Evanescence closes boldly for TCA; Joe Shiesty best in Woodford

Keeneland offered a pair of sprint races with Breeders’ Cup implications Saturday. Evanescence earned a free berth to the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1), rallying to get up late in the $400,000 Thoroughbred Club of America (TCA) (G2), and Joe Shiesty promises to bring speed to the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1) after a game tally in the $376,900 Woodford (G2).

In the 6 1/2-furlong TCA, Evanescence recovered from a slow start to stalk within a few lengths of pacesetter Praying during the opening stages. Praying, winless since upsetting last year’s TCA, spurted clear on the far turn, leading by nearly three lengths with a furlong remaining, but the early fractions (22.78 and :45.86) began to take a toll in the final furlong.

Evanescence, trained by Eddie Kenneally and ridden by Jose Ortiz, advanced wide into the stretch and mowed down Praying in the latter stages, prevailing by a neck. Off as the 2.99-1 third choice among seven runners, Evanescence earned her first stakes win and stopped the teletimer in 1:16.57.

“I was full of horse at the three-eighths pole,” Ortiz said. “I was just waiting for the right moment to tip her outside and let her go. Obviously she loves it here — she’s 3-for-3 (at Keeneland) — and Eddie has done an amazing job with her, and all the team back in the barn. We’re very happy we got the win today.”

Now 12-5-1-6 in her career, Evanescence recorded convincing allowance wins at Keeneland the last two April meets. The seven-furlong Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint will take place over the same track on Oct. 31, and Kenneally is excited for the challenge.

“She loves Keeneland and I think the distance of that race is ideal too,” the trainer said. “Six-and-a-half (furlongs) today was fine, but I think her best distance is actually seven-eighths. So I think it’s an ideal race for her, and the way she is right now I think she can show up again in a race like that.”

Richard and Sue Mason’s Green Lantern Stables own the four-year-old daughter of Munnings. Evanescence came back from a 76-day freshening in the TCA, finishing third in the Twin Bridges at Ellis Park and Chicago (G2) at Churchill Downs in her two previous starts. A $250,000 yearling purchase, she was bred in Kentucky by Stud TNT and is the first stakes winner out of the Pioneerof the Nile mare Lovely Carina.

Praying, who was off at 14-1, held second by 4 3/4 lengths over Grade 1 winner Eclatant. Echo Sound, the 2-1 favorite, came next in fourth and was followed by Queen’s Martini, Jersey Pearl, and Zeitlos.

One race earlier in the Woodford, Joe Shiesty showed the way on a short lead during the opening stages, dug in when headed by Doncho nearing the completion of the far turn, and reasserted control through the stretch drive, scoring by a half-length in the 5 1/2-furlong turf affair. Trained by Eric Foster and ridden by Fernando De La Cruz, Joe Shiesty recorded his sixth stakes win and first graded success.

Joe Shiesty left the starting gate as the 2.85-1 second choice in the nine-horse field and stopped the teletimer in 1:02.58 over the firm ground. Winner of Aug. 2 Turf Sprint at Ellis Park, the five-year-old gelding improved his overall record to 23-9-4-2, with earnings of more than $1.35 million.

“I told Brooklyn, my wife, after the race, ‘Having a fair race and feeling like everybody had a fair shot, and they hooked Joe coming down the stretch, and for him to fight back and put a head in front is just testimony to his heart,’” Foster said. “We know he’s got speed and when you give that much early, you have to have a lot of dig in and put your whole heart into it. I told the guys coming in the tunnel, ‘This is a horse here who laid it down. He wasn’t prancing. He gave everything he had at the time he needed to do it.’”

No Nay Hudson, who stalked the pace in third, loomed a threat in deep stretch but could not wear down the winner, finishing a half-length better than 2.30-1 favorite Doncho in third. Script, My Boy Prince, Motorious, Mondogetsbuckets, Okiro, and Its Bourbon Thirsty completed the order of finish.

Campaigned by Foster Family Racing, Lonnie Reynolds, Vicki Mills, and Donald Coomes, Joe Shiesty is by Air Force One. He was bred in Kentucky by Rodney Orr and is out of the More Than Ready mare Ready to Leash. Joe Shiesty’s juvenile half-sister, Brickyard Belle, captured the Matron (G3) at Belmont Park earlier on Saturday.

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