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Regally Ready dominates in Turf Sprint
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| Regally Ready stayed perfect in three starts on the Churchill turf with his Turf Sprint score
(Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography) |
The winning streak of horses-for-courses in the $909,000
Breeders' Cup Turf
Sprint continued Saturday when Vinery Stables' Regally Ready, who entered with a
two-for-two mark over the Churchill Downs lawn, dominated 13 rivals in the
five-furlong test over good ground. Away alertly on Corey Nakatani, the 2-1
favorite spotted Rapport a half-length after a quarter in :22 2/5, moved up
inside that rival to seize control around the far turn, and then opened up
through the stretch to finish 1 1/2 lengths clear at the wire in a time of :56
2/5. Regally Ready paid $6.60, $4.60 and $3.
"We got away in good shape and had a perfect trip," Nakatani said. "He was
composed and focused. When he started pulling away down the stretch it just
showed how good a horse he is."
Longshots completed the superfecta. Country Day, at 33-1, was well-positioned
near the front throughout and charged home to take second by three-quarters of a
length over 10-1 chance Perfect Officer, who had to rally from 10th. Another
prominent player in the early stages, 18-1 shot Great Attack, finished a
half-length behind Perfect Officer and a nose in front of 6-1 second choice
Caracortado.
The order of finish was rounded out by Rapport, Camp Victory, Chamberlain
Bridge, Holiday for Kitten, Grand Adventure, Hoofit, California Flag, Broken
Dreams and Havelock. The latter, the field's 6-1 third choice, was one of
several horses compromised by traffic trouble around the far turn when Great
Attack got out briefly.
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Regally Ready first set foot on the turf last November 20 at Churchill Downs,
and has never really looked back. Victorious by 7 3/4 lengths in a second-level
allowance that day, he soon joined trainer Steve Asmussen's first-ever Santa
Anita string for the winter. Though only third in the Grade 3 Daytona Stakes in
his first attempt over the tricky downhill turf at "The Great Race Place,"
Regally Ready left California with three straight wins down the hill, including
the Joe Hernandez Stakes and Grade 3 San Simeon Handicap.
Returning to Churchill for the Grade 3 Twin Spires Turf Sprint on Kentucky
Derby weekend, the gelded son of More Than Ready dominated a good field by 1 1/4 lengths. A
three-month break ensued, after which Regally Ready was a bit slow to regain his
best form. Third by a neck in the minor My Frenchman Stakes at Monmouth Park, he
next threw in his one clunker of the year in the Grade 3 Turf Monster Handicap,
settling for 10th after falling far behind down the backside. He rebounded last
out to take the Grade 1 Nearctic Stakes at Woodbine, gutting out a wire-to-wire
win by neck going six furlongs. His record now stands at 17-9-2-4, $1,210,684.
Bred in Kentucky by Grapestock LLC, Regally Ready was produced by the
stakes-placed Kivi, a daughter of King of Kings. Regally Ready's second dam was
the Group 3 winner and Irish classic-placed Vilikaia, herself a half-sister to
Group 1-wining producer Maximova, and a full sister to Group 2-winning producer
Navratilovna.
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