Churchill Sunday: Cagliostro leads 5 stakes winners

Wathnan Racing’s 4-year-old colt Cagliostro pressed the pace three wide up the backstretch, put away 8-5 favorite Extra Anejo racing for home and turned back a late run by Tumbarumba to win Sunday’s listed $279,875 Hanshin Stakes at Churchill Downs, the feature among five stakes on closing day of the spring meet.

Cagliostro, who broke through to collect his first stakes win, prevailed by one length and clocked one mile over a fast track in 1:34.87. Flavien Prat rode the winner for trainer Cherie DeVaux.

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Breaking from post 7 in the field of nine older horses, Cagliostro tracked three-wide outside of pacesetters Zozos and Extra Añejo, who ran the first quarter-mile in 23.09 and the half in 46.09 seconds. Zozos, the defending Hanshin winner, checked out just past the half-mile marker while in tight quarters along the rail.

Cagliostro, who cut back in distance after running second to Highland Falls in the 1 1/8-mile Blame on June 1, put away Extra Añejo nearing the three-sixteenths pole and spurted clear in the stretch. Louisiana-bred graded stakes winner Tumbarumba put in his usual late charge but could not get to Cagliostro.

“He had a really strong performance today,” Prat said. “It was the first time I rode him and he’s a very talented colt and had a nice kick home.”

The first prize was $163,680 and hiked Cagliostro’s bankroll to $436,668 with a record of 11: 3-4-1.

“We thought the cut back in distance would really suit him today to keep him and Pyrenees separated from running against one another in the Stephen Foster (G1),” DeVaux said. “It worked out very well with Pyrenees running second in the Foster. We’re very happy for our entire team and this ownership group.”

Cagliostro paid $10.44, $5.32 and $3.78 as the 4-1 third betting choice. Tumbarumba, ridden by Luis Saez, paid $6.94 and $4.80 at odds of 6-1. Raise Cain was another 1 3/4 lengths back in third under Luan Machado and paid $9.36 to show at odds of 20-1.

Three Technique, Charge It, Happy American, Extra Añejo, Frosted Grace and Zozos completed the finish in that order. Best Actor and Injunction were scratched.

Cagliostro is a Florida-bred son of Upstart out of the Hard Spun mare A Rosefor Isabelle, who was bred by Lance Colwell and Janice Clark.

Politicallycorrect rallies in Bashford Manor

Politicallycorrect, who broke his maiden on May 30 at Churchill Downs in gate-to-wire fashion, showed a new dimension Sunday.

The young colt rallied from last with a sweeping, wide move to win by five lengths over Smoken Wicked in the 123rd running of the listed $217,215 Bashford Manor for 2-year-olds.

Politicallycorrect clocked six furlongs over a fast main track in 1:10.56. Jose Ortiz rode the winner for Turfway Park-based trainer Chris Davis and owners Walmac Farm, Five Fillies Stable and and Ryan Ritt.

It was a contested early pace in the field of 12 juveniles as California invader and 2-1 favorite Bodacious emerged on top with Enduring Spirit and Spiralizer chasing through an opening quarter-mile in 21.41 seconds.

Politicallycorrect was last as the field entered the turn, and that’s when Ortiz dropped his hands to let the colt run. In a blitz Politicallycorrect circled the field from the outside and left the turn in contention after a half-mile in 45.97 seconds. He grabbed the lead at the three-sixteenths pole and proved his superiority in this last-to-first demolition job.

“He was a little unsettled in the gate and then broke pretty slowly,” Ortiz said. “After that I just tried to let him relax as much as he could down the backside. He really kicked powerfully home. I think showing his versatility at a young age is very important. He was on the pace last time, and today he came from the back. The extra distance wasn’t a problem at all.”

Politicallycorrect’s triumph was worth $130,320 and increased his bankroll to $199,320 with a perfect record in two starts. His debut came in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight that he won by 1 1/4 lengths after leading all the way.

“This horse has been training great over the Tapeta at Turfway, and it really translated to the dirt,” Davis said. “Showing multiple dimensions as a young horse is so impressive. I told Jose that the way this horse is built that he should have no issues settling if he needs to. That’s what ended up happening, and you can really tell that two turns shouldn’t be a problem for him going forward.”

A $175,000 purchase at this year’s OBS March sale, Politicallycorrect is by Violence out of the Candy Ride mare Heron Watch. He was bred in Kentucky by St. George Farm.

Politicallycorrect returned $16.62, $9.68 and $6.88 as the 7-1 fourth betting choice. Smoken Wicked, under Brian Hernandez Jr. at 32-1, paid $22.98 and $11.62. It was another 3 3/4 lengths back to 6-1 Ivan the Great in third, who paid $5.70 to show under Antonio Fresu.

Mo Hair Sam, Conquering Cat, Bodacious, Spiralizer, War Tax, Enduring Spirit, Moneyline, Happyflyer and 7-2 second betting choice Heat completed the order of finish. Vinegar Hill was scratched.

Vodka With a Twist drinks up in Debutante

Vodka With a Twist broke alertly and led every step of the way for a convincing three-length win over So There She Was in the 123rd running of the listed $218,750 Debutante for 2-year-old fillies.

Trained by Phil D’Amato and ridden by Flavien Prat, Vodka With a Twist ran six furlongs over what was a muddy main track in 1:10.58 for owners Medallion Racing, Omar Aldabbagh and William Strauss.

Breaking from post 6 in the field of seven fillies, Vodka With a Twist opened a 1 1/2-length advantage over her rivals as she zipped the first quarter mile in 21.51 and the half in 45.47 seconds. Southern California invader So There She Was chased throughout and was second best.

“We broke really fast out of the gate, and she showed a lot of natural speed today,” Prat said. “Going this far for the first time she handled it really well, and she was able to take her speed all the way to the wire.”

The victory was worth $136,520, which increased Vodka With a Twist’s earnings to $209,320 with record 3: 2-0-0. Before her Debutante triumph, Vodka With a Twist broke her maiden at Churchill Downs on May 17 by one length.

Vodka With a Twist paid $4.62, $2.92 and $2.42 as the 6-5 favorite. So There She Was, under Antonio Fresu at odds of 2-1, returned $3.50 and $2.72. Fortuna Mia, at 18-1 with Luis Saez up, was another five lengths back in third and paid $4.56 to show.

It was another two lengths back to Glee in fourth, who was followed in order by Adeera, Daisy Duke and La Marinera.

Vodka With a Twist is a daughter of Thousand Words out of the Sky Mesa mare Bourbon and a Kiss. She was bred in Kentucky by Pillar Property Services Inc., and purchased as a yearling at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton October sale for $2,500.

Walkathon runs to Anchorage triumph

Whitham Thoroughbreds’ 5-year-old homebred mare Walkathon lived up to her name when she went straight to the front, set soft early fractions and spurted home with plenty of energy left to turn back a late run by Forever After All and win the third running of the $175,000 Anchorage Overnight Stakes by a half-length.

Ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr. for trainer Ian Wilkes, Walkathon covered over 1 1/8 miles on good turf in 1:49.69 to collect the third stakes victory of her career. She had defeated McKulick to win the 2002 Regret (G3) at Churchill Downs as a 3-year-old. This year she prevailed in the $150,000 Endeavour (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs.

Walkathon stepped out to lead the cast of seven fillies and mares through slow fractions of 24.18, 49.54 and 1:14.01 with 8-5 favorite Heavenly Sunday stalking about 1 1/2 lengths behind and Forever After All tracking in fourth.

Walkathon was well in hand leaving the final turn as Heavenly Sunday attempted to apply pressure. She was roused by Hernandez in deep stretch and held sway from Forever After All’s late charge.

“It was just a perfect trip,” Hernandez said. “I was able to really let her relax on the lead and let her do her thing. It was fairly straightforward of a trip for a really nice mare.”

Walkathon paid $8.10, $4.94 and $3.06 as the 3-1 second betting choice. Forever After All, at 7-2 under Adam Beschizza, returned $4.78 and $2.64. Heavenly Sunday, ridden by Florent Geroux, was another 1 1/2 lengths back in third and paid $2.36 to show.

Be My Sunshine, Personal Best, Embrace Me and Tower Bridge completed the running order. Fast as Flight and Misread were scratched.

Walkathon improved her record to 16: 5-3-1, and the $105,836 first prize jumped her earnings to $582,360. She is a daughter of Twirling Candy out of the Stroll mare Walkabout and was bred in Kentucky by her owner Janis Whitham.

“You’ve got to be proud of her,” Wilkes said. “She always shows up and runs hard. She definitely handled the mile-and-an-eighth stretch-out well. Brian rode a great race just letting her really relax and wait on her. We’re going to enjoy this win today, and then I’ll talk to the Whithams to make a plan going forward.”

Raging Torrent goes east, wins Maxfield

Mark Davis’s Southern California invader Raging Torrent broke quickly from the gate and turned back late challenges from Otto the Conqueror and World Record to determinedly win by 2 1/4 lengths in the third running of the $173,700 Maxfield Overnight Stakes.

Breaking from the outside post in a compact field of five 3-year-olds, Raging Torrent set fractions of 22.37, 44.65 and 1:09.22. He stopped the clock at 1:22.04 over a good track with Antonio Fresu up for trainer Doug O’Neill.

“He’s a very fast horse, and around the far turn I was able to let him relax a little bit,” Fresu said. “At the quarter pole I was able to ask him again, and he really fought hard the entire stretch to not let another horse by.”

Raging Torrent had won a first-level allowance at Churchill Downs by 8 1/4 lengths May 4 in the seven-furlong race immediately after the Kentucky Derby. He shipped back from his Santa Anita base to score his first stakes victory Sunday.

“It’s just a beautiful day being able to win a stakes race at Churchill Downs,” O’Neill said. “On Derby day Antonio Fresu said that the track was a little quicker than it was today. In today’s race Antonio was able to give him a nice, mid-race breather, and I think that really made the difference. He’s very versatile whether it be dirt or turf.”

Raging Torrent, the even-money favorite, paid $4.16, $2.90 and $2.24. Otto the Conqueror, who surged late for second as the 3-1 third betting choice with Tyler Gaffalione in the saddle, returned $4.02 and $2.50. World Record, at 5-2 with Flavien Prat up, was another half-length back in third and paid $2.34.

Carbone was fourth and Hold My Bourbon was fifth. Lucky Jeremy and This Is Uscar were scratched.

Raging Torrent, a son of Maximus Mischief out of the Violence mare Violent Wave, improved his record to 9: 3-1-2. The $107,200 first prize boosted his career earnings to $317,400. He was bred in Kentucky by Rodney Winkler and Alfonso Mazzetti.