Buy TicketsGodolphin’s homebred Master of The Seas (IRE) made a successful return to the races Friday afternoon by posting a 2¼-length victory over stablemate Naval Power (GB) to win the 36th running of the $517,775 Maker’s Mark Mile (G1) for 4-year-olds and up.
Earlier on the program, Hot Beach led all the way to win the $244,563 FanDuel Limestone by 4 lengths.
Trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by William Buick, Master of The Seas completed the mile on a turf course listed as yielding in 1:37.10. It is the first victory in the Maker’s Mark Mile for both Appleby and Buick.
Emmanuel led the field through fractions of :24.38 and :49.20 with Kubrick (IRE) racing second a length back. Master of The Seas and 2022 Maker’s Mark Mile winner Shirl’s Speight raced a joint third with Master of The Seas owning the spot next to the rail.
The top two remained unchanged going into the final turn while Buick moved Master of The Seas closer to the leaders. At the top of the stretch, the field tightened up with all six runners across the track.
At this juncture, Buick made the decisive move angling Master of The Seas to the inside of Emmanuel at the three-sixteenths pole rather than go wide or try to split runners. Master of The Seas hit the front at the eighth pole and drew off.
It was the first start for Master of The Seas since winning the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) Presented by PDJF last November at Santa Anita. It is the third Grade 1 victory for Master of The Seas, who improved his record to 17-9-3-2 and increased his earnings to $2,520,582 with Friday’s $306,125 check.
Master of The Seas is a 6-year-old gelded son of Dubawi out of the Danehill mare Firth of Lorne (IRE).
Master of The Seas returned $3.54, $2.66 and $2.10. Naval Power, ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, returned $4.34 and $3.10 and finished 2¼ lengths in front of Integration, who paid $2.98 to show under Frankie Dettori.
It was another neck back to Shirl’s Speight with Emmanuel and Kubrick following in order.
Hot Beach leads all the way to win off-the-turf FanDuel Limestone
Boardshorts Stables’ Hot Beach was first out of the starting gate and first at the finish line in posting a 4-length victory in the fifth running of the FanDuel Limestone for 3-year-old fillies.
Trained by Brian Lynch and ridden by Jose Ortiz, Hot Beach completed the 5½ furlongs over a sloppy main track in 1:05.70 after the race was moved off the turf course. It is the second victory in the race for Lynch, who won with Tobys Heart in 2021.
Hot Beach quickly established a clear advantage right out of the gate and faced no pressure in setting fractions of :22.24 and :45.16. The margin of victory was the largest in the race.
Hot Beach is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Omaha Beach out of the Medaglia d’Oro mare Hot Water. Now 5-2-2-1 in her career that includes a victory in the Debutante last summer at Ellis Park, Hot Beach increased her earnings to $320,883 with Friday’s $149,188 check.
Sent off as the favorite, Hot Beach returned $3.98, $2.80 and $2.46. Zoe’s Prime, who raced second all the way around under Tyler Gaffalione, returned $4.88 and $3.76 and finished a length in front of Kodiac Wintergreen (IRE), who paid $4.40 to show under Luis Saez.
It was another 1¾ lengths back to Big Trouble with Antique Silver, Midnight Angel, Foxxy Cleopatra and Greavette following in order.
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Racing continues Saturday with an 11-race program beginning at 1 p.m. ET highlighted by the 36th running of the $600,000 Jenny Wiley (G1) for fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles on the grass. The Jenny Wiley is the ninth race with a post time of 5:16 p.m.
Also on Saturday's program is the 42nd running of the $400,000 Stonestreet Lexington (G3) for 3-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles on the main track and the 27th running of the $300,000 Giant's Causeway (G3) for fillies and mares going 5½ furlongs on the grass. The Giant’s Causeway is the seventh race at 4:12 p.m. and the Stonestreet Lexington is the 10th at 5:48 p.m.