Tip Top Thomas stays just ahead of his challenger for the win and sets new track record with victory under John Velazquez . (Coady Media/Ashleigh Schlitt)
Clicquot Captures Indiana Oaks
By Maribeth Kalinich
In a challenge to favored Grade 1, Rebel winner Coal Battle, James J. Bakke and Gerald Isbister’s Tip Top Thomas took the top prize in Saturday’s Indiana Derby at Horseshoe Indianapolis under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez for trainer Todd Pletcher.
Last year’s Grade 1, Champagne Stakes winner proved stakes worthy again after coming off of an allowance victory at Belmont at the Big A in May.
Holding off an initial challenge by Master Controller Tip Top Thomas took control by a slim margin over Coal Battle in a duel to the finish to win by a half-length in a final time of 1:41:15 earning a new track record at 1-1/16 miles on dirt.
“I had to use him a little bit more than I wanted to. The first jump out of the gate wasn’t very good. I knew the horse on the inside [Master Controller] was going to go to the lead,” said Velazquez.
Finishing in third, Brotha Keny was unhurried early, angled to the five path on the far turn, rallied at the quarter pole and bid late for the show spot. Publisher saved ground, lacked running room in the stretch and settled for fourth. INSTANT REPLAY stumbled at the start but closed well for fifth. Big Truzz and Master Controller complete the order of finish.
“I thought it was very game against a solid field and a more-seasoned horse that he was able to hold off,” said trainer Pletcher. “We thought he would handle it, but it was great to see him do it.”
Tip Top Thomas paid $7.40 (3.80, 3.40) for the win with Coal Battle paying $3.40 (2.80) for place and Brother Keny at $10.40 for show.
Bred in Kentucky by Wynnstay, Inc., Donna Moore and Jim Richardson, and sired by Volatile out of Consolidator mare Attempt To Name, the 3-year-old chestnut colt now has three victories in five career starts.
Indiana Derby Quotes courtesy of Jennie Rees
Winning trainer Todd Pletcher (by phone, Tip Top Thomas): “I thought it was very game against a solid field and a more-seasoned horse that he was able to hold off. So, I thought it was a big effort first time around two turns. We thought he would handle it, but it was great to see him do it.”
(Why this race?) “We felt like it was a good fit, timing-wise it was good. It wasn’t too far of a ship and all that.”
(On beating Derby winner Sovereignty in first race) “Obviously it was a key maiden race.”
“We were very high on him. We thought enough off his maiden win to run him back in the Champagne and he finished a good second in there. Talked about possibly going to the Breeders’ Cup and decided we’d give him a little bit of a freshening and try to gear up for spring-summer campaign, which so far as worked out well.”
(Never seriously considered pointing for Derby): “We talked about it and felt like he wasn’t mile and a quarter horse, and if we gave him time and continued to let him develop, he’d stretch out and be a mile and a sixteenth, maybe a mile and an eighth horse. I think he ran well enough today that we can consider different distances. We’ll probably stay off the Travers trail but look at another race similar to today.”
(On his mouth; Velazquez said the only instruction was not to get into his mouth): “He’s always been just a little bit of a keen horse. He’s got kind of a sensitive mouth. The main thing I told Johnny is he’s got natural speed and he can carry it, so you don’t want to get into a wrestling match with him. Just kind of put your hands down, give him a long rein. He’s one of those horses when you grab him, he kind of wants to throw his head back at you a little bit. We wanted to avoid that, and Johnny was able to do a good job of it. Even though he was going pretty quickly, he seemed like he was in a good rhythm and settled.”
Johnny Valazquez on Tip Top Thomas: “He [Tip Top Thomas] was really good today. I had to use him a little bit more than I wanted to. The first jump out of the gate wasn’t very good. I knew the horse on the inside [Master Controller] was going to go to the lead. Just wasn’t in the first few jumps out of there, and then he got aggressive. I was told not to be in the mouth too much because he throws his head up. He was going quickly, kind of relaxed, giving me a good feeling. At the 3/8th pole, when they came at him, and I asked him, he was game. I love that. I love it when they come to him, and you ask them for more and they give it to you. He fought the whole way down the stretch. When I went with him [Coal Battle], I knew he wasn’t going to pass me.”
“Every time you go to people like him [Todd Pletcher], they know that the horses are live wherever they go. I’ve been very fortunate to be a part of the team for a long time. So, you trust the people you ride for, and Todd has been my No. 1 supporter. I never rode him [Tip Top Thomas] before or worked him. The only thing he [Todd Pletcher] told me was to stay away from his mouth, that’s it. Great performance, you gotta give it to him [Tip Top Thomas] whenever you ask him, he’ll give you more.”
Bethany Taylor, assistant trainer to Lonnie Briley, trainer of runner-up Coal Battle: “I think he ran a great race. He always comes and puts 100 percent out. I think if we hadn’t been forced to move at the half-mile pole with the 7-horse making a way-early move, I think we probably would have been able to win the race. But Corey (Lanerie) did the right thing, going with the 7 horse up on the outside of him. Once again, he’s proven he belongs with these horses. We’re proud of him.”
Robbie Norman, owner of Coal Battle: “Just a very good race. Hat’s off to Tip Top Thomas. He ran a wonderful race, and we were right there with him. I watched the replay of Tip Top Thomas’ last race, and he’d won on the lead. Corey said track bias today was not to be passing the leaders. But I think Coal Battle ran a great race, and we’re very proud of him.”
Corey Lanerie, jockey of Coal Battle: “Pretty uneventful trip. Broke really good, put me right where I thought I would be, right behind the six-horse (Tip Top Thomas). I stalked and waited for my move when we came around the bend and asked him to run. I thought I had dead aim; we just weren’t good enough today”
Third-place trainer Bill Morey (Brotha Keny): “We were excited. He ran a great race. We got really excited there. We were very proud of him. He ran a super race.”
(Ever think you could pull off the upset): “I thought we were moving as good as any of them at about the three-eighths pole. So, I thought we had a shot to win at that point. He lost a tad bit of momentum around the turn. But finished steadily and gutted it out. Those are legit horses we were on the wire with. I think the top four were all real solid 3-year-olds.”
Brotha Keny Jockey Joe Ramos: “I let my horse find his stride; he took a deep breath on the outside. Then as soon as we go past the half-mile pole, I started smooching at him. I found an opening before the quarter pole. When I asked him, he was there for me. It was just about needing that extra jump.”
Clicquot Scores Third Consecutive Win with Indiana Oaks
X-Men Racing IV, Madaket Stables and SF Racing’s Clicquot captured Saturday’s Grade 3, Daily Racing Form Indiana Oaks.
Settling into third under Edgar Morales, Clocquot chased the pace set by Heavenly Sunset with Luan Machado up with Top piloted by Fernando De La Cruz staying between the two.
Top made a bid at 3/4 miles and briefly took the lead but was out dueled by Clicquot who sprinted away for the win by four lengths for trainer Brendan Walsh.
Sturgeon Moon with John Velazquez in the irons made a late bid settling for third.
Deloriane with Mike Smith aboard finished fourth after stumbling at the start and faltered in the stretch. Goldeneye Magic and Heavenly Sunset complete the order of finish.
“From the get-go, she’s always been very nice,” winning trainer Brendan Walsh said. “Looks like she’s still improving, second time going two turns. So, she looks like she’s really, really top drawer.”
Walsh continued, “You’d have to start looking at the bigger prizes with her now. She’s got some nice seasoning under her. I thought it was important that we came here today and got a nice in-between-race before she goes and tries to take on some of the better fillies in the country.”
Walsh added, “We’ve been lucky enough we’ve had some nice fillies the last couple of years. I think this filly is up there with the best of them, so who knows where she’ll go from here?”
The winner completed the 1-1/16-mile contest in 1:42.42 and paid $4.20 (3.20, 2.20) for the win. Top paid $7.80 (4.20) for second with Sturgeon Moon paying $3.00 for show.
With four career starts the grey daughter of Quality Road has scored three consecutive victories.
Bred in Kentucky by Don Alberto, Clicquot is out of Tapit mare Royal Obsession.
