Factor This, Field Pass Shine at Churchill Downs
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Photo: Coady Photography
Factor This (red cap) wins the Wise Dan Stakes at Churchill Downs
Gaining Ground Racing's Factor This collected his third consecutive stakes win with a hard-fought, frontrunning triumph June 20 in the $200,000 Wise Dan Stakes Presented by Ford (G2T) at Churchill Downs.
Ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan and trained by Brad Cox, the 5-year-old son of The Factor ran 1 1/16 miles on firm turf in 1:41.15 to win by a neck as the even-money favorite ($4) while holding off a fast-closing English Bee.
Pressured into the first turn, down the backstretch, and leaving the final turn by Ritzy A. P., Factor This dictated the pace through splits of :23.93, :47.53 and 1:11.46. Bridgmohan asked his mount at the top of the stretch, and Factor This responded with determination, inching clear and just holding off his rallying rival.
"We got a lot of pressure early, and once we sort of got into a rhythm, I tried to wait on him as much as possible," Bridgmohan said. "I looked over and (Ritzy A.P.) was actually about to take the lead, and then I had to go. He was still able to hold off the charge after getting that pressure early. He has a lot of fight and determination; he's just getting better."
Parlor was another three-quarters of a length back in third, and Aquaphobia, Emmaus, 2019 Wise Dan winner March to the Arch, Casa Creed, Just Howard, and Ritzy A.P. completed the order of finish. Hembree and Eons were scratched.
Factor This, a $62,500 claim at Saratoga Race Course in August 2018, has won six races for Cox and Brian and Tom Cutshall of Gaining Ground Racing. Before the Wise Dan, Factor This won the Fair Grounds Stakes (G3T) and Muniz Memorial Classic Stakes (G2T) this year, both at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.
"That wasn't as easy as an even-money shot is supposed to win, but he ran a huge effort," Cox said. "He got pressure early, and every step of the stretch he was able to fight off his rivals. It was an impressive effort on the front end. We'll get with the owners and determine a plan from here, but it was very exciting to see how hard he ran today with that adversity."
Factor This is out of the Singspiel mare Capricious Miss. He was bred in Kentucky by Maccabee Farm and extended his record to 10-3-4 from 29 starts with $844,070 in earnings.
Video: Wise Dan S. (G2T)
Field Pass Goes Gate-to-Wire in Audubon
Three Diamonds Farm's Field Pass led every step of the way en route to a one-length victory over Bama Breeze in the inaugural running of the $100,000 Audubon Stakes Presented by TwinSpires.com for 3-year-olds Saturday on the Churchill grass.
Field Pass, ridden by Tyler Gaffalione and trained by Mike Maker, ran 1 1/8 miles on firm turf in 1:47.99. Breaking from post 5 in a field of seven, the Maryland-bred son of Lemon Drop Kid rattled off clear early fractions of :24.12, :48.41, and 1:12.18. Field Pass widened his lead with three-eighths of a mile to run and was able to withstand a late run by Bama Breeze, who trailed the field down the backstretch.
Field Pass wins the Audubon Stakes
"He ran so easy today on the lead," Gaffalione said. "We saw there wasn't much speed in the race, so I asked him a little bit out of the gate and was able to get clear on the lead. He had plenty of energy left in the stretch."
Field Pass, the 3-2 favorite, paid $5 on a $2 win ticket. Pixelate was another 2 1/2 lengths back in third, and Natural Power, Fenwick Station, and Summer to Remember completed the order of finish.
Kinenos unseated jockey Bridgmohan, who was not injured, a couple of strides after the break when the colt appeared to clip heels with Field Pass. The latter broke out at the start, according to the official chart.
There was a stewards inquiry, though no change was made to the order.
Spanish Kingdom was scratched.
Field Pass earned $60,760 for the win and improved his record to 4-2-1 from 10 starts with earnings of $358,610. This year, he also won the Dania Beach Stakes at Gulfstream Park and the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) on the synthetic surface at Turfway Park.
"He's been a really nice horse this year for us," Maker said. "That was a nice victory, and (he) did everything very easy."
Field Pass, out of the Runaway Groom mare Only Me, was bred by Mark Brown Grier.