Ellis Park roundup: Tumbarumba wins Derby, 1 of 5 stakes

Amerman Racing’s Tumbarumba thundered down the center of Ellis Park and scored his first stakes victory in Sunday’s featured sixth running of the $250,000 Ellis Park Derby.

Tumbarumba was ridden to victory by Rafael Bejarano for trainer Brian Lynch. Tumbarumba covered the one-mile distance in 1:36.02.

The field of eight 3-year-olds broke well in the Ellis Park Derby as longshot Olazabal was hustled to the early lead under jockey Alex Achard. Tumbarumba broke from the rail but Bejarano moved the Louisiana-bred in the two-path and settled in fourth.

Following a strong half-mile in 46.33 seconds, Olazabal began to tire as Transect and Blue Light dueled on the lead. At the quarter-pole, Bejarano tipped Tumbarumba to the four-path outside Transect and the closing Loyal Company as he began to show his best stride.

Inside the eighth pole, Tumbarumba was able to gain the lead over the battling rivals and pulled clear late for a three-quarters of a length victory. Transect held the place photo over Loyal Company.

Tumbarumba paid $9.40.

“I had a great opportunity to ride a really nice horse today,” Bejarano said. “This horse was training really good, I knew he’d come with his run. I watched his last few races with jockey Luis Saez aboard and he had to be aggressive with this horse about a half-mile out. I tried to do the same thing and it really worked out.”

“He threw a clunker here in the Maxfield stakes over a sloppy track,” Lynch said. “I drove home gutted after that. But we got a fast, dry track today. He worked together with Oscar Eclipse the other day and he won earlier on the card. Tumbarumba worked better than he did. When (Oscar Eclipse) won I was very confident he’d run well. There isn’t any quit to him.”

Tumbarumba’s record now stands at a solid 9-4-1-1 with purse earnings of $254,870. The son of the former Lynch-trained Oscar Performance was bred in Louisiana by Coteau Grove Farms.

Falconet fends off rivals to win the Groupie Doll

CHC Inc and WinStar Farm’s ultra-consistent Falconet rallied along the inside of a game Hidden Connection and Interstatedaydream to score a 1 1/4-length victory in Sunday’s 42nd running of the $150,000 Groupie Doll Stakes.

Jockey Gerardo Corrales rode Falconet for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. Falconet completed the one-mile in 1:36.59.

Falconet tabbed her fifth-lifetime victory in the Groupie Doll Stakes from 11 starts. She also sports four runner-up efforts. Falconet’s victory was worth $89,760 which boosted her career mark to $488,100.

Falconet is a 4-year-old filly by Uncle Mo out of the Summer Bird mare Birdatthewire. She was bred in Kentucky by her co-owner WinStar Farm.

Positano Sunset gets perfect trip, wins Audubon Oaks

Positano Sunset had a perfect trip under jockey Chris Landeros and skimmed the rail to victory in Sunday’s fourth running of the $150,000 Audubon Oaks.

It was a fast early pace in the Audubon Oaks as Black Forest was sent to the lead and was quickly pressured by Santa Fe Gold to her outside. Positano Sunset broke well and settled in seventh though an opening quarter-mile in 22.09 seconds. The positions remained relatively unchanged up the backside following a fast half-mile in 45.41 seconds.

Around the far turn, several horses began making wide charges at the leaders including favored Merlazza and second choice Topsy. Landeros kept Positano Sunset in the two path as she began to show her best stride at the eighth pole. Inside the final 1/16th of a mile, Landeros found an opening inside the tiring Santa Fe Gold and pulled clear to a one-length victory.

Longshot Flamand battled in the center of the track with Santa Fe Gold and finished a half-length better than her fellow gray rival for the runner-up position.

This was Positano Sunset’s third-lifetime victory through seven starts for trainer Ian Wilkes. She completed the seven furlong Audubon Oaks distance in a solid 1:23.46.

“They were clipping along pretty good up front,” Landeros said. “Ian did a great job getting her ready off the layoff. I just had to bide my time but she was game. I have all the confidence in the world in Ian and he makes it easy.”

Positano Sunset is a 3-year-old daughter of Goldencents out of the Consolidator mare Gigglin’ Gal. She was bred in Kentucky by her owners.

Baytown Chatterbox (60-1) upsets Ellis Park Juvenile

Baytown Partnership and Resolute Racing Alliance’s Baytown Chatterbox pulled a massive 60-1 upset to win Sunday’s eighth running of the $150,000 Ellis Park Juvenile.

Baytown Chatterbox, who recently broke his maiden at Horseshoe Indianapolis, stormed down the stretch at Ellis Park under jockey Tyler Heard for trainer Paul McEntee to win by 2 1/2 lengths over Coulditbemajic with Call Me Andy rounding out the trifecta. Baytown Chatterbox completed seven furlongs in 1:25.21.

Following the race, jockey Rafael Bejarano, aboard Coulditbemajic, lodged an objection on Baytown Chatterbox alleging interference up the backside. Following a stewards review, no change was made to the running order.

“He’s a better horse against better horses,” Heard said. “He needs something to chase. We stepped him up to a mile at Indiana and gets lonely in front. He just needs some better horses to keep his attention.”

“All winter he was one of the 2-year-olds I was looking forward to the most,” McEntee said. “All he could concentrate on in his debut was breeding the filly in the race. After that race we took him home and gelded him. He still didn’t run very well in his next start but we thought if we gave him an easier race he’d gain some confidence.

"We stretched him out to a mile at Indiana and he had so much horse that he couldn’t relax and all and drug Tyler to a huge lead. We knew he’d get the trip we were looking for today against this type of competition. He was able to settle off the pace early and still come home strongly. The silks he rode in today were my mom’s silks. The partnership, Baytown Partnership, we started to get new owners into the game. We bought 15 2-year-olds and it’s very satisfying to have a 2-year-old stakes winner in the first year.”

Baytown Chatterbox improved his overall record to 4-2-0-0 and boosted his purse earnings to $110,200.

Baytown Chatterbox is a son of Street Sense out of the First Samurai mare Endless Chatter. He was bred in Kentucky by Alpha Delta Stables.

Hot Beach breaks maiden in Ellis Park Debutante

Boardshorts Stables’ Hot Beach broke her maiden in dazzling fashion by winning Sunday’s sixth running of the $150,000 Ellis Park Debutante.

Declan Cannon rode Hot Beach for trainer Brian Lynch. The final time for seven furlongs was 1:24.32.

It was a contested opening quarter-mile in the Ellis Park Debutante where Twirling Queen was hustled hard for the lead and she was quickly joined to her inside by Intermittent Fast. Cannon positioned Hot Beach in fourth up the backside, just to the outside of Tx Women for the Arts.

Twirling Queen continued to be fleet-footed on the lead through a half-mile in a swift 45.67 seconds. Around the far turn, Hot Beach started gaining momentum and overtook Twirling Queen’s lead just inside a quarter-mile left to run.

Hot Beach started to get a little tired as she approached the wire but was able to hold of a massive late run by Riperton for a two-length victory. Heavy 4-5 favorite Youalmosthadme stumbled bad leaving the starting gate and had to settle for third.

“I’m very grateful to ride Brian Lynch’s better horses,” Cannon said. “It makes my job easy whenever I ride for his barn. Her work at home at Churchill was always very good. Her form from her debut stood up pretty well and we had confidence in her today that she’d run well.”

“Declan has some magic going on right now,” Lynch said. “It’s great for the owners who are involved in this horse. Whenever they break their maiden in a stakes you know they could have a bright future. I think the sky is the limit with her. She’s a lightly-raced filly going into this race. She got a little tired late and I think down the road we’ll hear a little more about her.”

Hot Beach debuted on July 7 at Ellis and finished a game second at odds of 3-5 to Here U Come Again. With her victory in the Ellis Park Debutante, the daughter of Omaha Beach improved her purse earnings to $103,920.