Weekend Wrap-Up 07-20-15

THE WEEKEND’S BEST STORIES

July 17-19

Sheer Drama Captures First Gr. 1 Victory In Delaware Handicap
Delaware Park had a full card on Saturday, July 18th, with a handful of stakes races and some pretty fine fillies set to run in the Gr. 1 Delaware Handicap.

Fleur de Lis Handicap winner Frivolous, ridden by Jon Court,  set sensible early fractions (the quarter in :24.45 and half in :48.83) until confronted by rival Sheer Drama at the top of the stretch. The two fillies battled it out in a thrilling stretch drive, that seemed like a private little match race, and had handicappers and fans cheering in frantic desperation.

In the end, it was Sheer Drama, with Jersey Joe Bravo in the irons, that came out two lengths ahead of Frivolous and 5 ¾ lengths ahead of third place finisher, America. The David Fawkes-trained, Florida-bred, 4-year-old filly, by Burning Roma, had run no worse than second since January 2015. With six starts this year, she had previously captured the Royal Delta (G2) back in March, and settled for second in the Rampart (G3), La Troienne (G1) and most recently Fleur de Lis (G2).

The Delaware Handicap is Sheer Drama’s first grade 1 win.

 
Tiz Shea D Steps Up In Gr. 2 Indiana Derby Besting Mr. Z
Mr. Z was back to his old tricks in the Gr. 2 Indiana Derby, held Saturday, July 18th, at Indiana Grand Race Course. The colt, who came off a nose win in the Ohio Derby and ran fifth in the Preakness Stakes, shot straight to the lead and set very modest early fractions before giving way to eventual winner Tiz Shea D.

A sloppy track seemed favoring for Divining Rod, this year’s second place finisher in the Preakness Stakes that was run in torrential conditions, and odds-on favorite for the 1 1/16 race, but the colt was no threat. The winner, Tiz Shea D, stalked the pace for three-quarters of the race before challenging the front-runner at the top of the stretch and going on to win his first graded stakes.

Trained by Hall of Fame and multiple Eclipse Awarding-winning trainer William Mott, Tiz Shea D, a 3-year-old by Tiznow, stopped the clock at 1:43.02 and hit the wire 1 ¼ lengths in front of Mr. Z—the runner-up by a head to third place finisher Diving Rod. Aboard for the winning ride was Jose Lezcano.

The win returned $10.80, $5.40 (place) and $3.40 (show).

 
Gabriel Charles Defeats Finnegan’s Wake In Gr. 1 Eddie Read Stakes
When Finnegans Wake failed to fire in the Gr. 1 Eddie Read Stakes, Gabriel Charles—piloted by Mike Smith—seized the opportunity, winning the race by 3 ¾ lengths for trainer Jeff Mullins and owners Michael House and Sam Britt.

Contested over 1 1/8 miles on the turf, the Eddie Read marked the  first grade 1 victory for the 5-year-old, by Street Hero, who bowed a tendon earlier in his career. The gelding ran second to last—just one ahead of Finnegans Wake—for three-quarters of the race, while Argentinian-bred Big Cazanova set the pace up in front, running the quarter in :23.43 and the half in :47.26.

“It’s amazing what he did considering everything he has been through. Then to go out and win in the rain like he did was impressive. He ran one heck of a race.” Mike Smith told EverythingEq.

Gabriel Charles, named after Michael House’s grandson, hit the wire in 1:48.13, returning $11.40 for the win, $6.00 (place), and $3.40 (show). The Richard Mandella-trained Twentytwentyvision finished second, returning $8.20 (place) and $4.20 (show), while third place finisher Finnegans Wake paid $3.20 for show.

 
ATTENTION Wise Dan Fans! Wise Dan Is Back!
2012 and 2013 multiple Eclipse Award winner and Horse of the Year, Wise Dan is back on the worktab. The gelding, by Wiseman’s Ferry, breezed four furlongs in :48.20 over Keeneland’s turf course on Friday, July 17th.

Following last year’s Shadwell Turf Mile victory, trainer Charles Lopresti announced Wise Dan had sustained a non-life threatening fetlock injury. The non-displaced fracture, found at the bottom of his right front cannon bone, would sideline the turf runner from the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, held across the country at Santa Anita in California.

Lopresti is excited about the gelding’s return, stating, “In a perfect world, I’d love to run him at Saratoga, but we’ll see how it goes. The Woodbine Mile, Shadwell Turf and Breeders’ Cup would be great.”

 
American Pharoah Puts In A Nice Breeze In Prep For Haskell
Triple Crown winner American Pharoah worked six furlongs on Saturday, July 18th, at 7:45am. The colt galloped handily under the guidance of jockey Martin Garcia, recording a time of 1:11.40 over a fast dirt track — the fastest of twelve runners that day.

 
California Chrome To Race Next Year
The last couple of weeks have been an emotional roller coaster for fans of 2014 Horse of the Year California Chrome. After X-rays revealed a cannon bone bruise would put Chrome on the bench for the rest of the year, rumors of the Coburn’s selling off their share spread like wildfire across social media.

On Friday, July 17th, Taylor Made Sales Agency Inc. posted via Facebook, “We are proud to officially announce we have acquired an interest in Horse of the Year California Chrome!”

Perry Martin remains the majority owner with Taylor Made now holding the minority 30%. The deal was made with plans to give Chrome time to recover and then see how things go to determine whether or not he will return to racing as a 5-year-old or retire to stud.

On Sunday, July 19th, Art Sherman told the California Horse Racing Authority, “All the vets I talk to say he’ll be sound in 85 days. I think he’s going to come back a tiger. I’m looking forward to 2016 being a big year for him.” It appears the Chromies can now look forward to a 5-year-old campaign.

 
Victor Espinoza In Attendance At Cards For CARMA Event
The California Management Retirement Account, otherwise known as CARMA, hosted its 8th annual Cards 4 CARMA event on the evening of Saturday July, 18th. The event’s festivities kicked off at 6:30pm at the  Del Mar Hilton Hotel after a rainy day at the races. Guests in attendance were treated to a live band, food and cocktails and  a silent auction, which included a one of a kind canvas painting of American Pharoah’s historic Triple Crown win on June 6th at Belmont Park.  Those who enjoy poker were able to buy-in to an exciting game of limited Texas Hold ‘Em style poker for a donation of $200.

The auctioned painting was created and  donated to CARMA by reknowned artist Stephen Bennett, who states, “I am a portrait painter because of my passion for the world’s people. My portraits convey a fusion of my feelings for each subject with an intuitive use of color. I intensify them in celebration of that person’s existence. I hope my portraits reveal that every person of every race and culture is interconnected, indispensable and radiant with astonishing beauty.”

Victor Espinoza was spotted mingling and enjoying the event wearing a light blue button down shirt and a pair of dark jeans. The Triple Crown winning jockey signed Stephen Bennett’s painting, which auctioned off for a total of $5,000.

Also in attendance were jockeys Tyler Baze, Corey Nakatani and Joe Talamo.

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