Calumet Farm’s Funny Duck, overlooked at 39-1 in the $300,000 Pat Day Mile Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs, stumbled at the start, hit the rail on the backstretch as he moved to the leaders, found room between horses approaching the stretch, took command a furlong from home and drew off to win by 4-3/4 lengths. It’s the first stakes win for the 3-year-old colt by Distorted Humor, trained by Rusty Arnold, now 7-2-2-0 with earnings of $214,040. He turned in an Under Tack eighth in :10 1/5 before he was purchased by Calumet for $110,000 out of the Kirkwood Stables consignment at the 2017 OBS March Sale. watch his under tack video
OBS graduates gave a good account of themselves at Churchill Downs on Oaks and Derby Day. March Sale graduate Instilled Regard was dismissed at 85-1 in the Derby, but the colt by Arch came from well off the pace to finish a credible fourth. Earlier in the day, Warrior’s Club (April ’16) came with a big late run to just miss taking the Churchill Downs Stakes (G2) by a head.
On Oaks day, OBS April graduates Wonder Gadot and Midnight Bisou were second and third in the Kentucky Oaks (G1).
On the Oaks undercard, OBS March graduates Talk Veuve to Me and Gas Station Sushi finished second and third in the Eight Belles Stakes (G2) while Kid Perfect (April ’16) rallied for second in the Twin Spires Turf Stakes (G3), a neck better than Bucchero (June ’14), who settled for third.
Reddam Racing’s Blame the Rider pressed the pace in Saturday’s $191,035 Singletary Stakes at Santa Anita, fought his way down the stretch and was best by a head at the wire. It’s the first stakes victory for the 3-year-old son of Jimmy Creed, who sped a quarter in :21 at the Under Tack Show before he was purchased for $320,000 by Dennis O’Neill out of the Thoroughbred Champions Training Center consignment at the 2017 OBS March Sale. Now 7-2-0-1 for trainer Doug O’Neill, he has earned $101,650 to date. watch his under tack video
Carolyn Wilson’s The Tabulator, idle since the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Stakes (G1) returned to action last Thursday at Prairie Meadows and led from gate to wire in the $50,000 Golden Circle Stakes, drawing away in the stretch to win by six lengths. It’s the third stakes win for the graded stakes winning 3-year-old colt by Dialed In, purchased for $460,000 out of the Wavertree Stables consignment at the 2017 OBS March Sale after turning in an Under Tack eighth in :10 flat. Now 5-4-0-0 for trainer Larry Rivelli, he has earned $233,550 to date. watch his under tack video
Coteau Grove Farms LLC’s Special Blessing picked up her first stakes victory on Friday night at Evangeline Downs, rallying to reach contention turning for home in the $75,000 Equine Sales Oaks Stakes and easing away down the stretch to score by a length and three quarters. Trained by Bret Calhoun, the 3-year-old daughter of Flat Out is now 5-2-1-0 and has earned $85,930. Consigned by Select Sales, Agent, she went through the ring at the 2016 OBS August Selected Yearling Sale. Selected Sale Conformation photo