Barn Tour: Stakes to juveniles, DeVaux updates on 9 horses

Since Cherie DeVaux began training on her own in 2018, her operation has seen steady increases in earnings, starts and wins. And she’s well on track to keep that trend going this year.

In 2022, she had 35 wins from 220 starts and earnings of $2,693,123. So far this year, she has 31 wins from 165 starts and earnings of $2,174,371.

“It’s exciting,” she told Horse Racing Nation on Tuesday.

DeVaux has had one winning graded-stakes winner each of the last two years, and she kept the streak going with a win by More Than Looks in the Manila (G3) at Belmont Park this month.

DeVaux, while driving from Churchill Downs to Ellis Park, provided updates on her top horses for HRN’s Barn Tour series.

More Than Looks. The Manila was the first graded-stakes attempt for this 3-year-old son of More Than Ready, who now has three wins from five starts, all this year. DeVaux said he’s at Saratoga, and she is pointing him toward the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (G2) on Aug. 4.

Shotgun Hottie. The 4-year-old Gun Runner filly has two wins and a second from four starts this year, most recently winning a listed stakes at Monmouth Park by 5 1/2 lengths. She’s still at Monmouth, DeVaux said, and she planned to enter her Wednesday in the Molly PItcher (G3) on Saturday.

Vahva. A 3-year-old daughter of Gun Runner, she was third in the Victory Ride (G3) last out after an allowance win at Churchill Downs. “Vahva came out of the Victory Ride really in good order,” DeVaux said. “She was closing in the 6 1/2 (furlong sprint). So right now we have her tentatively pointed towards the Test. It's a tall task, but she trains really well, and if she is doing as well then that's where we'll point her towards next.” The Grade 1, seven-furlong Test is Aug. 5 at Saratoga.

Love and Money. The 5-year-old mare by More Than Ready won the Clarksville Handicap at Ellis Park this month for her second win from four starts this year. DeVaux said she likely will be pointed to the Kentucky Downs Preview Mint Ladies Turf Sprint on Aug. 5 at Ellis Park..

Cagliostro. The 3-year-old Upstart colt tried the Kentucky Derby trail but finished eighth in the Louisiana Derby (G2). Most recently, he was third behind Verifying and Raise Cain in the Indiana Derby (G3). “We are pointing towards the Smarty Jones (G3) at Parx, keeping in mind the West Virginia Derby (G3) and the Ellis Park Derby. But that's kind of where we're leaning towards.”

Gam’s Mission. Unraced since winning the Mint Julep (G3) at Churchill Downs in June 2022, the 5-year-old daughter of Noble Mission returned with a sixth-place finish in the Hillsborough (G2) in March and followed up with an allowance win at Keeneland. DeVaux said she planned to enter her in the Matchmaker (G3) at Monmouth Park on Saturday.

Northern Invader. Unraced as a juvenile, this 3-year-old colt by Collected broke his maiden on third try with an eight-length win at Belmont on July 1. “Northern Invader's doing really well,” DeVaux said. “He had a nice breeze this weekend at Saratoga, and he'll either be pointed to the Hall of Fame or the Secretariat (G2) at Colonial.”

2-year-olds

She Feels Pretty. A 2-year-old Karakontie filly, she broke her maiden in her debut Sunday going 5 1/2 furlongs at Ellis Park. “We actually were surprised with her running so well sprinting,” DeVaux said. “It was just a place to get her started. So she's going to go up to Saratoga and point towards the P.G. Johnson at the end of August.”

Candy Lover. This 2-year-old daughter of Candy Lover debuted June 23 at Ellis Park, finishing third. ”She has had a couple of nice breezes since her start at Ellis, and there's a maiden race for her this weekend at Saratoga, on Sunday.”

As for unraced 2-year-olds, DeVaux said, “We have a good number of them that are exciting. They're just kind of at different levels of development.”

One that she mentioned is The Process, a half-brother to Rebel Stakes (G2) winner Confidence Game. “He's had a couple of breezes, really impressive. But he's just growing, it's that time of year. He's just working through some baby stuff.”

Another one who “acts promising” is Pisciotta, a filly by Wootton Bassett, who worked last week at Saratoga.