Turf News

Septemberten has been in so many barns during his racing career he must be feeling like a foster child.

Running for $20,000 in a $43,000 allowance optional claimer yesterday at Gulfstream Park, the 6-year-old gelding by Gone Astray changed homes via the claiming route again after his come-from-behind victory, his seventh winner’s circle visit in 42 career starts.

Septemberten, bred by OBS financial officer Randell Edwards and his wife, Lucy, was a $3,500 OBS October yearling in 2017, but they have more than made up for it with lucrative breeders’ awards. The gelding has run up a record of 7-7-10 in those 42 races, all in South Florida, including scores in three of his last four in which the Edwards’ have earned about $10,000.

Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Sonny Leon was aboard for yesterday’s victory, in which Septemberten raced last down the backstretch in the one-mile race. Leon swung him four wide on the turn and the gelding looped the field, took the lead in mid-track and continued on for a one-length victory in 1:37.96. He paid $5.20, and the winner’s check for $25,800 raised his career earnings to $280,325.

Hard West may never experience an easier trip than he did in the 10th race at Parx yesterday.

With Jose Gomez riding, the son of Gone Astray broke on top from the No. 9 post in the race at 6 1/2 furlongs, eased back to second along with two rivals going to the quarter, left that pair behind on the turn and ran over the pacesetter without taking a deep breath. He led by six lengths midway down the stretch, and prevailed by nearly four while being wrapped up late by Gomez.

The 5-year-old bred by JDBA stables and owned and trained by Clarence B. King has run up a record of 8-4-4 in 41 starts, and the $12,600 check increased his career total to $136,551. His third victory of 2022, achieved in 1:18.55, was worth $26.60 at the mutuel windows.

Bucchero’s leading money-winner, Toddchero, has now been stakes-placed four times in the span of just six races after his runner-up finish in the $100,000 Jean Lafitte Stakes at Delta Downs.

The 2-year-old colt bred by GDS Racing Stable led all the way in the one-mile race before succumbing to stablemate Mazing Mark in the final yards. Both colts are owned by Norman Stables. Toddchero was a $77,000 OBS April 2-year-old and the $20,000 Lafitte check raised his earnings to $79,990.

Bucchero’s progeny earnings with his first crop total $443,180.

Add a straight Gone Astray trifecta to the three-victory Saturdays previously enjoyed in 2022 by stallions from Pleasant Acres. The son of Dixie Union celebrated a pair of winners ridden by Emisael Jaramillo at Gulfstream Park, and one with Ernesto Valdez-Jiminez at Lone Star Park in Texas.

REGIMENTAL COMMAND: The 3-year-old gelding owned and bred by Lowwood Farm scored his first victory in his fifth start in a $43,000 maiden optional claimer at Gulfstream. With Jaramillo sitting chilly, he went wire-to-wire, putting up sizzling fractions of :21.85 and :44.85, and completing five furlongs on the Tapeta surface in :56.90. He out-gamed four challengers in deep stretch and won by two lengths, paying $7.60 while earning a check for $26,500 and his best ‘E’ speed figure of 78.

NOBLE DRAMA: Coming off a third-place finish in the Gil Campbell Memorial Handicap, Gone Astray’s second highest money-earner was squeezed back leaving the gate in a $52,000 allowance optional claimer and had to take up a position in 10th place in a field of 10 down the backstretch.

Jaramillo was content not to hurry the 7-year-old gelding bred by Harold Queen until the turn in the race at a flat mile. Then, he swung Noble Drama to the far outside as they neared the top of the stretch, and the veteran multiple stakes-winner made up about eight lengths and nailed 8/5 favorite Super Corinto in the shadow of the wire, clocked in 1:35.13. Noble Drama paid $26.20 and earned $31,900 for owner/trainer David Fawkes, raising his career total to $795,057 on a record of 10-7-5 in 34 starts. With both geldings winning for the first time this year, Gone Astray ended the day with 45 winners in 2022.

GONE PARADISE: The 5-year-old gelding bred by JDAB Stables shipped to Lone Star after six races at Arapahoe, where he had captured his last by 4 1/4 lengths. He competed in the Battle of the Breeds Claiming Trial at 870 yards, winning by three-quarters of a length in :46.95 and paying $4 as favorite. He’s 5-6-3 in 29 starts with earnings of $48,407 for owner/trainer Mark Hibdon, and left Gone Astray less than $5,000 short of $1.7 million in 2022 progeny earnings.

Neon Sign gave Neolithic his 18th winner of 2022 with a sharp wire-to-wire performance in a $29,620 maiden special at Penn National last night.

The 2-year-old colt had finished second by two lengths in his debut at five furlongs, and was sent off as the 9/5 favorite for his return at 5 1/2 furlongs. With Angel Rodriguez aboard, the colt bred by Southern Comfort Farm posted fractions of :22.57, :46.93 and :59.90 and was three-quarters of a length in front at the wire, clocked in 1:06.72. The $16,260 winner’s check lifted his earnings to $21,680; he was a $15,000 OBS June purchase.

Neolithic is Florida’s second-leading second-crop sire with progeny earnings of $785,850. He’s less than $39,000 behind leader Noble Bird in that department, and is just one behind with respect to number of winners.

Edgard Zayas showed up at Gulfstream Park Saturday morning probably not expecting to enjoy a career day, but that’s exactly what happened. Zayas won six races and added a second and a third, the most important of which was Race No. 8 – fittingly called the $70,000 Showing Up Stakes.

Zayas took the 3-year-old Amira’s Prince colt Night Jumper away in third place on the rail in the race at a mile and 70 yards over the Tapeta course. They went after 8/5 favorite Grand David on the turn, took the lead in the stretch and went on to score by three-quarters of a length in 1:41.29.

Night Jumper raised his record to 3-1-0 in nine starts, and the winner’s check of $42,532 increased his earnings to $107,322, with $82,922 coming this year. The colt owned and bred by Darsan Inc. has won two of his last three and Saturday he posted his best Equibase speed figure – a 94. Night Jumper paid $16.40, highest price among his six winners.

On Breeders’ Cup Day 1, Pleasant Acres stallions won a pair of races from South Florida to Arizona.

GULFSTREAM PARK: My Billeeboy, who broke his maiden last time out in his fourth start to become Long On Value’s first winner, made it two in a row yesterday in a $51,000 allowance optional claimer with Edgar Perez riding. Despite coming in with a victory, a second and two thirds, the 2-year-old colt bred by Lavender Hill Stud still paid $35.20 as the longest price on the board. He earned a check for $31,300, raising his five-race total to a healthy $83,100.

My Billeeboy broke well in the race at 5 1/2 furlongs over the Tapeta course, went after 4/5 favorite Extendo on the turn, took the lead into the stretch and went on to score by two lengths in 1:05.34. His Equibase ‘E’ speed figure of 80 was his best thus far.

TURF PARADISE Lady Phyllis, still going strong at age seven, raised her record to 7-9-7 in 39 starts with a three-quarters of a length victory on the grass in Arizona. The Gone Astray mare had Harry Hernandez aboard in the race at 7 1/2 furlongs and they broke on top, eased back to second on the backstretch behind pacesetter Sweet Honor, then beat the 6-1 shot home while holding off several closers.

Lady Phyllis, bred by Northwest Stud, paid $7.80 and earned a check for $7,457, increasing her career bank account to $146,075. She became winner No. 42 this year for Gone Astray, who is just short of $1.6 million in progeny earnings, and sits in fifth place on Florida’s leading sire list.

It took all of Miguel Vasquez’s skills to guide She’s Classy to the wire at Gulfstream Park for her second victory this year.

The 4-year-old daughter of Gone Astray raced off the pace early in the race at five furlongs over the Tapeta surface, and the meet’s leading rider swung her off the rail as they reached the top of the stretch. From there, she out-gamed two rivals to the wire and won a three-horse photo by a head.

Just four races earlier, a track record of :55.40 was set for the distance; She’s Classy reported home in :56.76. She earned a check for $13,500, raising her total to $82,755 on a record of 3-4-8 in 23 tries. The filly bred by Craig L. Wheeler paid $24.40.

Toddchero became stakes-placed for the third time in only five starts when he overcame the No. 12 post and finished third under Lane Luzzi in the seven-furlong, $110,000 Clever Trevor Stakes at Remington Park yesterday.

The 2-year-old colt by Bucchero, who had previously finished second in the Prairie Gold Juvenile at Prairie Meadows and third in the Kip Deville Stakes at Remington, earned a check for $12,100, raising his total to $61,090, most for any runner by his freshman sire. The $77,000 OBS April 2-year-old was bred by GDS Racing Stable.

Bucchero has had 21 starters in his initial crop, with three stakes-placed runners, eight winners and seven others who have finished second or third.

In her first start in September, Feisty Sara missed breaking her maiden by a slim half-length racing six furlongs at Gulfstream Park. Moving to the Tapeta surface for start No. 2, the filly gave Neolithic his 17th winner of 2022, and third of the 2-year-old variety.

The filly bred by Matalona Thoroughbreds raced five furlongs in :58.06 and won by 1 1/4 lengths under leading rider Miguel Vasquez, paying $3.60 as favorite. She earned $18,400, bringing her two-race total to $24,700, as Neolithic reached an even 100 winners plus placers in his less than two seasons.

Vasquez was also responsible for the neck victory of Emirates Affair, who went wire-to-wire at 1 1/16 miles on the Tapeta course and raised her record to 3-7-2 in 23 starts. The 4-year-old filly by Handsome Mike picked up $16,000 for her second score of 2022 and increased her career total to $120,160. She is another bred at Pleasant Acres by Joe and Helen Barbazon.