Risen Star undercard: Pioneer of Medina, Two Emmys win stakes

Pioneer of Medina gamely held off a fast-charging Mr. Wireless for a head victory Saturday in the Grade 3, $250,000 Mineshaft Stakes at Fair Grounds.

Also on the Risen Star undercard, Two Emmys won the Fair Grounds Stakes (G3) presented by Horse Racing Nation, and Denington won an important allowance race for Louisiana Derby (G2) and Kentucky Derby hopefuls.

Click here for Fair Grounds entries and results.

Owned by Sumaya U.S. Stables, trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Luis Saez, Pioneer of Medina completed the 1 1/16 miles of the Mineshaft in 1:43.59 on the fast, main track.

“This horse always tries hard and gives 100 percent effort every time,” Saez said. “Today he broke very well. Our plan was to follow the leaders and make one move around them. He’s become more mature this year and overall has just been better.”

The thrilling stretch battle began around the far turn when Run Classic poked his head in front of the rail-skimming Hoist the Gold, who tallied early fractions of 23.79 and 47.59 seconds.

Saez began to ask Pioneer of Medina for his best run at the quarter-pole as he sat third behind the pacesetters. Jockey Deshawn Parker and Mr. Wireless sat sixth in the early stages of the race and made a prolonged rally down the center of the course.

At the three-sixteenths pole Pioneer of Medina poked his nose in front of Run Classic, and Mr. Wireless began to draw to his outside. The trio battled to the wire where, ultimately, Pioneer of Medina was able to get the best of his hard-trying rivals.

Pioneer of Medina rewarded his backers with payouts of $7.60, $4.40 and $3.60. Mr. Wireless returned $6.00 and $4.00. Run Classic paid $5.80. Early pacesetter Hoist the Gold finished fourth followed in order by Tawny Port, King Fury, Big Blue Line, Happy American and Farmington Road.

Pioneer of Medina banked $150,000 for his victory in the Mineshaft. He improved his overall mark to 12: 4-2-2 with earnings of $446,370.

Pioneer of Medina is a 4-year-old son of Pioneerof the Nile out of the Eskendereya mare Lights of Medina. He was bred in Kentucky by International Equities Holdings.

Two Emmys draws away to win Fair Grounds Stakes

Two Emmys left no doubters when he pulled clear to a 4 1/4-length victory in the $150,000 Fair Grounds Stakes.

Owned by Wolfe Racing, trained by Hugh Robertson and ridden by James Graham, Two Emmys led every step of the way in the 1 1/8-mile turf race and stopped the timer at 1:54.73.

Graham and Two Emmys broke sharply from the gate. Into the first turn they were joined by a hard-hustled Cavalry Charge. Graham and Two Emmys traveled comfortably through the opening quarter-mile of 24.04 seconds.

Down the backstretch Graham was able to slow the fractions even more to a half-mile clocking of 51.52 seconds. Around the far turn, Graham kept Two Emmys to the outside rail and cruised to a front-running score.

Two Emmys returned $5.60, $3.20 and $2.60. Gentle Soul and Rey Gutiérrez finished second to return $4.40 and $3.40. English Tavern and Deshawn Parker completed the top 3 and paid $4.60. Bay Street Money rounded out the superfecta and he was followed by Pixelate, Tiz the Bomb and Cavalry Charge.

Two Emmys is 23: 7-9-1, and his purse earnings were boosted to to $925,083. He is a 7-year-old gelded son of English Channel out of the Buddha mare Miss Emmy. He was bred in Kentucky by Tottenwood Thoroughbreds.

Denington scores in key allowance for Derby prospects

Coming out of a thrilling, four-way fight to the finish, Denington (6-1) emerged the winner of a top-level, $80,000 allowance race Saturday at Fair Grounds, stamping the 3-year-old Gun Runner colt as a possible contender for next month’s Louisiana Derby (G2).

Trained by Kenny McPeek and ridden by Corey Lanerie, Denington came from behind to get the narrow win over second-place Cagliostro (6-1), third-place Tapit Shoes (6-1) and fourth-place First Defender (2-1). The favorite Banishing (1-1) was behind them in fifth.

The winning time for the 1 1/16-mile race on the fast, main track was 1:44.41. Denington chased early fractions of 24.21, 47.99, 1:12.56 and 1:37.88.

Now 8: 2-1-1, Denington raced with blinkers off after a distant, fourth-place finish last out in the Lecomte (G3). He also added Lasix for the first time.

Denington was bred and is co-owned by Paul Fireman’s Fern Circle Stables. Magdalena Racing, whose name partner is McPeek’s wife Sherri, is the other co-owner and breeder.