Untamed Domain heads Indiana Grand's Caesars Stakes
A field of eight will go postward Wednesday in the 13th running of the $200,000 Caesars Stakes during Indiana’s richest day of turf racing. The race, formerly known as the Centaur Stakes, will feature several horses with Graded Stakes experience, including Untamed Domain from trainer Graham Motion's stable.
Owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, Untamed Domain completed a stellar freshman season last year with a second place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar. The son of Animal Kingdom comes to Indiana off a closing effort in the Grade 1, $400,000 Secretariat Stakes at Arlington Park where he finished seventh. Untamed Domain has drawn post six and Jorge Vargas Jr. comes into ride the colt, who has nearly a half-million in career earnings.
Joining Untamed Domain as a major contender in the Caesar’s Stakes is the $1.5 million yearling purchase Curlin’s Honor from the Mark Casse barn. Owned by John Oxley and Breeze Easy LLC, Curlin’s Honor finished fourth in his most recent outing at Canterbury Park in the $200,000 Mystic Lake Derby in late June. The royally bred chestnut son of Curlin has earned two wins and one second in five starts this season for more than $102,000 in purse earnings. Curlin’s Honor will be ridden by Julien Leparoux from post three in the one mile Caesar’s Stakes.
The entire field, in post position order with jockey, includes Ego Trip (DeShawn Parker); Nobrag Justfact (Brian Hernandez Jr.); Curlin’s Honor (Julien Leparoux); Factor This (Florent Geroux); Mr Ritz (Jose Valdivia Jr.); Untamed Domain (Jorge Vargas Jr.); Silent Citizen (Albin Jimenez); and Sniper Kitten (Tyler Gaffalione). Post time for the Caesar’s Stakes, set as race eight, is approximately 5:21 p.m.
The 10th running of the $200,000 Indiana Grand Stakes will complement the Caesars Stakes as the ninth race on the card. The one-mile turf event for 3-year-old fillies has drawn a field of 12 starters, including Beyond Blame from the Brad Cox barn. The Blame filly was a winner two starts back in the Grade 3, $100,000 Pucker Up Stakes at Arlington Park. She will be ridden from post three by Florent Geroux.
Sirenusa, winner of the $100,000 Ta Wee Stakes at Indiana Grand in mid July, returns to Indiana hoping to add another stakes victory to her credentials. Trained by Joe Sharp, the Tiznow filly has won four of her five career starts for owners Joni and Barry Butzow. Adam Beschizza returns to ride Sirenusa from post 11.
Indiana Grand’s Pick 6 has been shifted on the 10-race card to include both stakes in the wager. The Pick 6 begins on Race 4, which has an estimated post time of 3:29 p.m. and concludes on Race 9.
Indiana Grand’s broadcast team will also get a boost from Peter Lurie, nationally known racing analyst and on-air commentator. Lurie will be on track to assist with handicapping and post race interviews for the entire Caesars Stakes card with a first post of 2:05 p.m.