Qatar Racing's Waves of Mischief surged in the final strides, narrowly defeating Pin Up Betty by a head after a thrilling stretch duel in the $400,000 Pucker Up Stakes (G3T), the highlight of Kentucky Downs Preview Weekend at Ellis Park Aug. 4.
Ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr. for trainer Brendan Walsh, Waves of Mischief covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.50, securing a spot in the Sept. 11, $1.6 million Dueling Grounds Oaks at Kentucky Downs.
Waves of Mischief started well in the Pucker Up, settling in third behind longshot She's Fire, who took the early lead, with Pin Up Betty to her outside. After a quarter-mile in :24.10, Pin Up Betty took control, posting a half-mile in :48.37. Around the far turn, Waves of Mischief found her best stride and set her sights on Pin Up Betty, who had a two-length lead. In the final furlong, Waves of Mischief surged late, edging Pin Up Betty in the shadow of the wire.
"It was my first time on her and Brendan told me to find her some cover early in the race," Hernandez said. "Into the first turn, I got her covered up but she pulled me out of that spot down the backside. So I let her do her own thing, and it worked out perfectly."
Kalispera finished a length back in third, followed by Mo Fox Givin, Mont Saint Michel, Everland,She's Fire, Sanctify, and Adrasteia.
Video: Pucker Up S. (G3T)
KY DOWNS PREVIEW tURF cup
Susan and Jim Hill's Highway Robber made a bold rally around the far turn under Jareth Loveberry and powered clear late to defeat Siege of Boston by a length in Sunday's sixth running of the Ky Downs Preview Turf Cup.
Trained by Brian Lynch, Highway Robber stopped the clock in 1:59.73 for the 1 1/4-mile turf event.
At the start of the Ky Downs Preview Turf Cup, Uncle Jake was hustled hard from the outside to clear the field into the first turn while setting an opening quarter-mile of :24.47. Up the backside, Highway Robber was positioned in eighth, about five lengths behind the now dueling Uncle Jake and Classic Causeway. At the three-eighths pole, Loveberry tipped Highway Robber to the three path while Siege of Boston began to find his best stride up the rail. Inside the final furlong, Highway Robber began to power clear of Siege of Boston to record his fourth career victory.
"It was a bit of a tough break today but I got him to settle nicely," Loveberry said. "He wanted to get moving around the turn so I let him go and as you can see was very well prepared to day by the Lynch team."
King Curlin finished a nose back of Anglophile in fourth and was followed by Uncle Jake, Clyde's Got a Gun, Guntown, Camp Hope, What Say Thee, Last Samurai, and Classic Causeway.
Highway Robber is a 4-year-old gelded son of Hard Spun out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Yabba. He was bred in Kentucky by Foxpointe Thoroughbreds.
By winning Sunday's Ky Downs Preview Turf Cup, Highway Robber will receive an automatic entry to the Kentucky Downs Turf Cup (G3T) Sept. 7.
Video: KY Downs Preview Turf Cup S. (BT)
KY DOWNS PREVIEW LADIES TURF MILE
Whitham Thoroughbreds' Walkathon needed every inch of Ellis Park's stretch to defeat Dana's Beauty by a head in the Ky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Mile.
Trained by Ian Wilkes and ridden by Hernandez, Walkathon completed the one-mile distance in 1:34.68.
Hernandez, who piloted Walkathon from near the far outside portion of the gate, sat a close third during the early portion of the race while modest quarter-mile fractions of :24.33 and :48.55 were being set by Dana's Beauty outside of She's Lookin Lucky. At the three-eighths pole, Hernandez tipped Walkathon to the three-path while asking her best run and, just inside the quarter pole, Walkathon stuck her nose in front of the dueling leaders. At the eighth pole, She's Lookin Lucky began to tire while Walkathon and Dana's Beauty battled in the final furlong with Walkathon getting the better of her foe right at the wire.
"I was very confident with her today by the way she was training going into the race," Wilkes said. "I think the mile distance is the ideal distance for her. If they go quick, she can sit off the pace. If they go slow, she's able to go to the lead. She's a wonderful mare."
She's Lookin Lucky finished a length back in third and was followed in order by Neverwalkalone, Safeen, Get Twisted, Bolivie, Regal Realm, Jill Jitterbug, Excellent Question, and Maxisuperfly.
Walkathon receives an automatic berth to the Aug. 31 Ladies Turf (G3T) held at Kentucky Downs.
Video: KY Downs Preview Ladies Turf Mile S. (BT)
KY DOWNS PREVIEW TURF SPRINT
It was a wild stretch drive in the Ky Downs Preview Turf Sprint where Ron Dowdy's 8-year-old gelding Charcoal surged in the final stride to get his head down in front of Arrest Me Red in a wild four-horse photo finish that also included Mo Stash and Coppola.
Charcoal, ridden by Axel Concepcion for trainer Tracey Wisner, covered 5 1/2 furlongs over the firm turf in 1:01.34.
It was a fast beginning of the Ky Downs Preview Turf Sprint with Outadore being hustled early from the rail where he was joined to his outside by Joe Shiesty and Coppola. Following an opening quarter-mile in a sharp :21.03, Joe Shiesty began to track the dueling leaders in third with a host of pursuers beginning to make their charge including the gray Charcoal and Mo Stash. As the field entered the stretch, Coppola stuck his head in front while attempting to fend of challenges from Arrest Me Red to his inside, Charcoal to his outside and Mo Stash in the center of the track. At the line, Charcoal surged late to get his nose down in front of Arrest Me Red.
There was a dead heat for third between Coppola and Mo Stash. They were followed in order by Midnight Taxes, Outadore, Joe Shiesty, and Spankster.
Charcoal receives an automatic berth to the Sept. 7 Turf Sprint (G2T) held at Kentucky Downs.
