Hebbronville, Meshell and Sheikh of Sheikhs Win at Keeneland (VIDEO)
Hebbronville, Meshell and Sheikh of Sheikhs posted sprint victories in stakes supporting Saturday’s second day of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships before a crowd of 50,155.
Choctaw Racing Stable, Winning Horse Stable and Scott Galloway’s Hebbronville surged to the lead in deep stretch to win the 12th running of the $100,000 Perryville for 3-year-olds by a half-length over Bayerd.
Trained by Lynn Whiting and ridden by Joe Bravo, Hebbronville covered the six furlongs on the fast main track in 1:09.78.
Lewys Vaporizer grabbed the lead shortly after the break and remained in front until the sixteenth pole when Hebbronville slipped through on the inside and then had enough left to hold off Bayerd.
A graduate of Keeneland’s November Breeding Stock Sale, Hebbronville is a Kentucky-bred son of Majesticperfection out of the Tour d’Or mare More d’Amour. The $60,000 winner’s check boosted his earnings to $352,850 with a record of 13-6-1-2.
Hebbronville returned $18, $7.60 and $4.20. Bayerd, ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., returned $4.40 and $2.80 and finished a head in front of Lewys Vaporizer, who finished third under Irad Ortiz Jr., paying $2.80 to show.
Prime Engine finished four lengths back in fourth and was followed in order by Majestic Affair, Recount, Lord Commander, Wake Up Joe and Bluegrass Angus.
FORT SPRINGS
Andrew Knapczyk and Douglas Arnold’s Meshell edged Clothes Fall Off by a neck to win the 10th running of the $100,000 Fort Springs for 3-year-old fillies.
Trained by Jeffrey Lynn and ridden by Florent Geroux, Meshell covered the six furlongs in 1:10.30.
Coco’s Wildcat brought a daylight margin to midstretch but was passed in the final yards by Meshell and Clothes Fall Off.
Meshell is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Elusive Quality out of the Tale of the Cat mare Kobla Cat. The victory was worth $60,000 and increased her earnings to $153,900 with a record of 9-3-1-4.
Meshell returned $22.40, $9.80 and $5. Clothes Fall Off, ridden by Joel Rosario, paid $5.40 and $3.80 while Coco’s Wildcat finished a head back in third under Paco Lopez and paid $5.60 to show.
It was 3½ lengths back to Fusaichi Red, who was followed in order by favored Dr. Fager’s Gal, Sweet Swingin, Sweet Success, Desert Valley and Cristina’s Journey.
JUVENILE DIRT SPRINT
Abdullah Saeed Almaddah’s Sheikh of Sheikhs took the lead from Moment Is Right and held off a late bid from Noholdingback Bear by a half-length to win the $100,000 Juvenile Dirt Sprint for 2-year-olds.
Trained by Wesley Ward and ridden by Frankie Dettori, Sheikh of Sheikhs covered the six furlongs in 1:10.28.
Sheikh of Sheikhs, a graduate of Keeneland’s September Yearling Sale, is a Florida-bred son of Discreetly Mine out of the Pioneering mare Homesteader. Now a winner of two of three starts, Sheikh of Sheikhs increased his bankroll to $111,467 with Saturday’s $60,000 check.
Sent off as the favorite in the field of nine, Sheikh of Sheikhs returned $5.40, $3.60 and $2.60. Noholdingback Bear, ridden by Luis Saez, returned $5.40 and $4. Three-quarters of a length back in third was Richie the Bull, who paid $3.40 to show under Jose Valdivia Jr.
Moment Is Right was another three-quarters of a length back in fourth and followed in order by Twirling Cinnamon, Dan the Go to Man, Twirling Tiger, Spikes Shirl and Este Es.
Source: Keeneland Association