Churchill Downs Fall Meet 2004

Thanksgiving Weekend Race Recap
by Amelia Baldree

Friday at Churchill Downs featured the 130th Clark Handicap (G2). The Clark Handicap is the only race other than the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks that has been held successively since 1875 and is the highlight of Churchill Downs' Fall Meet.

Favored Saint Liam won over long shot Seek Gold, the crowd-favorite Perfect Drift was third.

Saturday featured two stakes for 2-year-olds. The G2 Golden Rod for 2-year-old fillies was won by favorite Runway Model, who finished third with trouble in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. The G2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes was won by Greater Good, who also won the Kentucky Cup Juvenile in September.

Friday at Hollywood Park featured the G3 Hollywood Turf Express Handicap. Cajun Beat, who won the 2003 Breeders' Cup Sprint, won by 3 lengths. This was his first victory since winning the Mr. Prospector Handicap in January and also his first win in three starts since switching trainers to Bobby Frankel.

Saturday's card featured the G1 Citation Handicap, where Bobby Frankel's Brazilian-bred Leroidesanimaux won by 1/2 length over the gritty long shot California-bred A to the Z. Later on, favored Dubleo won the G3 Generous Stakes over Littlebitofzip after a delayed start caused when Moth Ball flipped in the gate.

Aqueduct's Friday card featured the G2 Top Flight Handicap where favorite Daydreaming, who won the Indiana Oaks last out, won by a nose over Bending Strings. On Saturday, favored Sis City won the G2 Demoiselle Stakes by 3 3/4 over Winning Season and Salute, a daughter of Unbridled and Personal Ensign. The G2 Remsen was won by John Servis' Rockport Harbor who held on to win by a neck after a long duel over favored Galloping Grocer. Both colts had been undefeated. Rockport Harbor did come back with a leg injury, but should be fine for a spring campaign. Lion Tamer upset the G1 Cigar Mile Handicap by 1 1/4 lengths over Badge of Silver, with the favorite, Pico Central, finishing third.

Halory Leigh Wins Falls City
by Emily Hufford

Halory Leigh gave thanks in her own way at Churchill Downs on Thanksgiving Day, winning the grade two Falls City Handicap by 2 3/4 lengths over Susan's Angel. The four-year-old daughter of Halory Hunter won the Churchill Downs Distaff earlier in the month. Dale Romans trains for owners Jerry Crawford, Matt Gannon and Charlie Grask. Eddie Martin, Jr. was aboard for the victory

Miss Fortunate ran on to be third. The popular Mayo On the Side, the third-choice in the wagering, finished sixth of seven.

A crowd of over 9,000 was onhand for the Thanksgiving day card. Churchill Downs will close on Saturday until April.

Halory Leigh Upsets
by Amelia Baldree

Churchill Downs' feature race on Sunday was the $200,000 Grade II Churchill Downs Distaff Handicap for fillies and mares at one mile on the dirt. Of the impressive field that included Lady Tak, My Boston Gal and Mayo on the Side, it was 14-1 longshot Halory Leigh who upset and won by 5 lenghts over 6-5 favorite Lady Tak. The Dale Romans' trainee is a 4-year-old filly by Halory Hunter. Ridden by Craig Perret, Halory Leigh scored her third win in five starts at Churchill Downs; this is her first graded stakes victory.

Lady Tak, going for her third consecutive graded stakes win, finished second over Susan's Angel. Halory Leigh previously won an allowance at Keeneland on October 10 by four lengths. Her career record is six wins in 20 career starts, her total winnings stand at $411,248.

Halory Leigh paid $31.20 $8.80 $7.00. Lady Tak returned $3.20 and $3 for a $115.80 exacta. Susan's Angel paid $8.40 to show. The rest of the field was as follows: My Boston Gal, Island Sand, Mayo On the Side, My Trusty Cat, There Runs Hattie, Wildwood Royal, Miss Fortunate, La Reason and Revolutionary Act.

Punch Appeal, Straight Line Win
by Amelia Baldree

The $100,000 Pocahontas Stakes was won by Punch Appeal; she broke on top and stayed with the leaders
to win by a nose over Aspen Tree. The 2-year-old bay filly by Successful Appeal is trained by Steve Asmussen and owned by Heiligbrodt Stable and Burning Day Farm. She has increased her career record to 5 wins and 1 show in eight lifetime starts with earnings of $239,840. She most won the Kentucky Cup Juvenile Fillies at Turfway Park but most recently had finished 7th in Keeneland's G2 Darley Alcibiades. Her connections may change as she is entered to sell on Tuesday at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.

She paid $6.20 3.40 2.60 as the favorite. Aspen Tree paid $3.80 3.00 to place and Kota paid $3.20 to show. Completed order of finish: Quiet Optimism, Burnish, Ragtime Hope, and Im a Dixie Girl. The one-mile race was run in 1:37.77.

The Grade III Iroquois Stakes featured juvenile colts and was also at one mile. Straight Line, ridden by Brice Blanc, took the lead at the 3/4 pole and went on to win by 5 lengths. The dark bay colt by Boundary is trained by Harvey L. Vanier and owned by wife Nancy A. Vanier and Cartwright Thoroughbreds LLC. He's now increased his bankroll to $166,312 and has three wins in six starts. He also won the Honest Pleasure at Arlington Park in August. Vanier hopes he now has a candidate for next May's Kentucky Derby.

The past two Iroquois winners have gone on to compete in the "Run for the Roses" - The Cliff's Edge won the 2003 Iroquois and finished 8th in the 2004 Kentucky Derby while Harlan's Holiday won the 2001 Iroquois and finished 7th in the 2002 Derby. Straight Line paid $6.40 3.80 3.00 for the win; Social Probation paid $5.40 3.40 to place and Greater Good paid $2.40 to show. Completed order of finish: Chief Commander, Highgrove and Can't Trick Jake. Norainonthisparty clipped heels near the 3/4 pole and fell and lost rider Kevin Krigger, but returned to the barn uninjured.

Quintons Gold Rush Wins In Slop
by Emily Hufford

Quintons Gold Rush, who was eased on the sloppy track at Churchill Downs in the Kentucky Derby this May, turned the tables and won in the slop on Tuesday against an allowance field. Jockey Pat Day rode the three-year-old son of Wild Rush with all of the confidence in the world. It briefly looked as if Quintons Gold Rush would be passed at the top of the stretch, but he eased clear again and drew off to win by 2 3/4 lengths.

Steve Asmussen trains the flashy colt for Padua Stables. It was Quintons Gold Rush's second start since the Derby. He finished last in the Indiana Derby at Hoosier Park on October 3rd.

Interwoven was second in a six horse field.

Sir Cherokee Wins the Ack Ack
by Amelia Baldree

Sir Cherokee, a 4-year-old son of Cherokee Run, won the 12th Ack Ack Handicap (Grade III) at Churchill Downs today. The 7 1/2 furlong race for horses 3-years-old and up featured Fire Slam, Cappuchino, and Private Horde.

Owned by Domino Stud, Sir Cherokee won the 2003 Arkansas Derby (GII) and won today off a layoff; he had a small chip removed from his left front ankle this June. He increases his record to 6 wins, 3 seconds and 2 thirds in 18 lifetime starts. Going off at odds of 6-1, he finished in 1:29 2/5. He paid $14.80 for the win.

Favored Fire Slam came in second and paid $2.60 and 2.20 while Slate Run paid $3.40 to show.

The Ack Ack Handicap is named for Cain Hoy Stable's 1971 "Horse of the Year" Ack Ack won also won the 1969 Derby Trial at Churchill Downs.

Access Approved Wins The Gray Ghost On Opening Day
by Amelia Baldree

Access Approved, a 5-year-old gray gelding trained by Joe Woodard and owned by Billy Hays won the 3rd annual "Gray Ghost" at Churchill Downs. The "Gray Ghost" is a starter allowance race restricted to gray horses held since 2002 around Halloween. The son of With Approval went off at odds of 9-1 but won by 4 3/4 lengths under jockey Jose Martinez.

Today was opening day for Churchill Downs' "Fall Festival of Racing" which runs from October 31 through November 27. The feature events will be the 9th Annual Churchill Downs Chili Cook-Off on Sunday, November 7, Community Day at the Downs on Saturday, November 20, and their "Big Four Weekend", Thanksgiving At The Downs from Thursday, November 25 - Saturday November 27. Friday, November 26 will feature the Grade II $500,000-added Clark Handicap going 1 1/8-miles for 3-year-olds & up.