Annapolis Beats His Elders in $1 Million Coolmore Turf Mile on Exciting Fall Stars Saturday

In Italian (GB), Forte, Slammed, Golden Pal notch graded stakes victories

Bass Racing’s homebred 3-year-old Annapolis reached the front just passing the eighth pole and went on to post a 1½-length victory over Ivar (BRZ) to win the 37^th running of the $1 million Coolmore Turf Mile (G1) for 3-year-olds and up Saturday afternoon.

The performance came on a day in which Keeneland set a Fall Meet record for the Pick 5 of $1,431,736.

Trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., Annapolis covered the mile on a firm course in a stakes-record time of 1:33.29. It is the second victory in the race for Pletcher, whose previous came with Host (CHI) in 2005. It was the third stakes win of the afternoon for Ortiz.

Annapolis is the fourth 3-year-old to win the race and first since Aussie Rules in 2006.

The victory gave Annapolis a fees-paid berth into the $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) Presented by PDJF to be run here Nov. 5.

Also earning Breeders’ Cup berths Saturday afternoon were Forte, winner of the Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (G1) for the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), and Slammed, winner of the Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1).

In the Coolmore Turf Mile, Masen (GB) led the field of 11 through fractions of :23.58, :46.60 and 1:10.01 with the trio of Annapolis, Somelikeithotbrown and Atone in closest pursuit. Masen carried his lead into the stretch where he was joined by Annapolis, who pushed on by leaving the eighth pole and building enough cushion to hold off the closers.

Annapolis is a Kentucky-bred son of War Front out of the Unbridled’s Song mare My Miss Sophia. In notching his first Grade 1 victory, Annapolis improved his career record to 7-5-2-0 and hiked his career earnings to $1,166,100 with Saturday’s $573,500 check.

Annapolis returned $14.70, $7.50 and $4.94. Ivar, winner of this race in 2020, returned $6.48 and $4.58 under Joe Talamo with Order of Australia (IRE), winner of the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Mile here in 2020, finishing a nose back in third and paying $5.20 to show under Christophe Soumillon.

It was another neck back to Set Piece (GB) with Casa Creed, Masen, Classic Causeway, Atone, favored Santin, Gray’s Fable and Somelikeithotbrown following in order.
 

In Italian (GB) scores front-running victory 
in First Lady Presented by UK HealthCare

Peter Brant’s In Italian (GB) led all the way to win the 25^th running of the $750,000 First Lady (G1) Presented by UK HealthCare for fillies and mares, prevailing by a length over her favored stablemate, Regal Glory.

Trained by Chad Brown and ridden by Joel Rosario, In Italian covered the mile on a firm turf course in 1:33.22.

In Italian’s victory gave Brown his fifth consecutive win in the race and sixth overall. It is Rosario’s third win in the race, having previously won for Brown aboard Uni (GB) in 2019 and 2020.

Rosario, who was aboard In Italian in her previous start, a front-running victory in the Diana (G1) at Saratoga, put the 4-year-old filly on the lead out of the gate and led the field through fractions of :23.37, :47.00 and 1:10.45 while maintaining a clear advantage.

In Italian had plenty left for the stretch run, opening a 2½-length lead at midstretch and easily turning back Regal Glory, who rallied in the middle of the course to get second.

In Italian is a daughter of Dubawi out of the Redoute’s Choice mare Florentina. Saturday’s victory was worth $397,963 and increased her career earnings to $989,183 with a record of 8-5-2-1.

In Italian returned $7.74, $3.38 and $2.74. Regal Glory, ridden by Jose Ortiz, returned $2.40 and $2.10 and finished 3¼ lengths in front of Princess Grace, who paid $3.38 to show under Florent Geroux.

It was another head back to Technical Analysis (IRE), also trained by Brown, with Market Rumor and Vigilantes Way following in order.
 

Forte outduels favored Loggins to win Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable’s Forte edged favored Loggins by a neck and survived a claim of foul to win the 109th running of the $600,000 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (G1) for 2-year-olds.

Trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., Forte covered the mile and a sixteenth on a fast main track in 1:44.74. The victory is Pletcher’s third in the race, having previously won with We Miss Artie in 2013 and Carpe Diem in 2014.

The victory gave Forte a fees-paid berth into the $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) to be run here Nov. 4.

Loggins, who earned favoritism off a dazzling debut victory at Churchill Downs three weeks ago, was prominent early and reached the front after a half-mile in :46.36 as Forte raced in midpack. Loggins had a clear advantage after 6 furlongs in 1:11.63 as early pursuers Bourbon Bash and Newgate gave way while Forte was launching his bid.

Forte engaged Loggins in the upper stretch with the two colts bumping before Forte took a short lead only to have Loggins battle back on even terms in the final sixteenth of a mile before Forte edged away near the finish.

A Keeneland sales graduate, Forte is a Kentucky-bred son of Violence out of the Blame mare Queen Caroline. The victory, the second Grade 1 for Forte, improved his record to 4-3-0-0 and increased his earnings to $555,150 with Saturday’s $330,150 check.

Forte returned $10.86, $4.56 and $3.76. Loggins, ridden by Florent Geroux, returned $3.34 and $3.08 and finished 6¾ lengths in front of Red Route One, who paid $15.94 to show under Ricardo Santana Jr.

It was another head back to Instant Coffee in fourth with Newgate, Lost Ark, Two Phil’s, Honed, Funtastic Again, Frosted Departure, Powerful, Bourbon Bash, Carmel Road and Good Heart following in order. 

Slammed dominates Thoroughbred Club of America

Brad King, Suzanne Kirby and Barbara Coleman’s Slammed posted her first graded stakes victory in dominating fashion by romping to a 6½-length victory in the 42nd running of the $350,000 Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) for fillies and mares.

Trained by Todd Fincher and ridden by Florent Geroux, Slammed covered the 6 furlongs on a fast main track in 1:10.03. The victory is the second in the race for Geroux, who won the 2018 renewal on Golden Mischief. It is the first Keeneland stakes victory for Fincher.

The victory gave Slammed a fees-paid berth into the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) to be run here Nov. 5. The New Mexico-bred filly would have to be supplemented to the Breeders’ Cup, something Fincher said earlier in the week the owners were up to doing.

Slammed would become the second New Mexico-bred to run in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. The other was Ricks Natural Star in the 1996 Turf (G1) at Woodbine.

Slammed grabbed the lead out of the gate and under token pressure to her outside from Happy Soul produced fractions of :22.75 and :46.02. At the head of the stretch, Slammed hit another gear and drew clear for the easy victory.

A 4-year-old daughter of Marking out of the Roll Hennessy Roll mare Hennesey Smash, Slammed improved her record to 12-9-1-0 and boosted her earnings to $557,030 with Saturday’s $179,025 check.

Favored in the field of eight, Slammed returned $6.78, $4.74, $3.60. Happy Soul, ridden by John Velazquez, returned $6.02 and $4.44 and finished a half-length in front of Joyful Cadence, who paid $5.30 to show under Rey Gutierrez.

It was another 1¼ lengths back to Li’l Tootsie with Club Car, Sconsin, Liberty M D and Palm Cottage following in order.
 

Golden Pal flashes his brilliance in Woodford Presented by FanDuel

Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Westerberg Limited’s Golden Pal turned in another dazzling Keeneland performance by cruising to a 1½-length victory in the 26th running of the $350,000 Woodford (G2) Presented by FanDuel for 3-year-olds and up.

Trained by Wesley Ward and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., Golden Pal covered the 5½ furlongs on a firm turf course in a stakes-record 1:01.39. With the victory, Golden Pal became the fifth horse to win the Woodford in back-to-back years. Ward also won this race in 2014 with No Nay Never.

As he has done in his three previous Keeneland starts, Golden Pal was quickest out of the gate and led the field through an opening quarter-mile in :21.25 with Gear Jockey in closest pursuit.

Golden Pal maintained a clear edge to the top of the stretch when he found another gear, blasting through the half-mile in :43.42 to widen his advantage and coast to the finish while under no pressure.

Now four-for-four at Keeneland with other victories in the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2), 2021 Woodford and 2022 Shakertown (G2), Golden Pal improved his overall record to 12-8-2-0.

The 4-year-old Florida-bred is a son of Uncle Mo out of the Midshipman mare Lady Shipman. Saturday’s $176,700 check increased his career earnings to $1,815,131.

The Keeneland sales graduate returned payoffs of $2.74, $2.42 and $2.10. Oceanic rallied for second under Julien Leparoux to return $6.86 and $4.58, finishing a nose in front of Artemus Citylimits, who paid $3.04 to show under Tyler Gaffalione.

It was another half-length back to Bad Beat Brian and Gear Jockey, who finished in a dead heat for fourth and were followed in order by Charcoal, All in Sync, County Final and Cadamosto (IRE).