LEXINGTON, Ky. – Susan Moulton’s homebred Andthewinneris swept to the front at midstretch and pulled clear to post a 2 3/4-length victory in the 32nd running of the $350,000 Castle & Key Bourbon (G2) for 2-year-olds.
Trained by Wayne Catalano and ridden by Flavien Prat, Andthewinneris covered the 1 1/16 miles on the firm turf course in a stakes-record 1:41.27. It is the second victory in the race for Catalano with the previous triumph coming in 2013 with Poker Player.
With the victory, Andthewinneris earned a fees-paid berth to the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) to be run here Nov. 4. For Moulton and Catalano, it is their second “Win and You’re In” Breeders’ Cup Challenge victory of the Fall Stars Weekend after winning the Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix (G2) on Friday with Manny Wah.
Andthewinneris is a Kentucky-bred son of Oscar Performance out of the Scat Daddy mare Run Like the Boss. With a record of 4-2-0-2, Andthewinneris earned $198,013 with Sunday’s victory to boost his bankroll to $282,243.
In the Castle & Key Bourbon, Panama (GB) led the field of 12 through fractions of :22.34, :45.81 and 1:10.89 with Deer District in closest pursuit and Andthewinneris racing in the clear in mid-pack. Deer District took over in the upper stretch, but Prat had Andthewinneris in high gear and roared on by passing the eighth pole and coasting to victory.
Andthewinneris returned $10.18, $5.54 and $4.52. Deer District, ridden by Martin Garcia, returned $5.92 and $4.30 and finished three-quarters of a length in front of Really Good who paid $4.72 to show under Tyler Gaffalione.
It was another half-length back to Rarified Flair who was followed in order by Our Dream Rye’d, Boppy O, Reckoning Force, Accident, B Minor, Gigante, Panama and Hendrickson.
Quotes from the $350,000 Castle & Key Bourbon (G2)
Wayne Catalano (winning trainer of Andthewinneris): “100 percent (I thought he would turn in a winning performance). The way the horse was training, I thought we were going to win the race. Obviously, it’s horse racing and anything can happen, but I go in thinking we can win. The horses feel it. Everything went like I planned. Today we had pace and everything came together like it should. When you make a plan and everything comes together, it’s a great time.”
Susan Moulton (breeder and owner of Andthewinneris): “He was born on my farm. I just bought my farm four years ago. Got my farm manager here, my husband (Shane Sellers), my trainer (Catalano). We’re so happy. What a beautiful race. And I’m still proud of ‘Manny’ from Friday (Moulton owns Manny Wah, winner of Keeneland’s Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix-G2, also trained by Catalano).
Flavien Prat (winning jockey): “It was all depending on the way he was breaking out of the gate and the pace. The pace was good and I was able to tuck myself inside a bit. I was traveling really well all the way around and when I tipped him out he really gave me a great turn of foot. (Trainer) Wayne (Catalano) told me he was going to run great and he was right.”
Martin Garcia (rider of runner-up Deer District): “My horse is just learning. He’s getting better day by day. Today we were inside and he broke good. I tried to go easy, but we had pressure outside and he just pulled me. I think after today we know we can compete with the good horses. He learned a lot and is going to be much better.”
Tyler Gaffalione (rider of third-place finisher Really Good): “He ran a really good race. He’s still learning. He’s a very talented colt. The winner was much the best so hats off to him and the connections. I’m very pleased with my horse’s effort today and we’ll move forward from there.”
Keeneland Press Release
Photo by Toady
