Churchill Downs: See who made the grade in the Derby undercard
R Disaster took the lead out of the gate and then fended off a stretch challenge by Ways and Means by 2 1/4 lengths to win the 40th running of the Grade 1, $1 million Derby City Distaff for fillies and mares.
Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. and ridden by Tyler Gaffalione for owners Averill Racing and ATM Racing, R Disaster completed the seven furlongs over a fast main track in 1:20.94.
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R Disaster quickly opened a daylight advantage through an opening quarter-mile in 22.77 seconds with favored Splendora tracking in second. On the far turn, Ways and Means began to close in and narrowed the gap in the upper stretch only to have R Disaster kick away again.
R Disaster is a 5-year-old Florida-bred daughter of Awesome Slew out of the Gottcha Gold mare Making Havoc. In winning her third graded stakes, R Disaster improved her record to 16: 9-6-1 and increased her earnings to $1,327,015 with Saturday’s $558,000 check.
R Disaster returned $16.26, $5 and $3.96. Ways and Means, ridden by Jose Ortiz, returned $3.60 and $2.98 with Usha getting third another 1 3/4 lengths back under Juan Hernandez and paying $3.98 to show.
Favored Splendora was fourth another 6 1/2 lengths back followed by Autumn Evening.
“This filly came here ready to run today,” Gaffalione said. “As soon as the gate popped open, she broke alertly, I was able to put my hands down and let her find her stride. She was traveling so easy that I knew (down the stretch), she was going to be able to find another gear. The rest of horses weren’t much of a threat.”
“She ran her race last time in the Madison (G1),” Joseph said. “The pace was extremely fast last time – faster than we would have liked. We didn’t originally intend to come back in this race, but she bounced out of her last work very well. So, we decided to enter and see what happens. We knew there were some Grade 1-caliber fillies in this race but she was doing so well. Tyler gave her the perfect ride today.”
Yellow Card sets new stakes record in Twin Spires Turf Sprint thriller
Yellow Card surged between horses to edge longtime leader Joe Shiesty by a neck with favored Litigation another head back to win the 32nd running of the Grade 2, $600,000 Twin Spires Turf Sprint for 3-year-olds and up Saturday afternoon.
Trained by Michael McCarthy and ridden by Flavien Prat for owner James Daniell, Yellow Card completed the 5 ½ furlongs on a firm Matt Winn Turf Course in a stakes-record 1:02.20.
Joe Shiesty quickly assumed command after breaking second and led the field of 10 through an opening quarter-mile in 22.39 seconds with Yellow Card tracking in second.
Joe Sheisty carried the advantage to the top of the stretch where he was confronted by Yellow Card to his immediate outside and Litigation three wide. The trio raced as a team through the stretch with Yellow Card narrowly prevailing.
The victory was worth $354,500 and increased Yellow Card’s earnings to $1,099,245 with a record of 14: 5-4-1 with his first stakes victory.
Yellow Card is a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Lost Treasure out of the Pulpit mare Paris Girl.
Yellow Card returned $7.80, $4.24 and $3.02. Joe Shiesty, ridden by Fernando De La Cruz, returned $6.60 and $4.10 with Litigation paying $2.76 to show under Irad Ortiz Jr.
It was another nose back to My Boy Prince with Possiblemente, Mondogetsbuckets, Full Disclosure, Bear River, Its Bourbon Thirty and Wendelssohn following in order.
“He broke well and we got into a good spot,” Prat said. “He really showed a lot of courage. The whole race was a battle, and he fought to get to the wire first.”
“Last time at Keeneland he got banged around at the half-mile pole and it wasn’t his day,” McCarthy said. “I’m so proud of him and the effort he was able to put in today. I’m so glad Flavien (Prat) decided to stick with him. (Owner) Jim Daniell needed this one, I needed this one.”
Classic Q wins Churchill Distaff Turf Mile for Mark Casse
Classic Q took over from pacesetting Italian Soiree after a half-mile and then held off favored Portfolio Duration (GB) to post a neck victory in the 41st running of the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (G1) for fillies and mares Saturday afternoon.
Trained by Mark Casse and ridden by John Velazquez, Classic Q completed the mile over a firm Matt Winn Turf Course in 1:34.71. It is the third victory in the race for Casse who won with Tepin in 2015 and 2016.
It is the fourth win for Velazquez, with his other scores coming with Shires Ende in 1999, Hungry Island in 2012 and Proctor’s Ledge in 2018.
Italian Soiree ran the first quarter-mile in 24.26 seconds with Classic Q right alongside, and the latter took over after a half-mile in 47.93. Classic Q opened a daylight advantage leaving the backstretch, maintained a clear edge in the stretch and staved off the final bid from Portfolio Duration.
The victory was worth $595,680 for Classic Q and increased her earnings to $1,044,865 with his first graded stakes victory. A 4-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Classic Empire out of the Scat Daddy mare Lovely Em, Classic Q has a 14: 4-3-1 record.
Classic Q rewarded her backers with payoffs of $15.62, $6.14 and $4.52. Portfolio Duration returned $4.20 and $3.08 under Flavien Prat with Pin Up Betty in third and paying $3.62 to show under Juan Hernandez.
“I tried to rate her but she started getting aggressive and throwing her head," Velazquez said. “I decided just to take a long hold and see how long I could hold it. I waited until the quarter pole and she spurted away, which was enough to win it.”
Casse said, "It's so rewarding. She's run so hard so many times. I'm so grateful we're able to get the job done in this race. She likes it here. She really likes the shorter turns."
Movin’ On Up finished fourth and was followed by Vina Arana, Sweet Rebecca, Temptable, Maggie Go and Italian Soiree.
Crude Velocity sets stakes record in Pat Day Mile win
Crude Velocity rocketed past pacesetting Englishman inside the eighth pole and drew off for a 3 3/4-length victory in the 102nd running of the Pat Day Mile (G2) for 3-year-olds.
Trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Florent Geroux, Crude Velocity completed the mile over a fast main track in a stakes-record 1:33.87. It is the third victory in the race for Baffert, with his other wins coming in 1998 with Souvenir Copy and 2006 with Record.
Englishman was first out of the gate but was immediately joined to his outside by Crude Velocity. The two favorites raced through fractions of 22.06, 44.20 and 1:08.13. Englishman held the advantage to midstretch, when Crude Velocity roared on past for his third victory in three starts.
"He was a lot more professional today and put me in the right spot," Geroux said. "Since the blinkers have been removed, he’s been a dream to ride. He’s able to follow very fast fractions easily and I attacked Englishman at the quarter-pole and responded well. He’s an amazing horse. He’s not very big and I have worked in the mornings and I told Bob (Baffert) it was the best 3-year-old in his barn. I wish we had more time to develop, and I think he would have been in the Derby today."
A Kentucky-bred son of Beau Liam out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Sweetnsour Kitty, Crude Velocity picked up $38,820 for the victory to increase his earnings to $522,820.
"This horse is a freaky horse," Baffert said. "He is so talented. I was very surprised that he was able to win first out with all of the trouble he got in. If he stays healthy, we'll be hearing from this horse down the road."
Crude Velocity returned $5.14, $2.88 and $2.64. Englishman, ridden by Jose Ortiz, returned $3.24 and $2.68 and finished 2 3/4 lengths in front of Stop the Car who paid $4.56 to show under Tyler Gaffalione.
It was another half-length back to Secured Freedom with Crown the Buckeye, Creole Chrome, One More Freud, Trouble Calling, Lockstocknpharoah, Work and Baytown Dreamer following in order.
Stark Contrast holds off Remember Mamba in American Turf
Amerman Racing Stables’ homebred Stark Contrast blew past Honey Dutch at the eighth pole and then held off a late bid from Remember Mamba by 2 1/4 lengths to win the 35th running of the $1 million American Turf (G1) for 3-year-olds Saturday afternoon.
Trained by Michael McCarthy and ridden by Flavien Prat, Stark Contrast completed the 1 1/16 miles over a firm turf course in a stakes-record 1:40.31. It is the fourth win in the race for Prat, with previous victories coming with Zulu Kingdom last year, Stolen Base in 2022 and Du Jour in 2021.
Honey Dutch took over the lead on the backstretch from Street Beast and carried a daylight advantage into the stretch. Stark Contrast launched his bid with a five-wide move at the head of the lane, took over at midstretch and cruised home.
Stark Contrast is a Kentucky-bred son of Caravaggio out of the Quality Road mare Catch the Eye. Now a three-time stakes winner, Stark Contrast has a record of 7: 4-2-0 with earnings of $1,066,060 that includes Saturday’s $573,360 check.
“I can’t tell you how highly I thought about this horse,” McCarthy said. “He got a little sick on us over the winter. We were able to reroute and go to the Jeff Ruby Steaks. Flavien (Prat) speaks for himself and he gave him a great trip."
Sent off as the favorite, Stark Contrast returned $4.40, $2.88 and $2.46. Remember Mamba, ridden by Jose Ortiz, returned $4.18 and $3.08 and finished 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Honey Dutch, who paid $4.56 to show under Tyler Gaffalione.
It was another 2 1/4 lengths back to Alpyland who was followed in order by Blinging It Back, Let’s Be Frank, Black Hornet, Vasy, Steel Imperium, Greenwich Village, Street Beast, Thousandsticks and Final Score.
T O Elvis romps in Churchill Downs Stakes
T O Elvis exploded from mid pack to destroy a field of top American sprinters with a 3 1/4-length victory over Disruptor in the 91st running of the Churchill Downs (G1) for 4-year-olds and up Saturday afternoon.
Trained by Daisuke Takayanagi and ridden by Ryusei Sakai, T O Elvis completed the seven furlongs over a fast main track in a stakes-record 1:20.49.
Macho Music led the field through fractions of 22.46 and 45.03, with favored Knightsbridge, Disco Time and Imagination in closest pursuit and T O Elvis racing in mid-pack between horses.
On the far turn, T O Elvis launched a four-wide move that gave him clear sailing into the stretch. He blew past Imagination before the eighth pole and never was threatened in the run to the wire.
A Grade 3 winner in Japan, T O Elvis improved his record to 9: 6-0-3 and with Saturday’s $530,100 check boosted his earnings to $1,149,212. T O Elvis is a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Volatile out of the Curlin mare Stopshoppingdebbie.
“This is a first winner for Japan here,” Takayanagi said. “It was a very challenging race but we were able to get it done. We had a plan for this race even though we did not get to run in Dubai.”
T O Elvis returned $13.74, $7.30 and $5.58. Disruptor, ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., returned $7.16 and $5.44 and finished 2 lengths in front of Imagination who paid $9.82 to show under Flavien Prat.
It was a nose back to Crazy Mason in fourth with Cornucopian, Knightsbridge, Hall of Fame, Disco Time, Macho Music and Point Dume.
Rhetorical goes gate to wire in Turf Classic
Favored Rhetorical led every step of the way to a 3 1/4-length victory in the 40th running of the Grade 1, $1.5 million Turf Classic Stakes for 4-year-olds and up Saturday at Churchill Downs.
Trained by Will Walden and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., Rhetorical completed the 1 1/8 miles over a firm Matt Winn Turf Course in a stakes-record 1:45.96. It was Ortiz's fourth victory in the race, with previous wins coming in 2019 aboard Bricks and Mortar, 2021 with Colonel Liam and 2023 with Up to the Mark.
"It was beautiful," Ortiz said. "He broke great and relaxed really well for me. He showed another gear when I asked him to go. I was confident the whole way."
Owned by Gary Barber, Cheyenne Stable and Wachtel Stable, Rhetorical posted uncontested fractions of 23.51, 47.4 and 1:10.70 and increased his advantage in the stretch with more than enough left to hold off a late bid from Make Me King (FR), who finished fourth in the Dubai Turf (G1) at Meydan five weeks ago.
Walden pointed to the front-running setup as the difference.
"The key for this horse was getting him in front," the trainer said. "He's a real Alpha male; he wants to dominate every group of horses. When he got out front today, I saw everything change. His demeanor, his body language, he liked it out there. We had him down at Palm Meadows this winter and did a lot of basic things with him. It was real good for him. Yes, he's the best horse I've had so far; far and away."
Rhetorical is a 5-year-old New York-bred son of Not This Time out of the Distorted Humor mare Sheet Humor. Now a two-time Grade 1 winner with a record of 9: 6-0-2, Rhetorical has earned $1,806,680 that includes $833,280 from Saturday's performance.
Make Me King, ridden by José Ortiz from an outside post, tracked the pace before launching his bid through the final turn.
"It was a very good trip coming from the outside post," Ortiz said. "I was able to save a lot of ground on both turns. On the final turn, I was able to drop behind Flavien (Prat on Asbury Park) and work my out half around the turn. It was beautiful. The winner got away with some easy fractions but my horse is really nice."
Rhetorical returned $5.92, $3.76 and $3.04. Make Me King returned $7.18 and $4.72 with Corruption finishing another 3 1/2 lengths back in third under John Velazquez and paying $5.42 to show.
It was another three-quarters of a length back to Program Trading in fourth with Mercante, Dashman, Gold Phoenix, Test Score and Asbury Park following in order.