Ghostzapper Colt Leads Home Peter Miller Exacta in Eventful Futurity

Nucky | Benoit

Rockingham Ranch's Nucky (Ghostzapper), twice entered for a high claiming tag in his first four races, pulled off a 35-1 upset in the GI Runhappy Del Mar Futurity on closing day at the seaside oval in a race that was almost immediately turned upside down when odds-on favorite Eight Rings (Empire Maker) ducked in sharply and lost his rider in the opening strides.

Fifth debuting in the Churchill slop June 8, Nucky was second for a $75,000 tag there 12 days later and fourth against straight maidens July 13 at Ellis before dominating $100,000 maiden claimers by 10 1/2 lengths back at trainer Peter Miller's local base Aug. 21. Let go as the second-longest shot in this class hike, the dark bay broke a step slowly but recovered quickly to track the pace.

Meanwhile, Eight Rings, who broke inwardly, lugged into Storm the Court (Court Vision) a handful of strides out, causing both jockeys to fall off their mounts. Making a bold three-wide move to forge a narrow advantage passing a salty :44.90 half, Nucky took charge soon after straightening for home and went clear past the eighth pole. Wrecking Crew put in a mild bid, but couldn't get to the winner while holding the place from Defense Wins to give Miller a one-two finish as he picked up his first Futurity score. The riders of Eight Rings (Drayden Van Dyke) and Storm the Court (Flavien Prat) appeared to escape major injury and both horses were unscathed, though Van Dyke was taken to the hospital to be examined according to Daily Racing Form.

“It was obviously unfortunate,” Miller said of the incident. “You never want to see any horse or rider go down. My first thoughts are with the horses and the riders. I don't know what happened, but after that, we won clear. To finish one-two in the Del Mar Futurity, for me, I mean it's just incredible under any circumstances.”

“What a way to end the meet. I don't deserve this. But somebody wanted me to have it,” added winning pilot Norberto Arroyo, Jr. “I thank the Lord up above. My aim was to track the two horse [Eight Rings]. My horse broke good and I was looking for the two. By the four and a half [furlong pole] I couldn't see him at all and I knew something must have happened. Then I just went to riding my horse. He responded well. I don't know if he was the best horse in the race to start, but he was the best to finish.”

Pedigree Notes:

With his victory, Nucky becomes the 72nd stakes winner, 39th graded stakes winner and 12th Grade I winner for Ghostzapper. He is the first foal to race out of GSW turfer Lady Ten, a $250,000 by Barry and Judith Becker at Keeneland November in 2016. She produced a Super Saver filly Mar. 5 before being bred to Candy Ride (Arg).

RUNHAPPY DEL MAR FUTURITY-GI, $301,053, Del Mar, 9-2, 2yo, 7f, 1:25.52, ft.
1–NUCKY, 118, c, 2, by Ghostzapper&hid=10633">Ghostzapper
1st Dam: Lady Ten (GSW, $249,014), by Rock Hard Ten
2nd Dam: Mismonique, by French Deputy
3rd Dam: Bocamis, by Miswaki
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I
WIN. ($130,000 RNA Ylg '18 KEESEP). O-Rockingham Ranch;
B-Barry & Judith Becker (KY); T-Peter Miller; J-Norberto
Arroyo, Jr. $180,000. Lifetime Record: 5-2-1-0, $217,750.
2–Wrecking Crew, 120, r, 2, Sky Kingdom–Truelladeville, by Yes
It's True. ($18,000 Wlg '17 KEENOV; $115,000 Ylg '18 FTKJUL;
$875,000 2yo '19 FTFMAR). O-Rockingham Ranch & David A
Bernsen LLC; B-Westrock Stables (KY); T-Peter Miller. $60,000.
3–Defense Wins, 118, c, 2, Flatter–Deb's Charm, by Silver
Charm. ($50,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP; $175,000 2yo '19 FTFMAR).
O-C T R Stables LLC (Calvert), Great Friends Stable, LLC, Kramer
Racing, RAP Racing, K T Racing, Steven Keh & Tom Mansor;
B-Hargus & Sandra Sexton & Silver Fern Farm (KY); T-Doug F.
O'Neill. $36,000.
Margins: 2 3/4, HF, 1 3/4. Odds: 35.00, 9.80, 37.70.
Also Ran: Ginobili, Fore Left, Garth, Eight Rings, Storm the Court. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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