Mines and Magic will target Keeneland’s Raven Run
{{monthName}} {{day}}, {{year}} {{hour12}}:{{minuteTwoDigit}}{{dayPeriod}}
G. Watts Humphrey Jr.’s Mines and Magic will target Keeneland’s $250,000 Raven Run (Grade II) on Oct. 22 for her next start following Saturday’s three-quarter-length win in the $100,000 Dogwood Stakes (listed) at Churchill Downs.
“That’s the plan as of right now,” said trainer Vicki Oliver by phone from her Keeneland base. “This is her home track so hope we can get lucky. She looked very good (Sunday) morning, and came out of the race really well.”
The 3-year-old daughter of Mineshaft earned her first stakes victory in the Dogwood, which improved her record over the Churchill Downs main track to a spotless 3-for-3. Her other two victories over the Louisville oval occurred in a May 28 maiden race, in which she won by four lengths, and a June 25 allowance.
POWELL LOOKS AHEAD TO ABU DHABI WITH PADDYS DAY; BOREL TO RIDE – Following Paddys Day’s decisive victory in Saturday night’s $100,000 President of the United Arab Emirates Cup (Grade I), trainer Scott Powell plans on giving Hall of Fame jockey Calvin Borel the opportunity to ride his reigning Arabian Horse of the Year in Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel (GI) on Nov. 6.
“We’re going to Abu Dhabi in November and Calvin is coming,” Powell said. “You know what? We’re going to do some damage. It’s a different game but we’re going to do some damage and we’re going to do our best. We’re pretty tough.”
Powell’s admiration for the three-time Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) jockey began when he guided 50-1 longshot Mine That Bird to an upset victory in the 2009 edition of the Run for the Roses.
“To me, I wanted Calvin because, come on, our ranch is in New Mexico and who won the (2009) Derby with (New Mexico-trained) Mine That Bird? Borel,” Powell said. “It was the most incredible ride ever, and I thought, ‘You know what?’ He’s got three Derbies, he’s stepped up above and beyond what we’ve got but no jockey has a Grade I Arabian stakes race at Churchill and those. Calvin’s the best. We made history.”
Paddys Day earned his third Grade I victory against Arabians this year in the President of the United Arab Emirates Cup. His other two came in the HH Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup Stakes at Sam Houston on Mar. 25 and Delaware Park Arabian Classic Handicap at Delaware Park on Sept. 10. He boasts a lifetime record of 23-16-5-0 with career earnings of $317,075.
Source: Churchill Downs
Read More
C2 Racing Stable and Gary Barber issued the following statement Tuesday regarding the post-parade scratch of White Abarrio...
This week's Prospect Watch showcases young horses with elite bloodlines making their debuts and early career starts across...
While most attention was on the Breeders' Cup last week, several horses got their first wins in impressive...
This is the 17th and final installment of a weekly feature exclusive to Horse Racing Nation tracking the...
Owen Almighty , the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby winner who most recently placed third in the Perryville...