Churchill Downs Spring Meet '04 Archives
Undefeated Lunarpal Triumphs in Bashford
Manor
by Amelia Baldree
The feature race on the closing day card at Churchill Downs was the Grade III Bashford Manor Stakes. The day started off cloudy with the track fast. Showers began before Race 6 and the track was listed as sloppy for Race 7. The rains continued through Race 10, the Bashford Manor. In a steady rain, jockey Shane Sellers sent Lunarpal to the lead and he held on to win by a neck over Dallas Stewart's Storm Surge. Dale Romans' Maximus C held on for 3rd. The win for trainer Steve Asmussen secured him the title as the leading trainer for the 2004 Spring Meet at Churchill Downs with 35 wins. This was Lunarpal's 4th straight victory and he keeps his undefeated title. He won a maiden special weight at Keeneland on April 18, the $100,000 Juvenile at Churchill Downs on May 1, Derby Day, and the $125,000 Grade III Kentucky Breeder's Cup on June 5. The win put his bankroll at $284,177. Lunarpal is only the second horse in history to sweep Churchill Downs' three stakes races for 2-year-olds, the other being Favorite Trick en route to his Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year in 1997. |
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 Colonial Colony After the Stephen Foster © Laura Ferguson 2004 |
Colonial Colony In a Shocker In horse racing, no thing is a sure thing. Just ask Smarty Jones and his connections, and the 120,000 plus fans who were there to see him win the Triple Crown. But one thing seemed certain: In the Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I) at Churchill Downs, one of the "big four" would win. Those big four included multimillionaire Peace Rules, the sometimes brilliant Midway Road, defending champion Perfect Drift, and the unstoppable Southern Image, who was favored in this race. No one paid any attention to the six-year-old Colonial Colony, a son of Pleasant Colony who hadn't won a race in his last twelve starts, let alone a stakes race. He was dismissed at odds of 62 - 1. When Peace Rules took the lead early, and Southern Image stole it from him around the turn, it appeared that the race everyone was waiting for was on. Then Colonial Colony came up on the outside, and the two battled bravely down the stretch in the slop and rain that was Churchill Downs. Southern Image continuously stuck his nose in front, but it was not to be. Colonial Colony had his head down on the wire first. |
Trained by Walter Binder, Jr., Colonial Colony paid $127.20 to win. Southern Image was five lengths ahead of Perfect Drift in third, and the mud-loving Midway Road faded to last. Colonial Colony is owned by Lakeside Farms and was bred by Chris Nolan.
Senor Swinger Wins Opening Verse The durable gray colt Senor Swinger, a four-year-old son of El Prado, won the Opening Verse Handicap at Churchill Downs, keeping his unbeaten record on that track intact. Trained by Bob Baffert, the colt has now won six of seventeen lifetime races and nearly half a million dollars. Favoritism in the race went to the Ken McPeek trained Hard Buck, a group one winner who was making his first start since competing on the Dubai World Cup undercard in late March. He finished second, beaten 1 1/4 lengths by Senor Swinger. Stakes winner Majestic Thief was third. Senor Swinger is out of the Kris S mare Smooth Swinger, and paid $6.20 to win. He was bred by Bob Ackerman and is owned by Bob and Beverly Lewis. He was ridden by Pat Day. |
 Senor Swinger and Assistant Trainer Jim Barnes at Pimlico in May © Emily Hufford 2004 |
 Adoration Before the Fleur de Lis © Laura Ferguson 2004 |
Adoration, Prince Arch Win Churchill
Stakes Adoration, the 2003 Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I) winner, won the Fleur de Lis Handicap (gr. II) at Churchill Downs on Saturday, extending her record to seven wins in nineteen starts. Ridden by jockey Victor Espinoza, the five-year-old mare by Honor Grades won by 1 1/4 lengths in the mud. Bare Necessitites, another California-based mare, finished second, with La Reason third, Angela's Love fourth, and favored Yell fifth. Cat Fighter, Mayo On the Side, and Miss Fortunate were all scratched. Trained by David Hoffmans and owned by Amerman Racing Stable, Adoration has now earned $1,961,150. She also won the Santa Margarita Handicap in March, and was coming off of a very brave performance in the Vanity Handicap at Hollywood Park in May, where she finished second. |
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Prince Arch, a three-year-old by Arch, finally got the best of the talented Kitten's Joy by a head in the Jefferson Cup (gr. III). Kitten's Joy had beaten him in their two previous meetings. Prince Arch was ridden by Brice Blanc in the 1 1/8 mile event, which was run over a yielding turf course. He is trained by Ken McPeek and owned by Raymond H. Cottrell. Prince Arch was bumped at the start, but rallied fast for the wire and just nailed the victory late. He paid $13.00 to win. Kitten's Joy was previously thought to be one of the two best three-year-old turf horses in the country after a handful of stakes victories this year. Cool Conductor finished third.
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 Southern Image and Trainer Mike Machowsky © Emily Hufford 2004 |
Southern Image Leads Deep Stephen
Foster Field By Emily Hufford So far, Southern Image has been brilliant, winning four stakes in a row this year at four different distances. He will try the Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I) at Churchill Downs on Saturday, facing a deep field that includes Peace Rules, winner of the Oaklawn Handicap and New Orleans Handicaps this year, Midway Road, a winner of the Ben Ali Handicap at Keeneland this year by double digits, and Perfect Drift, the defending champion of this race. Trainer Mike Machowsky is as hands-on as they come, and has daily been attending to Southern Image's needs. The big, dark bay colt by Halo's Image left Santa Anita Racetrack on Wednesday and arrived at Churchill Downs later that afternoon. He schooled in the paddock on Thursday. Last year, Perfect Drift scored the upset over Mineshaft, who went on to be the 2003 Horse of the Year. Could the Stephen Foster produce this year's Horse of the Year? Southern Image is currently one of the three contenders for that honor, along with Smarty Jones and Pleasantly Perfect. Neither of those is expected to start again until late summer. The Stephen Foster is just one race on an action-packed card at Churchill. The Northern Dancer Stakes, Opening Verse Handicap, and Fleur de Lis also comprise a very good card. |
 Lady Tak at Keeneland © Emily Hufford 2004 |
Lady Tak Wins Winning Colors Handicap,
Courageous Act Takes Northern Dancer Prep Heiligbrodt Racing Stable's Grade I Winner Lady Tak was victorious in the inaugural running of the Winning Colors Handicap today at Churchill Downs. The Asmussen-trained filly had a disappointing return this year at the listed Vinery Madison Stakes at Keeneland but returned to win an allowance race at Opening Day at Churchill Downs. Second to Baffert-entry Surf N Sand at the quarter pole, Lady Tak took command and never looked back, winning by 3/4 lengths as the favorite. The Mutakddim filly increased her bankroll to $814,602 by notching her 8th victory in 14 lifetime starts. Ridden by Shane Sellers, Lady Tak paid $3.00, 2.80, 2.10. Put Me In finished 2nd with Ebony Breeze 3rd. |
Prior to the Winning Colors Hcp. was a $70,600 Allowance for 3-year-olds at one mile on the dirt. The allowance was a prep race for the $200,000 G3 Northern Dancer Stakes at Churchill Downs to be run June 12 in the undercard of the G1 $750,000 Stephen Foster Handicap. Bob Baffert's Courageous Act held on to win by a neck over favorite Two Down Automatic. Ridden by Cornelio Velasquez, the Exploit colt paid $10.40, 3.60, 2.80 for the victory. Steve Asmussen trains Two Down Automatic and Ken McPeek trains Tiger Heart who rounded out the trifecta. Pro Prado, 13th in the Kentucky Derby to Smarty Jones came in 4th with Bornwithit and long shot Victor Watz rounding out the order of finish.
Silverfoot at Keeneland
in the Spring ©
Emily Hufford 2004
Silverfoot Wins at Churchill
by Emily Hufford
The Dallas Stewart trainee Silverfoot won the Louisville Handicap (gr. III) on the turf at Churchill Downs on Monday. The four-year-old gray gelding just nailed Rochester on the wire after bumping with both Rochester and Feel the Wind at the top of the stretch. Although there was an inquiry, Silverfoot was not taken down. Favored Ballingary finished third.
Stay Forever Wins Early Times Mint Julep
by Amelia Baldree
Stay Forever, a seven-year-old chestnut mare, won today's Early Times Mint Julep at Churchill Downs. Starting near the back of the pack, she went eight wide on the turn and closed to win by 1/2 length over second favorite Sand Springs. Stay Forever, a Florida-bred by Stack out of Forever Lady is trained by Martin D. Wolfson and was ridden by Eddie Castro. She last won at Calder Race Course on May 1 in the $150,000 Hollywood Wildcat Breeder's Cup Handicap. She increased her record to 9 wins in 15 starts with 1 second and 1 third earning a lifetime total of $550,399. Sand Springs finished 2nd, race favorite stablemate Aud finished 7th. New Zealand-bred Eternal Melody finished third.
Stay Forever paid $12.00, $5.60, $4.20 for the victory.
 Fire Slam at Churchill Downs © Emily Hufford |
Fire Slam Wins Matt Winn Stakes Fire Slam, a three year old son of Grand Slam, won the Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs on Saturday. The David Carroll trainee won by 5 1/4 lengths over the comebacking Cuvee, who last ran in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I). With the scratches of Western Roar and Nightlifeatbigblue, only four horses contested the race, with Hasslefree finishing third and Wildcat Shoes running last. Fire Slam settled early behind a very hot pace set by Cuvee, then ran five wide around the turn to draw clear in the stretch. The final time for six furlongs was 1:09.64. Fire Slam is owned by Stan E. Fulton. |
Cuvee Returns in Matt Winn Stakes A star two year old of last year, Cuvee, is making his three year old debut in Saturday's Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs. The charistmatic chestnut colt, who last year won the Saratoga Special (gr. II) and Belmont's Futurity (gr. I) has not raced since finishing twelfth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) at Santa Anita. After that race he had surgery to remove a bone chip.Cuvee is trained by Steve Asumussen. The field is small but deep. Facing Cuvee will be Fire Slam, the winner of the Lecomte Stakes this winner. He was most recently second in the Lexington Stakes (gr. II) at Keeneland. Also starting is Wildcat Shoes, Hasslefree, Nightlifeatbigblue, and Western Roar. Last year's Matt Winn, won by Posse, was
a springboard for future Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Cajun Beat. |
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"Mayo" Upsets Champion
Azeri The odds were against the champion as she made her way to the paddock for the Humana Distaff, a seven furlong grade 1 race over the Churchill Downs strip on Derby Day. She was coming off the biggest race of her career, dropping to a sprinter's distance, and running at a track which she'd never raced on before. The odds were against Azeri before she even made it to the starting gate, and then it got a whole lot worse. The chestnut mare broke a step slowly from the starting gate and was bumped, causing jockey Mike Smith to urge her up along the rail. Azeri was shut off and had to move to the outside as pacesetter Randaroo took the field through the opening half mile. Azeri collared Randaroo, and the leader dropped out. Azeri finally had things her own way, when the longshot Mayo on the Side rushed up on her outside. Gamely Azeri battled back along the rail down the stretch, but to no avail. Mayo on the Side, carrying eleven pounds less than Azeri, prevailed by a short head. Pat Day rode the winner, who is a classy filly in her own right. Mayo on the Side was coming off of a win in the Doubledogdare Stakes at Keeneland. She is a daughter of French Deputy trained by Carl Nafzger and owned by Robert Lothenbach. She paid $13.00 to win. |
Speightstown Wins Impressively Speightstown, a six year old son of Gone West out of the excellent racemare Silken Cat, romped to victory by 3 1/2 lengths in the 70th running of the Churchill Downs Handicap (G2). The favorite, Congaree, faded to finish fourth, and his racing career may be over. Speightstown led throughout, setting fractions of :22.48, :45.27, and 1:08.87 before finishing up in 1:21.38. California invader McCann's Mojave finished second, with the talented Publication closing to be third. Speightstown is trained by Todd Pletcher and owned by Eugene and Laura Melnyk. He was coming off of a win in the Artax Handicap at Gulfstream Park. Total, he has seven wins in twelve starts. Silken Cat is also the dam of two other foals, including a $1.4 million yearling of last year by Unbridled's Song.
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Lunarpal Wins Three Chimenys Juvenile Heiligbrodt Racing Stable's Lunarpal won the Three Chimenys Juvenile on the Derby undercard, running five furlongs in :57.98 and winning by five lengths. The two year old colt is a son of Successful Appeal out of the Quiet American mare Quiet Eclipse. He is trained by Steve Assmusen. Lunarpal was coming off of a seven length win in his debut race, a maiden special weight at Keeneland on April 18th. He was ridden in both races by Shane Sellers. The race went off with only five horses after the scratches of Just As Ready and Thenardier. Gallant Secret, a filly, finished second, 2 1/4 lengths in front of another filly, the well bred Classic Elegance who hailed from the D. Wayne Lukas barn. Last year's Three Chimneys Juvenile winner, Limehouse, ran in the Kentucky Derby later in the day, finishing fourth.
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