Churchill Diaries: Derby Fever in September

This year’s spring meet at Churchill Downs saw a Triple Crown winner win and parade at the track and on the second day of the September meet, Churchill prepared us for the 2016 Triple Crown by running the first Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks points races on the 2016 Road to the Kentucky Derby, both of which are also Win and You're In events for the 2015 Breeders' Cup juvenile races.
But before the 2-year-olds could strut their stuff, the older fillies and mares took their turn in the spotlight in the $100,000 Open Mind Stakes. Six entered the race and by far the most popular filly was Heykittykittykitty.
She was obviously a fan favorite (and the race favorite, going off at odds of 1.90-to-1), with fans yelling her name every time she circled the paddock.

In midstretch, it looked like there were going to be a lot of happy bettors as Heykittykittykitty took the lead from Spelling Again. Spelling Again had led for most of the race but was 2 ½ lengths behind Heykittykittykitty with a furlong left in the race.
But Spelling Again showed a lot of heart, and the Awesome Again daughter was able to take back her lead and win by one length, making it a stressful moment for the photographers who had focused on Heykittykittykitty before realizing what was going on right before the horses were in front of us.

The win was the second of the day for jockey Shaun Bridgmohan, who took a little time with Spelling Again outside the winner’s circle before greeting her connections.

The win was an important milestone for her trainer Brad Cox, who earned his 100th Churchill Downs win with the stakes victory.

Next up wasn’t a stakes race, but could have implications on future stakes races. The maiden race for 2-year-old colts had some very well bred entries with 2001 Horse of the Year Point Given’s half-brother Congrats Given making his second start and 2002 Horse of the Year Azeri represented by her first grandfoal to race, a Tapit colt out of Arienza named Arenzano.
The colt who caught my eye was Bandwidth. I recognized his dam’s name and was eager to see him. I didn’t have to wait long as the colt was the second one to the paddock. He was a nice looking colt, which wasn’t surprising with the $225,000 price tag he went for as a yearling! He also had a Horse of the Year connection as his sire Mineshaft was the 2003 Horse of the Year and champion older horse.

Congrats Given circled the ring after getting saddled and although he wasn’t as imposing as his half-brother, the colt had a very kind and attentive expression on his face.

He was followed by Arenzano, who looked a little bit like a California Chrome lookalike with blaze peeking out under his purple and green blinkers. The colt isn’t owned by California Chrome’s team though, he is owned by Mellon Patch.

Only two horses had made a racing start before so all the colts were curious as to what was going on but they mostly behaved through the paddock and the post parade. The only hairy moment came when the horses broke out of the gate and No. 1, Memorial Blue, wanted to go to the left around the first turn (the field broke in Churchill’s chute) but Victor Lebron did a good job to correct him and keep him running straight.
But even with a fairly smooth running of the race, no one was as good as Bandwidth. The colt had the lead in the stretch and pulled away to win by 6 ¼ lengths as the 2.90-to-1 favorite. He’s definitely one I’m putting in my Virtual Stable to watch in coming months.

As for Congrats Given and Arenzano, they finished third and 10th, respectively. The win was also the third of the day for Bridgmohan, who would go on to end the day with four wins.
Two races later, the 2-year-old stakes action started with the $200,000 Pocahontas Stakes. The race for 2-year-old fillies is the first points race on the Kentucky Oaks trail and gives the winner an automatic berth into the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.
But the first one who caught everyone’s attention wasn’t a horse, it was trainer Kelly Breen. Breen always makes sure that he looks his best when he has a horse running and Saturday was no exception. But he had a rival at the track that day vying for “best dressed” with the lady in the photo below making a beautiful fashion statement during the stakes races

But on the horse front, all the attention was on Just Wicked in the paddock and it was easy to see why. The filly is obviously full of confidence and strutted around the ring like she knew she was the center of attention.

Just Wicked was one of two stakes winners in the field with Princess Kennedy winning a stakes at Emerald Downs by 8 ¾ lengths in her last start.

But the filly who caught my attention was Dream Dance. The 2-year-old by Afleet Alex was little and kind of plain but reminded me of three-time Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Goldikova. Maybe that’s not the best reason to pick a horse in a race, but Afleet Alex has also thrown some good horses in recent times so it wasn’t totally throwing a dart at the board.

By the time the fillies went into the gate, it was obvious that everyone thought Just Wicked was going to win at odds of 1-to-2. All the fillies broke well from the gate and settled behind Decked Out, who took command early on.

Coming down the stretch, it looked like we could have a seven-way photo finish for the win but the closing Dothraki Queen was able to find a hole. She had to battle with Bold Quality for the win but was able to get the better of that rival to win by ½ length. Unfortunately for Bold Quality, an objection was lodged against her and Dream Dance was promoted to second. Just Wicked finished fourth after being in the midstretch battle.

Assuming that she stays healthy, Dothraki Queen will be running in the Alcibiades at Keeneland on Oct. 2, which is another Win and You’re In race for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.
As Dothraki Queen headed back to the barn the Iroquois runners started their long walk from the backside to the paddock, a walk their connections hope they are making on the first Saturday in May next year.
The first one to arrive was the Kelly Breen-trained Baychimo, who had one of the best forelocks [the tuft of hair on the top of his head] of the day, tied only with fellow runner Star Hill.

Condominium was trying to make Churchill Downs 2-year-old stakes wins a family affair as his dam had won the 2008 Debutante Stakes. The crowd seemed to remember that, making him the fourth choice in the race.

But Condominium was up against some tough company with stakes winners Cocked and Loaded and Expected Ruler entered for the race.
Expected Ruler, who upset the Tyro Stakes last month at odds of 47.30-to-1, was the last to enter the paddock for the race and was a standout.

Cocked and Loaded was shipped into Churchill Downs from Arlington Park but snuck under the radar with bettors, going off at 9.50-to-1 even though he was the only other stakes winner in the field.

Those odds must have looked like a gift for everyone who bet on him as the field raced down the stretch with Cocked and Loaded having a comfortable lead. That leads was cut down to two lengths from 2 ½ lengths when he crossed the wire but it was still enough to give him 10 points toward the Kentucky Derby and a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

While Cocked and Loaded’s connections didn’t travel to the race, trainer Larry Rivelli said later that night that the colt will be headed straight to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile from here.

And with that, the first Kentucky Derby trail weekend was over. There are still many months until the field loads into the gate for the 2016 Kentucky Derby but for at least two weeks (the next points race is on Sept. 26), Cocked and Loaded’s connections can say that they have the top contender on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.