Three Kentucky Derby and three Kentucky Oaks preps highlighted a stellar Saturday of racing, which featured stakes action from around the country. The races, with their points distributions, were as such:
Kentucky Derby
Gotham Stakes (Aqueduct) 50 – 20 – 10 – 5
Tampa Bay Derby (Tampa Bay) 50 – 20 – 10 – 5
Jeff Ruby Steaks (Turfway) 20 – 8 – 4 – 2
Kentucky Oaks
Busher Stakes (Aqueduct) 50 – 20 – 10 – 5
Honeybee Stakes (Oaklawn) 50 – 20 – 10 – 5
Bourbonette Oaks (Turfway) 20 – 8 – 4 – 2
The Gotham Stakes (G3) featured the return of unbeaten juvenile Instagrand, making his sophomore debut for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. Sent off as the favorite, he chased the blazing leader Much Better (Bob Baffert) early on, then those two hooked up with Mind Control in what briefly appeared to be an epic battle before Haikal ($10.80) rallied from second last to run them all down in stunning fashion. The son of Daaher won by a length for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin and Shadwell Stable. Mind Control finished second, with Instagrand a head in front of Much Better. They were more than five lengths clear of the rest.
The Busher Stakes went to Espresso Shot ($10.20) over Oxy Lady, with favored Orra Moor third. The previously unbeaten Please Flatter Me finished fourth. Espresso Shot, by Mission Impazible, is trained by Jorge Abreu. Runner up Oxy Lady bumped at the break, went wide on the final turn, and was forced to check in the stretch. She was ultimately vanned off but was reportedly walking soundly at the barn after the race.
The Tampa Bay Derby (G2) proved to be the coming out party for royally-bred Tacitus, who is a Bill Mott trainee by Tapit out of the dual millionaire mare Close Hatches. Jose Ortiz was up on the flashy gray, who rallied from mid pack to run down Outshine and favored Win Win Win. Zenden finished fourth. The final time for the 1 1/16 miles was 1:41.90.
Oaklawn’s Honeybee Stakes (G3) had a field of 10 going 1 1/16 miles. Chocolate Kisses ($17) streaked up the rail impressively to defeat race favorite Motion Emotion, with Bizwhacks third. That runner was 9 ½ lengths in front of Sunset Wish fourth. Chocolate Kisses is by Candy Ride (Arg) and out of graded stakes winner and near millionaire Brownie Points.
The two Turfway Park stakes races went as expected, with favorites taking both. Somelikeithotbrown ($3.20) impressed for the second race in a row, winning the $200,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) by 3 ¼ lengths over Dynamic Racer and Moonster. Tyler Gaffalione was up for Mike Maker. Somelikeithotbrown is now three for seven lifetime.
Wesley Ward-trainee Naughty Joker ($6) took the Bourbonette Oaks, going from fifth to first under Rafael Bejarano. The daughter of Into Mischief is two for four lifetime and has never been worse than second for owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey.
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