Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re IN News

The Weekend Wrap-Up

August 27, 2016

Cavorting Puts Best Hoof Forward in Personal Ensign

As if winning one qualifier wasn’t enough, Kiaran McLaughlin-trained Cavorting galloped to yet another Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series victory on Saturday in the $750,000 Gr.1 Personal Ensign at Saratoga. Going 1 1/8-miles on the dirt, the multiple graded stakes winning mare closed late on the stretch to edge out Curalina by a half-length.

A small field of five loaded into the gate, four looking to secure a spot in the gate for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. I’m a Chatterbox and jockey Florent Geroux set the early pace for the race, setting fractions of :23.98, :48.77, 1:12.64 and 1:36.28. John Velazquez-ridden Curalina and Joel Rosario-piloted Forever Unbridled had sat second and third, respectively, to front-running I’m a Chatterbox throughout the race and failed to make when the filly started to drop back. That’s when Javier Castellano sent Cavorting past them, stopping the clock at 1:48.61 and earning the 4-year-old filly her second ticket to run in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships Longines Distaff on November 4.

“She broke out of the gate and rushed to the lead, and I had to take her back a bit,” Castellano said of his ride. “With her going two turns for the first time, I had to save something for the end. Turning for home, the way she did it was amazing. I absolutely felt [her] power.”

Owned by Stonestreet Stables, Cavorting is a daughter of Bernardini and has 13 career starts under her belt, 8 of which are wins. Since debuting in July 2014, the filly has won three Grade 1’s and has amassed $2,063,000 in earnings. She finished fourth in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint and is now double qualified to take a swing at the Breeders’ Cup Distaff with all expenses paid.

“She’s definitely one of the best fillies I’ve ever trained, if not the best,” trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said of his filly the morning after her win. “She ran against a good group of fillies, I’m very happy with the effort.”

McLaughlin listed the Gr.1 Beldame Invitational on October 1 at Belmont Park, and the Gr.1 Spinster on October 9 at Keeneland as possible next starts for Cavorting prior to shipping out west for the Breeders’ Cup.

Flintshire Beats Traffic to Take Sword Dancer

Globe-trotting star Flintshire received a well-timed ride by jockey Javier Castellano to win the $1Million Gr. 1 Longines Sword Dancer Stakes on Saturday, August 27, 2016 at Saratoga Race Course. The six-year-old horse won the race last year as well.

Inordinate, stablemate to the winner, broke a step slow but was urged to the lead. He led the field through fractions of :23.18, ;46.16, 1:11.04, and 1:36.11 for a mile. Grand Tito took over briefy to take them through the 1 ¼ mile mark in 2:00.74 but tired. Flintshire spent the majority of the race trailing the field and then began to make his move as they approached the quarter pole. He was blocked by a wall of horses, however, before Inordinate made a sharp move to the right. Castellano sent Flintshire through and the pair found plenty of open space from there. They hit the wire 1 ¾ lengths in front with a final time of 2:23.45 for the mile and a half contest.

Money Multiplier, Twilight Eclipse, Grand Tito, Inordinate, Roman Approval, and Applicator completed the order of finish.

The Sword Dancer is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” series, granting the winner an all-expenses paid trip to compete in the Longines Turf division.

A homebred for Juddmonte Farms, Flintshire is by Dansili and out of the Sadler’s Wells mare Dance Routine. The 6-year-old horse has 8 wins, 10 seconds and a third from 22 career starts, and earnings of $8,809,910.

A.P. Indian Continues Streak in Forego

Green Lantern Stables, LLC’s homebred gelding A.P. Indian continued his win streak on Saturday, taking the $700,000 Gr.1 Priority One Jets Forego Stakes by two and a half lengths. It was his second Gr. 1 victory in a row, and his third graded stakes victory this year.

Ridden by jockey Joe Bravo, who has been aboard for all three of those stakes victories, A.P. Indian stalked behind longshot Chief Lion, who grabbed the lead at the start. Chief Lion took the field through quarters of :22.83 and :45.35. A.P. Indian stayed close to him and began to edge nearer as they made their way through the turn. The gelding took control in time to head the field as they entered the stretch and kicked clear, hitting the wire in 1:20.99.

The Forego is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” series, guaranteeing A.P. Indian a spot in the starting gate for the Gr.1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint in November.

A.P. Indian is a six-year-old son of Indian Charlie and is out of multiple stakes winning mare Ender’s Sister (by A.P. Indy). From 16 career starts, he boasts 10 wins and 4 seconds for earnings of $1,112,434. He is 5 for 5 so far in 2016.

CLICK TO READ ABOUT ARROGATES RECORD-BREAKING TRAVERS PERFORMANCE