Jolting Joe Takes a Shot in Dueling Grounds Derby

Louisville-based Skychai Racing is hoping to knock it out of the park when they send out Jolting Joe in the $750,000 Gun Runner Dueling Grounds Derby Sept. 10 at Kentucky Downs.

The stable has been hot, recently winning the Bernard Baruch Stakes (G2T) at Saratoga Race Course with Somelikeithotbrown, a half brother to Jolting Joe. On Saturday the partnership also won the American Turf Stakes Presented by Smithfield (G2T) at Churchill Downs with Fancy Liquor. The trio is trained by Mike Maker, Kentucky Downs' all-time wins leader.

Though born in Kentucky, Jolting Joe is eligible to run only for the Dueling Ground Derby's $375,000 base purse. That's because he's by the New York stallion Mission Impazible  and therefore isn't eligible for the additional $375,000 offered in Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund purse supplements. KTDF money goes to horses who are both born in Kentucky and sired by a Kentucky stallion. 

"I messed that up," said Skychai co-founder Dr. Harvey Diamond. "But you know what? Half the purse at Kentucky Downs is better than most of the purses elsewhere."

Jolting Joe broke his maiden Aug. 6 in the Cab Calloway Division of the New York Stallions Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. Before that, he had four seconds in his first four starts. The first one, in fact, came a year ago at Kentucky Downs in a race won by eventual Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) winner Art Collector. In a race at Gulfstream Park West, Jolting Joe was second to eventual Tampa Bay Derby (G2) winner King Guillermo. He is 15-1 on the morning line for the 1 5/16-mile Dueling Ground Derby.

"When you look at him compared to the rest of the field, you have to say he's probably faced the toughest competition of anybody," Diamond said. "I don't think he'll stay 15-1. But if he stays that price, he's certainly going to be a good bet. … He's going to run his race. He's run against some nice horses. He knows what it is to test some class."

The 3-1 favorite is Bama Breeze, the Rusty Arnold trainee who was sixth by a total of 2 1/2 lengths in the Aug. 15 Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes in his last start.

It wouldn't be a surprise to see Peace Achieved, the 9-2 second choice, favored in the capacity field of 12, with the maximum four additional horses trying to draw in off the also-eligible list. The Mark Casse trainee got very good last fall with the addition of blinkers, impressively earning his first victory at Ellis Park, followed by a strong victory in Kentucky Downs' mile stakes for 2-year-olds. In his only start this year after finishing off the board in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T), Peace Achieved was fourth Aug. 12 over yielding ground in the $150,000 Caesars Stakes at Indiana Grand.

Harvey's Lil Goil headlines Exacta Systems DG Oaks

Harvey's Lil Goil, winner of the June 27 Regret Stakes (G3T) on turf and third in the Aug. 15 Alabama Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course on dirt in her last start, headlines Thursday's $500,000 Exacta Systems Dueling Grounds Oaks. The daughter of  American Pharoah  is the 9-5 morning-line favorite in the capacity field of 12 three-year-old fillies, with three others needing scratches in order to run.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Harvey's Lil Goil was bred by the late Harvey A. Clarke, who died in January of 2019. Harvey's Lil Goil races in the name of the Estate of Harvey A. Clark in partnership with Paul Braverman.

Other contenders in the 1 5/16-mile stakes include 3-1 Stunning Sky, second in both the Aug. 16 Saratoga Oaks Invitational Stakes and July 19 Lake Placid Stakes (G2T) in her last two starts, and two-time stakes winner Micheline, a late-running fourth in the Lake Aug. 28 George Stakes (G2T) at Saratoga.

Entries: Tapit S.

Kentucky Downs, Wednesday, September 09, 2020, Race 9

• STK
• 1m 70y
• Turf
• $300,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 4:32 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Morocco (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	122	Michael J. Maker	15/1
2	2Get Western (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	122	J. Reeve McGaughey	15/1
3	3Hawkish (KY)	Javier Castellano	122	James J. Toner	10/1
4	4Ramsey Solution (KY)	Gerardo Corrales	122	Wesley A. Ward	12/1
5	5English Bee (KY)	James Graham	122	H. Graham Motion	5/1
6	6Hierarchy (KY)	Corey J. Lanerie	122	Joe Sharp	8/1
7	7Ritzy A. P. (KY)	Declan Cannon	122	Jack Sisterson	15/1
8	8Hembree (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	122	Michael J. Maker	9/2
9	9Empire of War (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	122	Michael J. Maker	8/1
10	10Hemp Hemp Hurray (ON)	Rafael Bejarano	122	Robert C. Cline	30/1
11	11Big Score (KY)	Flavien Prat	124	Tim Yakteen	4/1
12	12Temple (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	122	Michael J. Maker	10/1
13	13Midnight Tea Time (KY)	Adam Beschizza	122	Joe Sharp	8/1
14	14Conviction Trade (KY)	David Cohen	122	Jorge R. Abreu	30/1
15	15Split the Wickets (KY)	Rafael Bejarano	122	Thomas L. Van Berg	20/1
16	16Vanbrugh (KY)	Florent Geroux	122	Brad H. Cox	12/1