Pat Day Mile

Billed as a showdown between a pair of unbeaten 'TDN Rising Stars, presented by Hagyard' in these pages back in early April, Crude Velocity (Beau Liam) outslugged Englishman (Maxfield) in a dynamite renewal of the GII Pat Day Mile S. Just like he did in his first two starts, 3-2 favorite Crude Velocity did not exit the stalls well, but recovered impressively to thread his way through traffic to press the rail-drawn, 8-5 second-choice Englishman from second through sharp fractions of :22.06 and :44.20. Crude Velocity drew up alongside at...

An additional quartet of Grade I contests and a Grade I-quality renewal of the GII Pat Day Mile highlight Saturday's Kentucky Derby undercard races at Churchill Downs. Knightsbridge Rates Top Billing In Churchill Downs S. A field of 11 comes together for yet another compelling renewal of the $1-million GI Churchill Downs Stakes, a seven-furlong contest in which Godolphin's 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Knightsbridge (Nyquist) goes in search of a maiden top-level success while looking to extend his current winning streak to five. A half-brother to Grade I-winning...

A pair of very talented, unbeaten 3-year-olds could potentially face off in the GII Pat Day Mile S. on Kentucky Derby day at Churchill Downs. Crude Velocity (Beau Liam) will take his two-for-two record to Louisville for Bob Baffert following a powerful, 6 3/4-length victory over older horses in an optional claimer at Santa Anita Saturday. He earned a 100 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort. The $250,000 OBS June graduate previously overcame an impossible trip to win at first asking by a neck Mar. 7, good for 'TDN Rising...

The GII Pat Day Mile S. on Kentucky Derby day will be next for unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Englishman (Maxfield), who romped in his highly anticipated return at Fair Grounds Thursday evening. The 1-9 favorite cleared from his outside draw and it was pretty much game over from there. He powered into the turn following a quarter in :21.33 and opened a five-length advantage approaching the quarter pole. With Jose Ortiz completely motionless in the saddle, Englishman was on cruise control down the stretch and reported home...

10th-FG, 125K, O/C, 3yo, 6f, 6:15 p.m. Thursday marks the return of 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' ENGLISHMAN (Maxfield) for Cherie DeVaux and C R K Stable. It will be the Triple Crown-nominated colt's first start since a 7 1/4-length romp in his first and only race which came six months ago in September under the Twin Spires. That gate-to-wire win over seven furlongs was just a hair off the track record and resulted in a 97 Beyer Speed Figure. "The target race for him is the [GII] Pat...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The GII Pat Day Mile S. appeared to be loaded with early speed on paper, but it was 13-1 longshot Macho Music (Maclean's Music) who proved fastest of all. Exiting an 11 1/4-length, front-running romp in the state-bred restricted Sophomore S. going seven furlongs at Tampa Bay Downs Mar. 30, Macho Music was ridden aggressively by Hall of Fame rider Javier Castellano and cleared the field of nine leaving the chute over the sloppy going. He took ownership of the Pat Day Mile from there and sped...

To say that the connections of Seize the Grey (Arrogate) were disappointed that the 3-year-old wouldn't be making it into the starting gate for the GI Kentucky Derby is an understatement. D. Wayne Lukas, who had Just Steel (Justify) tabbed to run later in the day, felt that the MyRacehorse runner could also have also been competitive in the Run For the Roses. While things didn't pan out for the grey to make it into the big dance, he still came away a winner Saturday, taking the GII Pat Day...

Vlahos (r, 3, Kantharos--Must Be Dreaming, by Run Away and Hide), a razor sharp debut winner for owner Dan Northrup and trainer Luis Mendez with a 98 Beyer Speed Figure at Santa Anita Mar. 9, has been purchased privately by Ty Leatherman and Todd Cady and transferred to Doug O'Neill. The sale price was not disclosed. The chestnut, a steal for $35,000 as a Keeneland September yearling, is aiming to make his next start in the $600,000 GII Pat Day Mile S. on the Kentucky Derby undercard. He has posted...

Trainer Todd Pletcher reported that both of his fillies that contested Friday's GI Central Bank Ashland S. emerged from the efforts none the worse for wear, but are likely to part company for the time being. 'TDN Rising Star' Leslie's Rose (Into Mischief) atoned for her third in the GII Davona Dale S. with a good-looking three-length victory in the Ashland, earning herself a ticket to the May 3 GI Kentucky Oaks in the process. "We are trying to sort things out, and we will let the dust settle from...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Courtlandt Farms' General Jim (Into Mischief) continued his all-conquering sire's fantastic weekend with a game neck victory over Fort Bragg (Tapit) after a stretch-long battle in Saturday's GII Pat Day Mile S. at Churchill Downs. Gilmore (Twirling Candy) finished third. "It was a magnificent win," winning owner Don Adams said. "To win on a day like today is truly special. He's become a nice horse, very special. He's won two in a row now and hopefully we'll see good things down the road. We'll let (trainer) Shug...

Coming from a culture where most wagering stipulates a fixed dividend, in the startling event that your horse happens to see through his part of the deal, I tend to view the morning line on American races as named for the hangover evidently being suffered by its compiler. Certainly by the time the market has been soberly hydrated with dollars and cents, I won't be expecting anything as close to an even play as the 4-5 listed about Forte (Violence) overcoming the wide draw that appears to introduce his only...

'TDN Rising Star' Jack Christopher (Munnings) returns to action Saturday in the GII Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs. A dazzling debut winner at Saratoga Aug. 18, the flashy chestnut scored another decisive victory in Belmont's GI Champagne S. Oct. 2, earning a 102 Beyer Speed Figure. He was the early favorite for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, but was scratched by the vet the day before the race. A stress fracture was discovered in the colt's left shin that required a screw to be inserted and he returned to...