Week 4

Tulip Bud Cup - G5 7F D
CRUISEY
WIN Sophie's Harmony
PLACE Rogue Prince
SHOW Ghost
fourth Turbocharged

Sophie's Harmony's age and physical maturity edged out the two year olds today.

Rosebud Stakes - G5 7F T
KENREN
WIN Best More or Less
PLACE French Quarter

Florist Cup - G4 7F T
ISABELLE
FIRST Spirit of Liberty
SECOND Valaska

Sydney Stakes - G4 7F D
Gate One: Kindly Enough Jockeyed by Meredith Hently


Naturalism Stakes - G3 7F D
ISABELLE - DNR, Dark Maiden is G2
Gate One: Like A Lioness
Gate Two: Dark Maiden

Victoria Derby - G3 7F T
SCOTIA
WIN Hot Looks
PLACE Sugar Rush

Fantasy Cup - G2 9F T NW3
Gate One: All That Jazz jockeyed by David Carter

Hay Stakes - G2 9F D NW3
Gate One: Aphrodite's Chant jockeyed by Brookson Wells

Capricorn Stakes - G1 5F T
Gate One:

Lantana Stakes - G1 5F D
ENDER
WIN Ares
PLACE Silent Snap

HORSESHOE FUTURITY* - G5+ 10F D 2yos
KENREN
WIN Virtuoso
PLACE Aristaeus
SHOW Flashbang
fourth Sillencio

BURNING BLAZE STAKES* - G5+ 10F T 2yos
ENDER
WIN Hyperion
PLACE Bohemian Rhapsody
SHOW After All
FOURTH Secret's Garden

REQUIEM LEGACY STAKES* - G5+ 6F D 2YOS
KENREN
WIN Kallisto
PLACE Icarus Flight

CRYIN OUT LOUD LEGACY STAKES* - G5+ 6F T 2YOS
ISABELLE
FIRST Everlasting Gift
SECOND Final Velocity

WILLIE NILLIE DISTAFF* - G3+G2 10F T 4yo+ F
ENDER
WIN Scintilla
PLACE Sylvanite
SHOW Sweet Mimosa
FOURTH Santana's Legend

TOP QUALITY STAKES* - G3+G2 10F T 4yo+ C
ISABELLE
FIRST A True Hero
SECOND Altercation
THIRD Black Magic

*Holly I'm not sure how Black Magic is 5-12 furlongs? Is that a typo? The current rule is that maximum length a furlong span can be is 6 furlongs, each horse has 4 furlong span at birth, with a maximum of 2 furlong length extension, it cannot be doubled.

DEBUTANTE STAKES* - G5+ 8F T 3YO F TURF TRIPLE TIARA
ISABELLE
In gate one today is Shatter, sired by Worldbreaker out of Screaming Mini. Hot today, Shatter has been prancing about all morning, giving her handlers a lot of trouble as she expresses her impatience at waiting for her race. Now she is giving her pony rider a hard time as she leads the post parade.

Celebrity, sired by Everyday Hero and out of Foolish Entity is much calmer than Shatter. Not liking much attention today, she seems focused to her race, but seems to be eyeing up the small field today. The only Breeder's Cup winner of the field, she's going in as the favorite today.

Rounding out the three horse race, Enchanting Soldier is softly walking with her pony rider, not seeming to be too fazed by the crowd. Out of Alluring Assault sired by Souvenir, the chestnut is the largest of the field here today. In a last minute antic, she's grabbed a ground worker's hat, bobbing her head with it as her competition is loading.

Shatter and Celebrity have loaded fairly easily, but Enchanting Soldier has side stepped and needs to be turned around for another try. After a sit back on her haunches, a few pushes and she's reluctantly gotten into her chute. Track guys are keeping hold of bridles as the audience holds its breath, sitting on the edge of their seats before the bell rings.

And they're off! It's Celebrity out first, breaking fast with a wide eye for the lead. Shatter close behind her, almost with Celebrity's tail in her face, as Enchanting Soldier leaves a length and hugs the rail at the back of the field. We've got eight furlongs to go here today folks, and it doesn't look like these fillies will be moving much during it. It's going to be a waiting game, as Celebrity's jockey works to keep the front runner at a good pace but conserve enough. Shatter is edging up a bit, squeezing Celebrity for a potentially faster pace, it's possible her jockey wants to take the lead early as the halfway mark approaches. Enchanting Soldier is still keep a bit back, watching to see what happens with the others.

As we pass the halfway mark its an average pace, but increasing as Shatter goes around on the back stretch to even up with Celebrity! Celebrity seems unhappy with this challenge and is working for a new gear. Enchanting Soldier's jockey is asking for more so the filly doesn't get too far behind. Shatter is making a break for the lead in the last furlong, Celebrity seems to have stolen her bit from her jockey as she's nearly bumped Shatter in her scramble to get back the front. Enchanting Soldier has sparked and closed the gap, going wide around the final turn in a huge effort to make her bid for the win! It's a three way run of these fillies, and here comes the wire, just a few lengths left, it's Celebrity, now Enchanting Soldier, now Shatter in the lead, but here comes Celebrity . . . and they cross the wire! Ladies and gentlemen this is going to be a photo finish. With all those brown noses at the end I'm not sure I can call it accurately, let's see what the flash at the finish shows . . .

WIN Celebrity (nose)
PLACE Shatter (nose)
SHOW Enchanting Soldier

What a close race, congratulations to all three contenders today, what a race! This certainly will be a very close Turf Triple Tiara this season!

KENTUCKY OPEN* - G5+ 10F T 3YOS TURF TRIPLE CROWN
SUNFROST
This race was incredibly difficult to judge. I tried to judge it based off of which horses seemed the best prepared for handling the first leg of this series. I would like to preface this by saying that every horse here deserved to be entered. In the end, I picked the winner based on class and past experience. He has been prepped excellently for this race and deserved to be here today. However, as the distances get longer, I feel as though it's somewhat likely that the other horses will catch up to him. Without further ado, I give you the Year Seventeen Kentucky Open results...

win Eternally Smoldering
place Laddie Luck
show Wire Tap
fourth Knight's Ransom
fifth Patriot

Eternally Smoldering went in as the favorite and lived up to his acclaim. From the start, him and Laddie Luck stood out the most to me today. I felt as though Eternally Smoldering would be the most likely to clinch the win at this ten furlong distance. His prep races stood out to me. Congratulations Isakins. Good luck in the next leg!

Laddie Luck started out the season brilliantly. He had a bit of a break after his win in the Oceanside but I thought that his second place finish last out would help him out with getting back in form for this race and edging out Wire Tap. Definitely run him in the Preakness Champion Stakes - I could see him clinching victory next out.

Wire Tap ascended to a fantastic level when he took the Silk Road Stakes over Eternally Smoldering last out. He's an excellent horse and you've brought him in nicely Ripleyins. I couldn't see him besting the top two at this distance with these conditions, not yet, but he's such a threat for the latter two legs (especially for the Belmont Turf Classic). I think he's also a key contender for the Turf Distance Series.

Knight's Ransom is such a lovely colt. I love how you've kept entering and running him despite those out-of-the-money finishes. I saw the top three being the top three based on their efforts this season, though in another case I could have seen him upsetting with a place or show here. My recommendation is to run him in the Preakness Champion Stakes "alternative" at BSD instead of the Preakness Champion and then bring him back for the Belmont Turf Classic. That's likely to get him a good placing which could help out with his eventual placement in the Belmont Turf Classic.

Patriot is another nice colt. I could not see him besting the others in this situation today but do think he deserves to be here. I think he's improving at the right time. I'm not sure how much you've tried him over the dirt, but he could be a good one for the Canadian Triple Crown, with his experiences and his dual-surface preference. You still have time to get him some dirt experience before that series, and based on his record he would definitely be competitive (no matter what route you do decide to go with him!)