Nu What’s New goes to the front and does not look back, Jenny Doyle/Past The Wire
Churchill Downs Press
Chicago invader Nu What’s New went straight to the front and never looked back in Sunday’s 73rd running of the $298,500 Hanshin Stakes presented by JRA (Listed) – the featured race of four stakes events on closing day of the 44-day Spring Meet at Churchill Downs.
Trained by Jimmy DiVito and ridden by Luis Saez, Nu What’s New defeated Owen Almighty by a half-length to clock one mile in 1:34.06.
“He just keeps getting better,” DiVito said. “We felt like a mile would really suit him, and he showed today how tough he can be at this distance. It’s rewarding to see him continue to improve with every start.”
Sent off at 8-1 and through splits of :22.40, :44.68 and 1:08.66, Nu What’s New returned $19.90 for a $2 win bet. He earned $177,250 for the victory to improve his record to 4-2-2 in 11 starts. This was his second Grade III win of the year. In March, he won the $500,000 Oaklawn Mile.
“He just kept finding more for me today,” Saez said. “We were going a solid pace, but he was doing it so easily. Every time I asked him, he gave me a little bit more.”
After runner-up Owen Almighty, it was Hall of Fame another 1 ¾ lengths back in third. They were followed by Coal Battle, who was the final career mount of jockey Corey Lanerie. Neoequos, Crazy Mason, Moonlight, Dragoon Guard, 3-1 favorite Imagination and Tour Player completed the order of finish.
Owned by Richard Templer’s Doubledown Stables Inc., Nu What’s New is a 4-year-old gelded son of Munnings out of the Scat Daddy mare Heavenly Scar bred in Kentucky by BlackRidge Stables LLC.
DEEP FLAME DOMINATES GRADE III, $250,000 MAXFIELD
Juddmonte homebred Deep Flame verified his seven-length maiden romp with a 5 ¾-length jaw-dropper over American Man in Sunday’s fifth running of the $250,000 Maxfield Stakes (Grade III) at Churchill Downs.
Deep Flame, the 6-5 favorite in a field of six 3-year-olds, ran seven furlongs in 1:21.43 after tracking pacesetting Prize Pick from the outside through splits of :22.40 and :44.77. Deep Flame poked his head in front leaving the turn and spurted three lengths clear as Grade I winner Brant, the 8-5 second choice, hopelessly chased. American Man and Ignited closed late for the podium positions.
Churchill Downs leading jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. rode the winner for trainer Brad Cox, who also won the race last year with Verifire.
“It’s been a great year, and I’m really happy to finish the meet with a nice horse like this one,” Ortiz Jr. said. “I love being here in Kentucky and riding horses like him. He did everything professionally today and impressed me once again.”
Deep Flame paid $4.50. $2.78 and $3.06. American Man, at 9-1 with Cristian Torres up, returned $7.58 and $3.98. Ignited, ridden by John Velazquez at 7-1, was another length back and paid $3.06.
They were followed by Brant, Prize Pick and Oscar’s Hope. Crown the Buckeye was scratched at the gate with two minutes to post.
In his third career start and first as a 3-year-old, Deep Flame broke his maiden at six furlongs on May 17.
“He came into this race with a good foundation being his fourth career start,” Cox said. “We felt like the timing was right to stretch him out to seven furlongs. There’s a long year ahead with a lot of big opportunities left. After the way he breezed last time, we were confident he was going to run a big race today.”
He is a son of Into Mischief out of the Speightstown mare Barbadia and was bred in Kentucky.
The Maxfield Stakes is named in honor of Godolphin’s eight-time winning horse. Maxfield was a two-time Grade I winner and won his career finale in last year’s $750,000 Clark presented by Norton Healthcare (GI) at Churchill Downs.
BLESSED FLYER HANGS A HEAD ON HE IS NO LIE ON BASHFORD MANOR WIRE
Blessed Flyer ran down Southern California invader He Is No Lie in the final jump to win Sunday’s 125th running of the $219,665 Bashford Manor (Listed) for 2-year-olds on closing day of the 44-day Spring Meet at Churchill Downs.
Blessed Flyer, at 31-1, clocked six furlongs over a fast track in 1:09.98 to win be a head. Brian Hernandez Jr. rode the winner for trainer Mike Tomlinson and owners Vince Foglia’s Patrica’s Hope LLC and Mark Farrar.
Blessed Flyer earned $135,245 for the victory but handsomely rewarded his backers through $2 mutuels of $65.82, $19.32 and $12.32. He is perfect in two starts with earnings of $188,255.
Hey Tuff Guy, a 7 ¾-length maiden winner sent to post as the even-money favorite, and eight-length Santa Anita debut winner He Is No Lie separated themselves from the field of eight 2-year-olds early on while battling for the lead through a swift opening quarter mile in :22.10. Blessed Flyer rated in fifth in the clear down the backstretch and moved into fourth on the turn and third at the top of the stretch. Hey Tuff Guy began to fade at the top of the stretch but Blessed Flyer still had 3 ½ lengths to make up on He Is No Lie after a half-mile in :44.69. Stride by stride, the margin shortened and Blessed Flyer timed his finish perfectly to prevail in a photo.
“Our horse traveled so smoothly today,” Hernandez Jr. said. “Around the far turn we were still pretty far back, but I could tell he was getting ready to make a big run at them. I rode him patiently and knew he would come with his run.”
Blessed Flyer, who won on debut at 4 ½ furlongs at Keeneland on April 16, is a son of Dialed out of the Overanalyze mare Introspection. He was bred in Kentucky by C. W. Swann & Wetherbee Holdings LTD.
“He carries his speed so well,” Tomlinson said. “We’ve never asked him for a lot in the mornings, but we’ve asked him to gallop out strong after his works. Hopefully we have another nice one to play with.”
It was another three lengths back to Captain Luke in third, who was followed by Sargent Bilko, Hey Tuff Guy, Tolstoy, Call Me Micky J. and Tigrado. Super Saiyajin was scratched.
First run in 1902, the Bashford Manor is named for the former Louisville Thoroughbred breeding and racing farm that dominated the American racing scene in the early 1900s. George J. Long, a wealthy foundry owner, purchased Bashford Manor Farm in 1887 and developed his Thoroughbred operation that provided him two Derby wins as an owner, 1892 (Azra) and 1906 (Sir Huon), and three as a breeder, 1892 (Azra), 1899 (Manuel) and 1906 (Sir Huon). In addition, Bashford Manor also won the Kentucky Oaks in 1894 (Selika) and 1915 (Kathleen). The original Wilder family owned Bashford Manor. The Wilders were direct descendants of Lord Baltimore, whose English home was also called Bashford Manor. Long died in 1930 and the farm was eventually sold in 1973 to make way for the development of a mall complex, fittingly named Bashford Manor, that formally closed in 2003.
PIERETTE RUNS DOWN EPIC REIGN IN $222,830 DEBUTANTE
Tracy Farmer’s Pierette remained undefeated in her young career when she wore down Epic Reign inside the final 100 yards to win Sunday’s 125th running of the $222,830 Debutante Stakes (Listed) at Churchill Downs by 1 ½ lengths.
Trained by Mark Casse and ridden by Jose Ortiz, Pierette completed six furlongs in 1:10.71 to improve to 2-for-2.
In the early stages of the race, Epic Reign dueled with True Blessing through an opening quarter mile in :22.54 as Pierette tracked in fourth along the rail about two lengths behind the leaders. Lack of Riesling was the first to challenge Epic Reign, who put away True Blessing on the turn after a half-mile in :45.57. Pierette kept on along the inside at the top of the stretch as Epic Reign spurted two lengths clear. At the furlong mark, Pierette tipped out from the rail and kept on along the right hip of Epic Reign and ran her down comfortably in the final stages.
“Axel (Concepcion) rode her really well in her debut, and I just tried to repeat what he did,” said Ortiz, who won his 11 stakes race of the Spring Meet. “She seemed to progress a lot from that race and did everything I asked of her today.”
Pierette earned $135,245 for the victory and jumped her earnings to $203,741.
She paid $7.06, $3.54 and $2.76 as the 5-2 favorite.
“She trained really well after her debut and continued to move in the right direction,” said Casse’s Kentucky assistant Allen Hardy. “We thought she had progressed coming into today, and she proved that this afternoon. We’re very happy for Mr. Farmer and everyone involved.”
Lack of Riesling was another 5 ¾ lengths back in third and was followed by Valkyrie, Free Closer, The Stork Club, Liberty Rings and True Blessing. Sr Seventyone was scratched.
The 2-year-old daughter of Girvin out of the Pulpit mare Praising was bred in Kentucky by Bret Jones.
The Debutante was first staged in 1895 and is one of Churchill Downs’ most storied races.
