Locked focused on the win. (Chelsea Durand)
+ Rebel’s Romance Romps in G1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic
+ R Disaster Earns Elusive Graded Win in G2 Gallant Bloom
+ Hennig Relishing G2 Beldame Victory with Gun Song
+ Patriot Spirit on to Breeders’ Cup After G3 Vosburgh Score
+ Alogon to Return for Turf Sprint Championship Title Defense
Belmont at the Big A Notes
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm’s dual Grade 1-winner Locked found the winner’s circle again when making a sustained rally to collar Phileas Fogg in the final sixteenth of Saturday’s Grade 2, $300,000 Woodward, a nine-furlong route for 3-year-olds and up, at Belmont at the Big A.
Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, Locked entered from two uncharacteristic losses in the Grade 2 Alysheba [fourth] in May at Churchill Downs and Grade 2 Suburban presented by Subourbon [third] in July at Saratoga Race Course, but found his best stride once again after tracking in second-of-3 behind Phileas Fogg throughout the Woodward and making an in-and-out stretch run that saw him best his rival by three-quarter lengths under Hall of Famer John Velazquez. He was awarded a 98 Beyer Speed Figure, his best number since a lofty 109 received for his 8 1/2-length trouncing of the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap in March.
“He came out of it great,” said Stu Hampson, Pletcher’s Belmont Park assistant. “He ate everything last night and looked super this morning. He’s pretty proud of himself and it’s good to see him find that form again that we were seeing in the last year. Hopefully, we can sustain that going forward.”
Hampson praised the ride from Velazquez to maneuver Locked around the Kendrick Carmouche-piloted Phileas Fogg in the lane.
“I think Johnny did a good job,” Hampson said. “I think he wanted to make it look like he was going to commit to the inside and as soon as he [Carmouche] tried to shut the door on him, ultimately the horse appreciated being outside and did his best running in the clear there. Thankfully, he hit the wire in front.”
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Aron Wellman indicated before the Woodward that the historic route would likely serve as a springboard to a start at this year’s Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar. Locked finished third as the favorite in the 2023 Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile to cap a campaign that included a win in Keeneland’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity.
Locked now boasts a consistent 11-6-1-3 record with more than $1.9 million in total purse earnings. The son of Gun Runner was a $425,000 purchase at the Keenland September Yearling Sale and is out of the winning Malibu Moon mare Luna Rosa, a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-winners Gabby’s Golden Gal and Always a Princess.
Rebel’s Romance Romps in G1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic
Godolphin’s globetrotting Irish-homebred Rebel’s Romance took New York by storm on Saturday with a prominent 3 1/2-length score in the Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, at Belmont at the Big A.
Trained by Charlie Appleby, the 7-year-old Dubawi gelding earned his ninth top-flight victory, while winning for the 20th time in 29 career starts and registered his 10th win in 13 attempts since 2024.
Jockey Frankie Dettori felt the early pace set by Redistricting in the 12-furlong inner turf test was a touch too slow and promptly asked Rebel’s Romance to show the way, leading through a half-mile in 49.26 seconds, three-quarters in 1:13.75, and the mile in 1:38.69. Rebel’s Romance traveled comfortably throughout as Redistricting chased but could not reel in the venerable veteran, who stopped the clock in a final time of 2:25.72 and earned a 106 Beyer Speed Figure.
Redistricting completed the exacta by a neck over the Appleby-trained El Cordobes – last-out winner of the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer at Saratoga Race Course.
“Delighted with that result, obviously. What more can we say about Rebel’s Romance? He writes his own story,” Appleby said. “With respects to El Cordobes, with a bit of cover, he would’ve finished second. We will obviously see how the pair of them come out of the race. Rebel’s Romance is likely to head to the Breeders’ Cup, and we will make a call on what we do with El Cordobes.”
Rebel’s Romance, the 2024 Champion Turf Male, will hope to secure a third Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf on November 1 at Del Mar following past success last year at Del Mar and in 2022 at Keeneland.
The popular dark bay, who has also won races in the U.K., Dubai, Germany, Qatar and Hong Kong, has amassed more than $14.4 million via a 29-20-0-2 ledger.
R Disaster Earns Elusive Graded Win In G2 Gallant Bloom
Averill Racing, Two Eight Racing and Anthony Mattera’s R Disaster was second by less than one length in three previous graded attempts, but broke through for the win in Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Gallant Bloom, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, at Belmont at the Big A.
Trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr., the 4-year-old Awesome Slew bay broke from the inside post under Jose Ortiz and wired the field by 3 1/2 lengths in a final time of 1:14.78 over the fast main track. The performance registered a career-best 96 Beyer Speed Figure.
“I thought she won well. Obviously, a relief for her to get a graded stakes win, she has been close,” said Joseph, Jr. “You never know with horses if you’ll hit on your chance. So, I’m glad she got it done. What a resume she’s created, first or second in all 12 races, I’m just really proud of this filly.”
Among R Disaster’s 12-7-5-0 record are seconds in the Grade 2 Honorable Miss in July at Saratoga Race Course, the Grade 3 Vagrancy in May at Belmont at the Big A, and the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie in March at Gulfstream Park.
“There wasn’t as much speed in this race, so she was able to get it done nicely,” Joseph, Jr. said. “Jose gave her a good ride and she is a filly that shows up.”
Joseph, Jr. said R Disaster’s next race is undecided. The conditioner sent out Soul of an Angel to upset last year’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Del Mar.
“Yeah, I don’t know, that [Breeders’ Cup] race really wasn’t the plan, but things can change. The ownership group will talk it over and tell me what they want to do,” Joseph, Jr. said. “I would think if she doesn’t go to the Breeders’ Cup, she’d go to a Florida-bred stake at Tampa. Obviously, it is too early to decide, they’ll talk it over and see what they want to do.”
Hennig Relishing G2 Beldame Victory With Gun Song
After dealing with persistent foot issues throughout the first half of the year, R. Lee Lewis’ Gun Song returned to her best form on Friday with a 1 1/4-length victory in the Grade 2, $250,000 Beldame at Belmont at the Big A for trainer Mark Hennig.
“We had a tough year with her with her feet bothering her a bit, but she’s doing great now,” Hennig said. “I thought it unfolded really well. We had a dream setup.”
The 4-year-old Gun Runner chestnut found the winner’s circle after stalking the pace under Hall of Famer John Velazquez, settling in third 1 1/2 lengths back in the field of four as Randomized marked splits of 23.78 seconds, 47.26 and 1:11.19 over the fast footing. Gun Song pounced in the turn and took a half-length lead at the stretch call, digging in gamely down the lane to edge clear of the dual Grade 1-winning pacesetter and score in a final time of 1:49.45. She was awarded an 87 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.
“She’s good. She hasn’t gone back to the track yet, but everything seems good,” Hennig said.
The talented filly adds to a win in the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan last year at Pimlico Race Course, as well as a neck second to subsequent Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna in the Grade 1 Cotillion last September at Parx Racing. Hennig said there are a handful of options for Gun Song’s next start, including the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff on November 1 at Del Mar or the Listed $150,000 Turnback the Alarm on November 2 here.
“We’ll see how she’s doing before we decide, plus we can watch all these preps and see. It’s a pretty tough group of fillies out there,” Hennig said of the Breeders’ Cup. “They run the Turnback the Alarm here, but I haven’t really looked around. We are just letting this one soak in.”
Gun Song is out of the graded stakes-winning Mr. Greeley mare Nicole H and was purchased for $400,000 at the 2023 OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. She improved her record to 16-5-5-2 with $915,720 in total purse earnings.
Patriot Spirit On To Breeders’ Cup After G3 Vosburgh Presented By Army Mule Score
George Mellon’s Patriot Spirit turned away all challengers for a prominent 1 1/2-length score in Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Vosburgh presented by Army Mule, a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up, at Belmont at the Big A. The victory provided a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar.
Trainer Michael Campbell said that the 4-year-old Constitution bay exited the race in good order.
“He’s perfect. I told him that he’s got to get a plane ride to Del Mar, so he’s excited about it. We are all going,” Campbell said, adding that he didn’t want to commit to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint yet because he wants to take a look at the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile as well.
“I don’t want to go that far yet,” Campbell said of confirming the Sprint. “I’m going to take a look at the mile as well. I just need to get my arms around this a little bit. If you notice the way he galloped out yesterday, I think that was a telltale sign, too. It depends on many factors. I haven’t talked to the owner yet.”
Patriot Spirit, piloted by Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, stopped the clock in 1:21.84 in the Vosburgh over the fast main track and earned a 96 Beyer Speed Figure, matching his career-best from close seconds at one-mile in the restricted Listed Knicks Go in May at Churchill Downs and the Listed Fifth Season in January at Oaklawn Park.
“I did not choose Javier because of his great finish or the Hall of Fame. It was because of his hands,” Campbell said. “This horse, he responds to your hands. I wanted a rider with world class hands. The thing that impressed me was the horse’s gallop out, he said ‘do you want to go some more?’
“The important thing is, this performance wasn’t an isolated incident, he brings his ‘A’ game,” Campbell added.
Now, Patriot Spirit will try to take his talents to Del Mar.
Alogon To Return For Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship Title Defense
Charles T. Matses Kentucky-homebred Alogon proved resilient down the lane to stave off the late bid of Bold Journey and post a neck score in Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Belmont Turf Sprint, at Belmont at the Big A.
Trained by Ned Allard and piloted by Dylan Davis, the 6-year-old California Chrome gelding utilized a stalking trip and made the front a sixteenth from the wire. He needed every ounce of courage to hold off the Hall of Famer Bill Mott-trained Bold Journey and mark the victory in a final time of 1:07.63. The winning effort registered a 96 Beyer Speed Figure.
“I think at one point Mott’s horse might have been a nose in front and he still had something left to fight with,” Allard said.
The victory was a welcome one for Alogon, who raced twice at Saratoga Race Course this year when a two-length third in the Grade 1 Jaipur and a 3 3/4-length fourth in the Grade 2 Troy. He entered from a neck defeat to world-record holding sprinter Doncho in the Da Hoss on September 6 at Colonial Downs.
“He’s a horse that always tries and always puts in a good effort,” Allard said. “The races at Saratoga this summer came up a little hickory and he still ran very well. I was pleased with his efforts there, but he redeemed himself a little bit yesterday.”
Alogon secured his second local stakes score after dead-heating for victory with the Davis-piloted New York-bred Works for Me in the Listed Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship in November – a race he hopes to return and win on November 1.
“He came out of the race super. He licked his tub last night and he’ll probably make one more start this year at Aqueduct and try to defend his title,” Allard said.
Alogon is out of the Scat Daddy mare Scamper, while his second dam is the Allard-trained stakes-winning Eltish mare Shananies Song, who produced multiple group-winner Mouheeb along with the graded-stakes winner Favorable Outcome and the graded-stakes placed Allard trainee Beguine.
The family tree is chock full of Allard pupils – Alogon’s third dam, Shananies Presence is by the Allard-trained multiple stakes-winning Florida-bred Shananie.
“I’ve had more horses in that family than you could shake a stick at. It brings back a lot of old memories,” Allard said, with a laugh.
Alogon, who made his first two starts with distant off-the-board efforts for Daniel Peitz at Oaklawn Park, has come a long way. He switched surfaces and won on debut for Allard at the Meadowlands by 6 1/4-lengths in October 2022 at odds of 6-1 and followed one month later with a 1 1/4-length win versus elders in a local turf allowance at odds of 58-1.
Thinking back on those early wins reminded Allard that not all of Alogon’s wins have to come in such dramatic fashion.
“He’d been beaten 57 lengths in two races when I got him. At the time, California Chrome’s horses were running better on the grass than the dirt, so I tried him at the Meadowlands in a maiden $25K and he just galloped,” recalled Allard. “It was towards the end of the season and the only race I could find was an ‘a other than’ at Aqueduct and again he went to the lead and won very easily. Other than that, all his races have been really hard fought.”
Alogon has banked $633,799 via a 24-7-3-6 ledger.
