Irad ortiz injury
Whitmore, last year's champion male sprinter after a Breeders' Cup victory at Keeneland, finished fifth in the Forego (his first Grade 1 victory, 2018) and was vanned off the track. A 4-year-old colt with the same owners (Texans Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt) and trainer as past champion sprinter Mitole, Yaupon clipped seven furlongs in 1:21.74 and paid $6. Ricardo Santana Jr., aboard Yaupon, shook away from the 6-year-old Firenze Fire near the wire, averting a more serious incident. Yaupon, by a head, notched his first Grade 1 victory despite bitten in the stretch by runner-up Firenze Fire, ridden by Jose Ortiz. rode the Kentucky-bred Letruska, a past Mexican champion, to her 16th victory from 21 starts. Oaklawn's Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap winner April 17, 5-year-old Letruska held off 2020 Oaklawn allowance winner Bonny South by a head with Royal Flag third after nine furlongs in 1:49.15. Letruska ($3.50) followed with her third Grade 1 victory in the $600,000 Personal Ensign. The newly elected Hall of Famer won consecutive races with Yaupon ($6) in the $600,000 Forego and Oaklawn-raced Jackie's Warrior ($5.10) in the $500,000 Allen Jerkens Memorial. Midnight Bourbon, five lengths clear of show horse Miles D, just missed giving trainer Steve Asmussen his third Grade 1 victory on Saratoga's biggest day. 27, his 3-year-old debut and only start over a sloppy track. He romped by 4 1/4 lengths in Oaklawn's Grade 3 Southwest Feb. Last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner and male 2-year-old champion, Essential Quality is a Godolphin homebred sired by Tapit out of the Elusive Quality mare Delightful Quality. Final time for the fast-rated 10 furlongs was 2:01.96, Essential Quality ($2.90) pushing his earnings to more than $4 million with his fifth win of the year and eighth from nine career starts.Įssential Quality earlier won Saratoga's Grade 2 Jim Dandy in a three-race New York sweep including the Belmont Stakes June 5.
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The two pulled away in the stretch before Essential Quality, again with gameness more than brilliance, held Midnight Bourbon safe near the wire. Kathy Hochul, up from Albany after replacing Andrew Cuomo in the governor's mansion Tuesday, congratulated trainer Brad Cox and jockey Luis Saez after Essential Quality's half-length triumph over Midnight Bourbon.Īlthough the top three Kentucky Derby finishers (Medina Spirit, Mandaloun and Hot Rod Charlie) sat out for different reasons, two other May 1 starters at Churchill Downs put on a show in the Mid-Summer Derby.Įssential Quality, fourth in Louisville after a wide trip, stalked Midnight Bourbon into the final turn before going by from outside. New York's new governor led the procession in the winner's circle Saturday after Essential Quality scored his fifth Grade 1 victory in the $1.25 million Runhappy Travers. Make the color scheme on the Saratoga canoe Godolphin blue.