Maker and owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey continued to set a blistering pace on Friday in their respective "human races" in the 26-day Fall Meet at Churchill Downs.

            The 26-year-old Leparoux has a firm hold on the race for "leading jockey" after he notched three more victories on Friday's 10-race Halloween program.  Leparoux, who won four races on Thursday, pushed his win total to 11 and has opened a big early lead over Robby Albarado, the leading jockey in Churchill Downs' 2008 Spring Meet.  Albarado had six wins over the meet's first four days.. 

            Mike Maker saddled one winner on Friday to push his victory total in the race for "leading trainer" to eight.  Maker has saddled at least one winner on each of the first four days of racing in the meet, and has already enjoyed a pair of three-win days.  Ken McPeek, who opened the meet with four wins on Sunday, was in second place with five victories heading into Saturday's 11-race program.

            Owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey are Maker's major client, so it's no surprise that they lead the race for top owner of the meet with eight wins through the meet's first four days.  The Ramseys, who are bidding for their seventh "leading owner" title in the Fall Meet and their 13th overall, are six wins ahead of Maggi Moss and Scarlet Stable, who are tied for second with a pair of victories.
 

SATURDAY NOMINATION DEADLINE FOR CARDINAL ‘CAP - Nominations close at midnight on Saturday, Nov. 1 for the $100,000-added Cardinal Handicap (GIII) for fillies & mares ages 3 & up at 1 1/8 miles on turf.  The Cardinal will be run on Saturday, Nov. 15.  Information is available by calling Churchill Downs Racing at (502) 636-4470 or on the Web at www.churchilldowns.com. 
 

WORK TAB (Track: FAST) - Prom Shoes breezed five furlongs in 1:02.60. ... Taletobetold breezed a half-mile in :50.20. ... Nistle's Crunch breezed five furlongs in 1:00.40. ... My Baby Baby breezed five furlongs in 1:02.40. ... Cherokee Triangle, a nominee to next week's Commonwealth Turf, breezed five furlongs over the Trackside training surface in 1:01.80.