Powerful Closers Prevail in Golden Mile and Ken Maddy
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Lord Bullingdon goes from last to first to win the Golden Mile Stakes at Santa Anita Park
Closers prevailed in two open turf stakes at the front end of the Nov. 3 card for the Breeders' Cup World Championships opening day at Santa Anita Park.
Colbart Stables and trainer Michael McCarthy's Lord Bullingdon faced the worst of starts in the one-mile Golden Mile Stakes for 2-year-olds that kicked off the day's races. The son of Lord Nelson stumbled at the start and was left trailing field for the first six furlongs.
Meanwhile Ultra Power , pushed by Ace of Clubs , set quick opening fractions of :22.60 and :45.80. Umberto Rispoli bided his time on Lord Bullingdon until the field rounded out of the turn, where he swung five-wide at the top the stretch. Once clear, he blew by favorite Go With Gusto with a furlong to run en route to an emphatic 3 3/4-length win.
The Golden Mile gave Lord Bullingdon his first win in four career starts. He was runner-up in his first two races, which included the Del Mar Juvenile Turf Stakes (G3T) behind highly regarded Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) starter Endlessly . He came into the Golden Mile off a fifth in a one-mile turf maiden special weight.
McCarthy gave the colt some sharp works ahead of the Golden Mile, including a 1:00 1/5 tightener at Santa Anita Oct. 27. He was sent off at 6-1 in a field of six sophomores and paid $15.60, $6.00, and $3.40. Go With Gusto was second, a neck in front of Mo Fox Givin .
Veloce bred Lord Bullingdon in Kentucky out of the Leroidesanimaux mare Ms Silver Oak. McCarthy bought Lord Bullingdon for $55,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May 2-Year-olds in Training Sale. The colt has now earned $120,220.
Video: Qatar Golden Mile S. (BT)
Wet My Beak Flies Late for the Win
Longshot Wet My Beak made a similar wide move at the top of the stretch during the Senator Ken Maddy Stakes, which was run over 6 1/2 furlongs down Santa Anita's hillside turf course.
Breaking from post position 8 with Jose Ortiz aboard for the first time, Wet My Beak had only two horses beat a half-mile out but was full of run about eight lengths off dueling leaders Elm Drive and Brandons'mylawyer.
As the field approached the dirt crossing, Ortiz tipped out widest of all and under vigorous handling caught Elm Drive right before the wire. Wet My Beak paid $49.60, $16.00, and $8.40 for the win. Brandon'smylawyer was third. The final time was 1:12.37.
Wet My Beak and jockey Jose Ortiz close strongly to win Senator Ken Maddy Stakes at Santa Anita Park
Sycamore Hall Thoroughbreds bred Wet My Beak in Maryland. The 4-year-old is by Union Rags out of the Speightstown stakes winner Who's in Town . Sycamore Hall offered the filly at Fasig-Tipton's 2020 Fall Midlantic Yearling Sale but bought her back after a final bid of $70,000. Sycamore Hall raced her with Graham Motion three times before she was bought by Thelma & Louise Stable and moved to trainer Vladimir Cerin. She won a five-furlong turf optional claimer at Del Mar in her first start with Cerin and came into Breeders' Cup weekend off a third in an $80,000 optional claimer going six furlongs on the grass at Santa Anita. She has now improved her career earnings to $176,988.