Battle of Hastings has been installed as the 2-1 morning line favorite in Saturday’s fifth running of the $500,000 Colonial Turf Cup (Gr. II) at Colonial Downs. The 1 3/16th miles turf race has been carded as the 11th race of twelve on the program, and will go to post at 6:20 PM.
A field of ten three year old horses drew into the stakes race Monday evening, and based on a turf bankroll of $186,592, largest of any horse in the field, Battle of Hastings earned early choice status. The 3 year old Royal Applause gelding is well traveled, having raced in England as a 2 year old, and on the west coast earlier this year before finishing second in the Grade 3 American Turf at Churchill Downs on May 1st. Jockey Tyler Baze will ride Battle of Hastings for trainer Jeff Mullins.
Second early choice at 3-1 is Take the Points, one of two horses trainer Todd Pletcher has in to go. His Even The Score colt finished 13th most recently in the Preakness and has bankrolled $156,190 from seven life starts, though none of them have been on the turf. Garrett Gomez, who scored 2 Virginia Derby wins with Gio Ponti in 2008 and Go Between in 2006, will ride Take The Points.
Third pick at 7-2 is Lime Rickey, whose grass earnings of $158,707 is the second most of any entrant, has been a model of consistency on turf. The Lemon Drop Kid colt has finished out of the money just once in ten grass starts. He was runner-up in three consecutive turf stakes at Gulfstream Park this past winter, including the Grade 3 Palm Beach Stakes on March 14th. Julien Leparoux, the top money leading rider of 2009, will direct Lime Rickey for trainer trainer Frank Alexander. Leparoux’s mounts have earned over $8 million in the first half of the year alone.
Edgar Prado, with a trio of Virginia Derby wins under his belt, will ride Rescue Squad for trainer Claude McGaughey III while jockey Corey Nakatani will direct Mark S The Cooler for conditioner Doug O’Neill.
Also in the field is another Pletcher trainee, Al Khali, who will get the services of Belmont winning jockey Kent Desormeaux. Rounding out the field is Straight Story, Final Count, Winning Vow and Dover Street Art, trainer O’Neill’s second horse in the “Cup”.
“This is as fine a collection of jockeys that we’ve had for a single race card ever at Colonial Downs,” said Director of Racing Tyler Picklesimer. “Racing and sports fans in Virginia should be in for a treat.”
The Turf Cup kicks off the $5 million-plus Jacobs Investments Grand Slam of Grass Series for 3 year old turf horses. Any who horse that sweeps all four legs, which also includes the Virginia Derby, Secretariat Stakes (at Arlington Park) and the Breeders’ Cup Turf (at Santa Anita), will collect a combined $5 million in purse and bonus monies.
The Turf Cup card also features the $150,000 All Along Breeders’ Cup Stakes (Gr. III) and the $50,000 Buckland Stakes. Twelve horses entered the All Along and a full field of fourteen entered the Buckland. All totaled, 141 horses are in to race Saturday at Colonial Downs.
Doors open at 11 AM for the “Rhythm. Bets ‘N Brews Festival”, and first post Saturday is scheduled for 12:55 PM. General admission is $2 and kids 12 and under are free.
Al Khali Owned by Winstar Farm and bred in Kentucky by Emory Hamilton, Al Khali is a Pletcher-trained ridgling by Medaglia d’Oro out of Maya (Capote). After finishing second in a five furlong sprint maiden at Monmouth, Al Khali broke his maiden by five lengths and went on to win an allowance at the same track by seven lengths. As a three year old, Al Khali won an allowance for non-winners of $42,000 at Gulfstream with a speed figure of 96 and moved on to Hawthorne where he finished eighth in the G2 Illinois Derby. His most recent race, the G2 Peter Pan, resulted in a sixth place finish at Belmont Park. Al Khali has won three of six starts and has lifetime earnings of $32,674.
Battle of Hastings (GB) Trained by Jeff Mullins and bred in Great Britain, Battle of Hastings broke in maiden at Newmarket in the Lucid Thinking Handicap after three tries in a maiden special weight. He then went on to win another Handicap with Jamie Spencer before being shipped to California for the G3 Generous Stakes. After finishing ninth, Battle of Hastings moved to Santa Anita where he won the G3 Baldwin and the La Puente Stakes as a three year old. In his most recent start, the G3 American Turf at Churchill Downs, Battle of Hastings finished second by ¾ of a length to Orthodox. The gelding by Royal Applause (GB), out of Subya (GB) (Night Shift), has won four of nine starts with lifetime earnings of $186,592.
Dover Street Art (IRE) Bred in Ireland by Aylesfield Farms Stud and trained by Doug O’Neill, Dover Street Art began his career with a place finish in a maiden special weight at Lingfield Park in England. He then went on to break his maiden by 1 ½ lengths at Great Leighs before being shipped to Santa Anita, where he finished seventh in the La Puente Stakes. He has since finished fourth in an allowance optional claiming race and third in an allowance at Hollywood Park. Of five lifetime starts, he has finished on the board three times with earnings of $13,687. Dover Street Art is a colt by Alhaarth (IRE) out of Santa Sophia (IRE) [Linamix (FR)].
Final Count A colt by leading 2008 sire Smart Strike out of Martinique (Pleasant Colony), Final Count was bred in Kentucky and is trained by Philip Oliver. After breaking his maiden in a maiden special weight on his second try as a three year old, Final Count won an allowance at Churchill Downs by 1 ¼ lengths. Of three lifetime starts, he was won two and has earnings of $62,110.
Lime Rickey Owned by Dogwood Stable and trained by Frank Alexander, Lime Rickey broke his maiden on his fourth try in a maiden special weight at Aqueduct. He then finished sixth in an allowance before finishing second by a ½ length in the Dania Beach Stakes at Gulfstream as a three year old. Lime Rickey continued to finish two close seconds at Gulfstream in the Hallandale Beach Stakes and G3 Palm Beach early that year. In the G1 Wood Memorial, Lime Rickey finished eighth to such horses as I Want Revenge and West Side Bernie before winning an allowance at Belmont in May. Of eleven lifetime starts, Lime Rickey has finished on the board nine times and has lifetime earnings of $163,707. He is a colt by Lemon Drop Kid – Kootenai (Deputy Minister).
Mark S the Cooler Bred in Kentucky by Dr. John Chandler owned by J. Paul Reddam, Mark S the Cooler is an O’Neill trained Johar gelding out of Felucca [Diesis (GB)]. After a third and second place finish in two maiden special weights, Mark S the Cooler finished seventh in both the Real Quiet Stakes and the G1 Cash Call Futurity at Hollywood Park. After facing such horses as Chocolate Candy, Pioneerof the Nile, and I Want Revenge, Mark S the Cooler broke his maiden at Santa Anita in a maiden special weight. He then went on to a fifth place finish in the G2 Robert Lewis and a seventh place finish in the G3 Sham with several Derby contenders. After finishing seventh in the Sunland Derby, Mark S the Cooler returned to Hollywood Park to win his most recent race, an allowance, by a nose. Of nine starts, the gelding has won two and has lifetime earnings of $90,080.
Rescue Squad Bred and owned by Stuart Janney III and the Phipps Stables, Rescue Squad broke his maiden at first asking by a head at Belmont Park. After finishing second by a length and fourth in two allowances at Gulfstream Park as a three year old, the colt shipped to Keeneland and finished third in an allowance. In his most recent race, an allowance at Keeneland, Rescue Squad drew away by 4 ¾ lengths with Edgar Prado aboard. A colt by Dynaformer out of Search Party (Seeking the Gold), Rescue Squad has finished off the board once in five starts and has lifetime earnings of $80,125.
Straight Story Bred by Gallagher’s Stud and Owned by Richard Santulli, Straight Story is by Giant’s Causeway – Eventail (Lear Fan). After breaking his maiden on his second try at Belmont, the Alan Goldberg-trained colt finished seventh in the Sleepy Hollow Stakes before winning an allowance by 6 ¼ lengths. He has won two of four lifetime starts with earnings of $57,350.
Take the Points Trained by Todd Pletcher and owned by Starlight Partners, Take the Points broke his maiden on his third try at Belmont by a ½ length. He then won an allowance at Gulfstream by two lengths before finishing second to The Pamplemousse in the G3 Sham at Santa Anita. As a Derby contender, Take the Points finished fourth in the G1 Santa Anita Derby before finishing thirteenth in the G1 Preakness Stakes. A colt by Even the Score out of Ginger Ginger (Fred Astaire), Take the Points has won or placed in four of seven lifetime starts and has earnings of $156,190. He has never raced on turf.
Winning Vow Owned by Jeffrey and Patricia Ramsey, Winning Vow is a Jeffrey Metz-trained colt by Broken Vow – Just Like Jill (Dynaformer). After breaking his maiden on his fourth try in a maiden special weight, Winning Vow finished second in both the Tempe Handicap and Captain Boogie Stakes at Turf Paradise. The colt then went on to a tenth place finish in an allowance at Santa Anita. In his most recent start, the Alcatraz Stakes at Golden Gate, Winning Vow finished fourth by 1 ¾ lengths. With four finishes on the board in eight lifetime starts, Winning Vow has won $42,220.
