Churchill Downs, Race 11 Saturday, September 14, 2024
By The 2YO EdgeMan
CD11:091424 – One Mile and 1/16th on the Dirt. 13 Colts are entered, but only 12 will start. Only one of them is a First-Time starter, ten have raced one time previously, and one has two starts.
#2 – Homer’s Odyssey (9/2) – Steve Asmussen (M = 11.6%; 2+ starters = 0/10) trains this colt who is sired by Not This Time (ALL = 20.6%). Mama, who’s from Court Vision, won five of her 31 starts and $234K. She’s thrown one other foal of racing age, but that one has not yet had much success. This guy hammered for $200K last year is a yearling (33/62) and he’s competed twice previously. He didn’t do much running in his debut on turf at ELP, but led for much of the next event at Ellis, again on the turf at today’s distance, but faded to finish seven lengths shy. Since then, Steve has pumped four works into him, all here under the Twin Spires, and three of them covered 5/8th of a mile. In fact, on 8/25, he went in 59.6 seconds (2/18). Erik gets his second chance to pilot this dude.
#5 – Tickled Quist (7/2) – This colt has started one time previously and he’s by Nyquist (ALL = 18.3%; Dirt = 21.3%). His dam is by Shackleford and she had a race record of two for eight and brought home $77,000 in purse money. In the breeding shed she’s tossed one other foal of racing age, but that one has not been overly successful yet. Today’s starter was scooped up as a yearling for the tidy sum of $435K (5/73). Her lone start was at ELP in late August and she ran midpack pretty much the entire in that dirt event. Trainer Brad Cox (M = 22.2%; 2nd start = 3/12, 25.0%) has given this lad one half mile drill since his race. The leg up will be given to Florent who rode him previously.
#8 – Seattle Road (12/1) – Quality Road (ALL = 16.4%) produced this colt with a mare by Tapit. She was two for nine on the track, was third in a G3 event, and banked $91,000. This is her first foal. $400K was winning bid for him when he was a yearling (20/43) and he’ll also be making his second start today. He was at or near the back of the pack the entire race at today’s distance on the grass at SAR on 7/27/24. Conditioner Tom Amoss (M = 0/3) has given him four works, all up at SAR since his afternoon run, and they have been pretty brisk. Jamie Torres will get his first chance in this guy’s saddle.
#9 – Cooper (12/1) – This fella is a Godolphin homebred who’s has been under the care of HOF Bill Mott (M = 0/6). He’s another starter in this one from Nyquist (ALL = 18.3%; Dirt = 21.3%) and his broodmare sire is Bernardini. Mama was 0/3 on the track and she’s tossed three other foals of racing age – one that has surpassed the $100K mark in earnings. His run on 7/20/24 up at Saratoga and he didn’t show much in that 6f event on dirt. Bill then gave him three works in upstate NY at a half mile and then one more at the same distance here at CD. Irad will manage the reins. Interesting note – dating back to 2019, Irad has ridden just fourt babies in MSW events for Mr. Mott and he’s never ended in the Winner’s Circle.
#11 – Kinetic Control (3/1 ML fav) – Dale Romans (M = 1/9, 11.1%) will sling the saddle across this colt who is the second Not This Time (ALL = 20.6%) runner in this field. His dam is by Medaglia d’Oro and she scored twice in the 17 races that she entered and pulled down $169K in prize money. She’s produced four other foals of racing age – one that has won north of $100K and her 3YO colt has already won over $1/4 million, with a win and third-place finish in a G3 affair last year as a baby. The Albaogh Family Stable went to $120K last fall to buy this dude as a yearling (46/62). Like so many of his competitors in this one, he has started one time. After breaking slow, he moved up and ultimately made a solid run for the win, but fell ust a ¼ length short of victory in that 7/8th of a mile race on the dirt at Ellis Park. Dale has breezed him three times since his race, twice at 5f, all here at Churchill. His work two back was timed in 59.8 seconds (4/64). Dale gives Corey Lanerie control in the irons for the second time.
Final Analysis – There are several to like in this one, but my pick is #5 Tickled Quist. Nyquist babies, especially on the dirt, are dynamite and Brad does awefully well at this meet. This dude sold in the top 10% of his class and Florent also rode this youngster in his previous start. I look for him to be a handful today.
They are just getting started here at Churchill in this short meet, so keep checking back in at PastTheWire.com. Stay safe and well, my Wonderful Edgies – thank you for all of your support!
