Tommy Jo awarded Alcibiades via disqualification of Percy’s Bar

Percy’s Bar thwarted odds-on favorite Tommy Jo on the racetrack in Friday’s $650,000 Alcibiades (G1), but she lost it in the stewards’ room at Keeneland. After an inquiry and an objection from Tommy Jo’s rider, Hall of Famer John Velazquez, Percy’s Bar was disqualified and placed second. 

It was a very tough result for the connections of Percy’s Bar, the 3.46-1 second choice, who would have earned a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). Instead, the “Win and You’re In” provision for the Alcibiades became redundant, since Tommy Jo was already in via the Spinaway (G1) at Saratoga. 

Although Spendthrift Farm’s homebred Tommy Jo officially preserved her perfect record, which now stands at 3-for-3, she has a vulnerable look going into the Juvenile Fillies at this same 1 1/16-mile trip at Del Mar. The Todd Pletcher trainee did not pack the same punch going two turns.

In contrast, Percy’s Bar, a distant second in the Spinaway, effectively reversed form on the stretch-out here. Under Luan Machado, the Ben Colebrook pupil leveraged her rail post and went straight to the lead. Percy’s Bar set fractions of :23.13, :46.90, and 1:11.52, with Tommy Jo hovering in second. But rounding the far turn, Tommy Jo began to come under pressure, while Percy’s Bar continued to travel comfortably.

Although Tommy Jo responded and gamely challenged at the top of the lane, the 0.44-1 favorite still didn’t appear to have the frontrunner in her grasp. When Percy’s Bar drifted out and bumped Tommy Jo, the tired favorite had no more to offer.

Percy’s Bar widened her margin to 2 3/4 lengths in a final time of 1:44.69. However, the incident in the stretch made the inquiry sign flash, and the stewards reversed the order of finish. 

“I thought if the (winning) margin had been a head or a neck, I could see it,” Colebrook said of the disqualification. “But I probably disagree with it, but I have to go back and watch (a replay of the race), cool our heads. It’s disappointing.”

Machado was still trying to process what had happened.

“I guess she moved out, half passed (Tommy Jo) and barely touched (her). I don’t even know,” Machado said. “All I know is she (Percy’s Bar) was the best horse.” 

Velazquez believed that Tommy Jo was still driving when she got shoved. 

“I felt like she was gaining on (Percy’s Bar) little by little, head and head, and I got after her. (Percy’s Bar) touched her the first time, but the second time she went completely off her lead,” Velazquez said. “Then (Percy’s Bar) opened up a length-and-a-half (lead), and it’s hard for a horse to re-engage again. She was fighting at the point when it happened, and honestly, I hate to get it this way (by disqualification), but I’m glad that we got it.”

Pletcher expressed the same regret about how Tommy Jo was declared the winner, while hoping that she can move forward off the effort.

“(Disqualification) is not the way you want to win. I thought the filly was running a good race, and there was obviously a lot of contact that impacted her ability to finish. Whether or not it was the difference in her getting to the finish line first or not, I don’t know. It was a significant bump. I thought she got a little bit tired. I think she’ll benefit from the two-turn experience, and that’s part of what we were hoping for.”

With the Alcibiades being a scoring race on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks, the ruling also affected the distribution of points. Tommy Jo banked the 10 points to the winner, and Percy’s Bar received five points.

The Grumpy Rabbit earned three points for checking in third. Go to Girl (two points) and Wonzee Weather (one point) finished fourth and fifth, respectively, and Haute Diva was eased across the line. 

By Spendthrift’s perennial leading sire, Into Mischief, Tommy Jo is contributing to his stats with $617,963 in earnings. Her dam, the multiple stakes-winning and Grade 1-placed Mother Mother, is a Pioneerof the Nile half-sister to Commanding Curve, who was runner-up in the 2014 Kentucky Derby (G1). 

Jessamine (G2)

One race earlier in the $398,750 Jessamine (G2), another Pletcher favorite was overturned in the form of Time to Dream. But her troubled third had nothing to do with the $22.16 winner, Imaginationthelady, who booked her ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1).

Trained by Brendan Walsh for Mark Dobbin, Imaginationthelady was coming off a debut victory Sept. 4 at Kentucky Downs. That didn’t necessarily stand out in a field full of promising youngsters, many with form at the same venue. 

Time to Dream’s 2-for-2 record at the Spa, however, did stand out, and made her the 1.03-1 favorite. As the impressive winner of the P.G. Johnson S., she was expected to uncork a similarly bold rally here, only to be strung up in traffic before belatedly muscling her way into a seam. 

Meanwhile, Imaginationthelady had a charmed run with legendary Frankie Dettori. From post 9, he managed to angle her over into a good spot within striking distance of the leaders.

Front-running Lit Ship, who carved out splits of :22.43, :47.70, and 1:12.71 on the firm turf, continued to hold sway well into the stretch. She was trying to fend off Carolyncaroline and Soloist when Imaginationthelady mowed them all down.

The tough-luck closers kicked into gear too late. Infinite Sky, who was bothered at the start and trailed early, finished strongly along with Time to Dream. They flashed past the post together, with Infinite Sky’s nose nipping Time to Dream for second.

The top three are all daughters of hot sire Not This Time, who can add “Jessamine trifecta” to his ever-expanding portfolio.

Soloist was another neck astern in fourth, followed by Lit Ship, Aggressive Lime, Carolyncaroline, Loveliest, Red Beretta, Mackinac, and Victor Help Me. Rose Room and Diablo Shiraz were scratched on veterinary advice, while also-eligible Dyna didn’t draw into the field.

Imaginationthelady has now earned $331,400 from her 2-for-2 mark. The Not This Time filly is out of the War Front mare Romanticism, who is herself a daughter of seven-time Grade 1 star Sightseek.

“Brendan quietly was quite confident,” Dettori said, “and I thought, ‘I’m just going to ride a positive race.’ I knew there was a bit of speed, and I didn’t want to go four wide. I managed to slot her in behind the leaders, and I got to teach her something: to relax. Then I crept my way through the bend and swung her out. She’s a big filly with a big stride, so I gave her an eighth of a mile to get organized, and then she took off. She’s got lots of potential.”

Time to Dream didn’t have the same luxury.

“She got a good trip into the first turn,” Pletcher said, “even though she was further back than we wanted to be. (Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.) was able to save ground, but then, turning for home, he had nowhere to go, blocked in and bumping around. Just got free too late, but closed well when she did.”

Ortiz blamed himself for the bad luck. 

“There was traffic. I waited a little too long, and it cost me the race.”

Phoenix (G2)

Ortiz had smoother sailing aboard 8-5 favorite Nakatomi, who rolled from last to first in the $390,125 Phoenix (G2). The Wesley Ward veteran had placed second in the past two editions of this “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1), and he had to subdue a stubborn Durante to avoid the same result here.

Durante almost pulled a 17.47-1 upset with a perfect stalk-and-pounce trip. Breaking alertly, he let Skelly rush up to take over through the opening quarter. Skelly, last out of the gate after being hampered, tried to recover by zipping through fractions of :22.19 and :45.08. 

When Skelly tired by midstretch, Durante made his bid for glory. Nakatomi then swooped on the outside and appeared poised to clear away, only to find Durante battling back. 

But Nakatomi would not be denied. A neck in front at the wire, the gelded son of Firing Line covered six furlongs in 1:09.93.

“It was perfect,” Ortiz recapped. “He broke good, much better than last time I rode him at Saratoga (when third in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt [G2]), so I was happy with that. I didn’t want to use him early. I think he’s the kind of horse that likes to have a target. I just bided my time from there. 

“Wesley told me to do whatever I think, so I went with the flow. There was a good pace in front of me, and I didn’t want to chase anybody. I rode my horse, and he was there for me in the end.”

Durante was easily best of the rest by three lengths from Ward’s other runner, Whatchatalkinabout. Next came Here Mi Song, World Record, and Skelly.

Campaigned by Qatar Racing and Mrs. Fitriani Hay, Nakatomi has compiled a record of 24-7-4-7, $1,970,926. His other stakes wins came in the 2024 Alfred G. Vanderbilt (G1) and the 2021 Bowman Mill S. here as a juvenile. His 10 stakes placings include the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Sprint and the past two runnings of the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) on World Cup night.

“It’s incredible, really,” said Fergus Galvin, representing Sheikh Fahad al Thani’s Qatar Racing. 

“Wesley and his team have done an amazing job. I mean, he’s a six-year-old, and you have in the back of your mind if he’s maybe losing a step or two, but Wesley had him at concert pitch today. Irad gave him a fantastic ride, unbelievable.”