Final yr’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Dash (G1T) winner Nobals and his equally quick and gifted stablemate One Timer will each run in Kentucky Downs’ $2 million Ainsworth Turf Dash (G2T) Sept. 7, coach Larry Rivelli mentioned.
In fact, Rivelli mentioned the identical factor final yr. One Timer certainly ran at Kentucky, shedding the six-furlong Turf Dash to Gear Jockey on a head bob in a four-horse picture after successful Kentucky Downs’ Franklin-Simpson Stakes (G2) in 2022 as a 3-year-old. In the meantime, Rivelli redirected Nobals on the final minute to Colonial Downs for the $150,000 Da Hoss Stakes, which the gelding gained en path to a Breeders’ Cup Turf Dash victory.
“Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah,” Rivelli mentioned cheerfully of final yr’s switcheroo. “It is $2 million this yr. … The cash is so massive, it is rather attainable” he’ll run each.
Kentucky Downs’ all-turf meet runs Aug. 29, 31 and Sept. 1, 5, 7, 8 and 11.
With the purse doubled this yr to $2 million for Kentucky-breds and $1 million for everybody else, the Ainsworth Turf Dash is each a stepping stone to the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Dash and an goal in its personal proper. The Ainsworth winner earns a fees-paid spot within the Breeders’ Cup Turf Dash Nov. 2 at Del Mar as a part of the Breeders’ Cup Problem Sequence: Win and You are In.Join BloodHorse Each day
Each Nobals and One Timer have raced solely as soon as this yr. Nobals was fourth by a complete of three-quarters of a size in a July 28 Saratoga allowance race. One Timer, who wasn’t chosen for the Breeders’ Cup area final yr, was second in Hawthorne Race Course’s Robert S. Molaro Memorial the identical day in his first begin since Kentucky Downs.
Rivelli mentioned the day off was by design.
“I am simply attempting to arrange for this entire run developing right here,” he mentioned. “I understand how unattainable it’s to maintain them going for an entire yr. We’re simply going to focus on the late finish of the yr, which is Kentucky Downs with all this cash after which the Breeders’ Cup.
“They’re doing higher than they have been doing final yr, to be trustworthy. Their final race, I used to be a bit bit upset with each of them however actually no cause, no excuse. I had them prepared, not less than I feel I did. Nobals obtained sort of a (dangerous) journey, obtained hung large and did not actually get to run the race he desires to run and obtained beat solely three-quarters of a size. However on the turf, two lengths is like eight lengths on the filth. You see the horses a neck, a head, a neck, a neck, that kind of factor. We have been on the great finish of a head final yr (within the Breeders’ Cup), so I am all proper. In the event you needed to say you might be fourth in an allowance race and take the Breeders’ Cup, I am going to take that.
“However they’re each doing unbelievable. I am hoping the second race off the layoff there will likely be no excuse. They will be tight, they will be match. They have been getting into final time, however possibly they simply wanted a race. The horse (Mischievous Rogue) that beat One Timer at Hawthorne was the one horse within the race that seemed prefer it had a shot to beat us, and it did.”
Vincent Foglia’s Patricia’s Hope owns all of Nobals and half of One Timer, with frequent companion Richard Ravin proudly owning the opposite half of One Timer.
“They’re fairly related horses, when you have a look at their historical past,” Rivelli mentioned. “They are not essentially five-eighths turf horses. Nobals broke the monitor document at Woodbine going three-quarters. One Timer gained going 6 1/2 at Kentucky Downs. Three-quarters, 6 1/2, I am not afraid to run both of them. My horses have a lot pace naturally that I would assume they’d be in entrance with not as a lot firm as they’d have in a five-eighths race the place everyone has to go, go, go.”
Pedigree notice: One Timer is the primary foal out of the Blame mare Spanish Star , whose second foal to run is Iowa Oaks winner Simply Basking , the third-place finisher within the 1 1/4-mile Alabama (G1) at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 17.
The Chicago-based Rivelli plans to run extra horses at Kentucky Downs than he has earlier than. He hopes to run 2-for-2 Shezafunkydrummer and Ellis Park Debutante runner-up Wealthy Metropolis Woman in a 2-year-old stakes of their turf debuts. Homie , whose solely begin was a turf victory at Horseshoe Indianapolis, additionally will likely be pointed for a stakes. Shezafunkydrummer and Homie have been set to run in Woodbine grass stakes that have been washed out Saturday. Rivelli mentioned they now will prepare as much as the Kentucky Downs races.
Kentucky Downs’ 4 2-year-old stakes are every value $1 million for Kentucky-breds ($500,000 for the others).
“That is unbelievable,” Rivelli mentioned. “You can retire them in the event that they win, makes their entire profession. It is unbelievable there. There are loads of horses entered in each race, The betting’s good. The purses are massive, lots of people exhibiting as much as run. I prefer it. I am a fan.”
This press launch has been edited for content material and elegance by BloodHorse Employees.
Source link
