Wolfie’s Dynaghost, Credit Kurtis Coady
Churchill Downs Press
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Woodslane Farm’s 7-year-old homebred gelding Wolfie’s Dynaghost won his first start under the care of trainer Brian Lynch when he led every step of the way under Luis Saez in Saturday’s 46th running of the $300,000 River City (Grade III) at Churchill Downs to win by 2 ¾ lengths over Taking Candy in stakes record time.
Wolfie’s Dynaghost clocked 1 1/8 miles on “firm” turf with the rails 12-feet out in 1:45.58. The final time shattered Dr. Kashnikow’s 2001 stakes record of 1:47.90 and came within .07 of She Feels Pretty’s course mark of 1:45.51 set earlier this year.
“He’s an old professional and knows what it’s all about,” Lynch said. “We’ve been lucky enough to watch him strive here in Kentucky and his last few works were really good. Luis gave him a great ride.”
Wolfie’s Dynaghost, who had been campaigned in the east with trainer Jonathan Thomas, went right to the front in the field of 11 older horses and rattled off sizzling splits of :22.79, :46.22, 1:09.59 and 1:33.39 with Corruption tracking in second anywhere from a length to 1 ½ lengths behind. Around the final turn, Wolfie’s Dynaghost opened up to a 3 ½-length lead as 2025 stakes winners Taking Candy, Lagynos and Mercante began to close, but the front-runner never weakened and powered home for the win.
“I could tell out of the gate how sharp he was,” Saez said. “I just wanted to let him run and not take him out of his game. I knew he was going fast but that’s what he likes to do. He ran a big race for me today.”
Wolfie’s Dynaghost returned mutuels of $27.68, $14.44 and $7.76 as the 12-1 sixth betting choice. Taking Candy, also at 12-1 under Axel Concepcion, paid $10.66 and $5.56. It was another 1 ½ lengths back to Mercante under Joe Ramos and Lagynos with Corey Lanerie aboard, who dead-heated for third and paid $4.54 and $3.22, respectively.
Corruption, Quatrocento, 2-1 favorite Chasing the Crown, Tapit Shoes, Encino, Mount Rundle and English Chunnel completed the order of finish. Epic Ride, who ran in a Friday allowance, was scratched.
The victory for Wolfie’s Dynaghost was worth $175,700 and increased his earnings to $1,230,347. He sports a record of 13-3-5 in 31 starts.
This was Wolfie’s Dynaghost’s sixth stakes win. As a 4-year-old, he won the $121,000 Bert Allen at Colonial Downs and then took down the $300,000 Kentucky Cup Classic at Turfway Park; $129,618 Autumn (Grade II) at Woodbine; and $120,199 Prairie Bayou back at Turfway during his 5-year-old season in 2023. He only raced once in 2024 but returned to win $125,000 Prince George’s County at Laurel Park in June, his second start off the layoff.
Wolfie’s Dynaghost is a son of 2004 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Ghostzapper out of the Dynaformer mare Dynaire and was bred in Kentucky by Woodslane Farm of Rene Woolcott.
“He ran a little bit like his father Ghostzapper,” Lynch said. “He’s been a very well managed horse throughout his career and he still has plenty of fight left in him.”
The upset win by Wolfie’s Dynaghost helped trigger a single winning ticket payoff of the Derby City 6 Jackpot of a healthy $354,833.
HILLERITO HANGS A HEAD ON R DISASTER TO WIN $287,500 DREAM SUPREME
Hillerito, owned and trained by David Jacobson, overcame an awkward start, collared pacesetter R Disaster leaving the turn and then turned back a gutsy re-rally from the early leader in deep stretch to win Saturday’s 20th running of the $300,000 Dream Supreme (Listed) at Churchill Downs by a diminishing head.
Ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, 5-year-old mare Hillerito ran six furlongs in 1:09.56 to collect her first stakes win. It was her sixth win in eight career starts and the $183,450 first prize jumped her earnings to $384,751. Hillerito also has two seconds, including a runner-up effort to One Magic Philly in her previous start on Oct. 11 at Keeneland in a 6 ½-furlong allowance/optional claiming event.
“Normally she’s very quick out of the gate but she was a little slow today,” Gaffalione said. “I let her get her feet back under her and she fired home nicely.”
Hillerito was expected to be on or near the lead as she was in each of her previous seven starts, but the mare went to her knees when the gates opened and she drifted outward to her right leaving her in fourth position. Instead, it was the odds-on 1-2 favorite R Disaster, winner of the Gallant Bloom (Grade II) at Aqueduct in her previous start, who led the cast of six fillies and mares through a first quarter mile in :22.29 with Jersey Pearl in close pursuit to her inside and Hillerito a couple lengths back in the clear and now in third.
Around the turn, Hillerito made the first move with a three-wide run and seized the lead after a half-mile in :45.08. She spurted clear to a 2 ½ length lead at the top of the stretch but R Disaster didn’t quit. In fact, she threatened to recapture the lead from Hillerito with a powerful kick down the center of the track but came up short when the photo finish was revealed.
“I think the slow start helped us a little with how the pace developed,” Jacobson said. “It gave us the extra little jump that we needed at the end.”
Hillerito, the 9-2 third betting choice, returned $11.98, $4.72 and $3.10. R Disaster, under Jose Ortiz, paid $2.44 and $2.10. Jersey Pearl, with Francisco Arrieta up, was another 4 ¼ lengths back in third and paid $3.58 to show. Halina’s Forte, Mink’s Palace and Sudden Switch completed the order of finish. Marmalade Skye, Taliesin, Tapit Quick and Top were scratched.
Hillerito is a daughter of Army Mule out of the War Front mare Revelle’s Echo and was bred in Kentucky by Theta Holding 1 Inc.
The Dream Supreme is named after the six-time graded stakes winner who won the Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs in 2001. Trained by Bill Mott, Dream Supreme won two Grade I sprints in her 16-race career and earned $1,007,680 between 1999-2001.
RIVER CITY QUOTES
Luis Saez, Jockey, Wolfie’s Dynaghost (winner): “I could tell out of the gate how sharp he was. I just wanted to let him run and not take him out of his game. I knew he was going fast but that’s what he likes to do. He ran a big race for me today.”
Brian Lynch, Trainer, Wolfie’s Dynaghost (winner): “He’s an old professional and knows what it’s all about. We’ve been lucky enough to watch him strive here in Kentucky and his last few works were really good. Luis gave him a great ride. He ran a little bit like his father Ghostzapper. He’s been a very well managed horse throughout his career and he still has plenty of fight left in him.”
DREAM SUPREME QUOTES
Tyler Gaffalione, Jockey, Hillerito (winner): “Normally she’s very quick out of the gate but she was a little slow today. I let her get her feet back under her and she fired home nicely.”
David Jacobson, Owner/Trainer, Hillerito (winner): “I think the slow start helped us a little with how the pace developed. It gave us the extra little jump that we needed at the end.”
