Two Emmys Leads Rivals on Merry Fair Grounds Chase
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Photo: Hodges Photography / Lou Hodges, Jr.
Two Emmys draws away to win the Fair Grounds Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course
The legacy of the late leading turf sire English Channel continues to grow, with his 7-year-old son Two Emmys capturing his third graded stakes Feb. 18 in the Fair Grounds Stakes (G3T) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots and the sire's 6-year-old son English Tavern finishing third in the same race.
Campaigned by Wolfe Racing and co-owner/trainer Hugh Robertson, Two Emmys has only improved with age. He notched his first graded win at 5 in the 2021 Mr. D. Stakes (G1T) at Arlington Park, and he was runner-up in three other graded stakes that year.
Last year the gelding added the Muniz Memorial Classic Stakes (G2T) at Fair Grounds to his résumé, continuing to add onto an already established affinity for the New Orleans racetrack. A close second in the Jan. 21 Col. E.R. Bradley Stakes helped make Two Emmys the 9-5 favorite when the gate sprung in the Fair Grounds Stakes. His anticipated competition was Martin Mueller, Richard Reid, Donald Ladd, and Joe Bowley's homebred Gentle Soul , who won the Col. E.R. Bradley Stakes, and grade 2 winner Tiz the Bomb , who was making his 2023 debut.
Two Emmys took the lead soon after the break in the 1 1/8-mile contest under rider James Graham and the pair never saw another horse. They guided the field of six challengers through leisurely fractions of :24.04, :51.52, and 1:16.64 on a course labeled firm. When they got to the top of the stretch, Two Emmys drew effortlessly away Cavalry Charge , who had stalked him throughout, and Gentle Soul to win by 4 1/4 lengths. Gentle Soul moved up to second and English Tavern gave a strong closing effort to finish third by a neck.
"He needed the last one," Graham said of the Col. E.R. Bradley. "This time, Hugh had him ready, but the horse shows up every time. He is fantastic. He doesn't need to be on the lead; he just puts himself there."
Two Emmys has now improved his record at Fair Grounds to 4-4-1 from 12 starts. Robertson said he will aim the gelding for the Muniz Memorial Classic Stakes again, which will be run March 25 at the same distance.
Tottenwood Thoroughbreds bred Two Emmys in Kentucky out of the Buddha mare Miss Emmy, who never won as a racehorse but is a half sister to grade 1-placed stakes winner Don't Read My Lips (Turkoman), who is a multiple stakes producer. Tottenwood bought Miss Emmy for $6,000 in foal to Ready's Image at the 2010 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale out of the Four Star Sales consignment. The mare produced three winners from six foals to race, with Two Emmys her only black-type performer and also her last foal. She reportedly died in 2018.
Two Emmys was acquired by Robertson and Wolfe Racing for $4,500 at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale from Vinery Sales. The gelding has now compiled a 7-9-1 record from 24 starts and has career earnings of $925,083.