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2016 Kentucky Derby Undercard Results


Divisidero with Edgar Prado returns after winning the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic
Date: 05/07/2016

Kentucky Derby Day is the biggest card of racing at Churchill Downs. Before the main event, there were five graded stakes contested over the main track and turf course before the 167,227 fans who came out on Saturday, the second largest attendance in history. Conditions were excellent most of the day with a dry fast main track, firm turf, sunny skies, and temperatures in the low 80's, with a brief shower just before the running of the Woodford Reserve.



The $300,000 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes (G2) featured a field of 7 older fillies and mares going 1 mile on the turf. Defending champion and Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) winner Tepin was the 3-10 favorite over 7-2 Isabella Sings, second in the Hillsborough (G2), and 12-1 Rainha de Bateria, second in the Suwanee River (G3). Jockey John Velazquez sent Isabella Sings to a clear lead through fractions of 23.35, 46.06, and 1:10.39 while as many as 3 1/2 lengths in front of Tepin and 19-1 Zipessa stalking her 2nd and 3rd. Entering the stretch Isabella Sings tired as Tepin easily took over the lead, opening up by 3 1/2 lengths through 7/8 in 1:22.16. Kept to task by Julien Leparoux, Tepin held that advantage to the line over late-running Rainha de Bateria in 1:34.36. It was another 3/4 length back to 18-1 Cash Control third.
Results chart from DRF

Left: Tepin in the winner's circle. Winning jockey Julien Leparoux said, "She's just a champ. She's a very good filly. I'm blessed to be on her. She's the best I've ever rode, that's for sure. She is really just special. Every time you ask her for something she does it even better. Today I didn't want to be too far from Johnny (Velazquez on Isabella Sings). I took her a little bit out of her comfort zone, but then she just reacts on the backside and came kicking at the end like she always does."

Right: The winning connections with their trophy. Winning trainer Mark Casse said, "I guess Royal Ascot here we come. I think that she got her confidence. She’s learned to relax. We have a lot of good older horses and I believe in letting them get confidence and get better. She’s probably one of our biggest accomplishments because she started out as good and she’s become great. I don’t care how good you are or how good a trainer you are, no one can predict greatness like her."



The $400,000 Churchill Downs Stakes (G2) features older horses sprinting 7 furlongs on the main track. Speightster, undefeated but unraced since the Dwyer (G3) in July was the lukewarm 3-1 favorite in the field of 9 over 7-2 Kobe's Back, winner of the San Carlos (G2) and Palos Verdes (G2), and 4-1 Salutos Amigos, winner of the Carter (G1). Jockey Luis Saez sent 9-2 Limousine Liberal to the lead exiting the chute and he set fractions of 22.24 and 44.64 while pressed by 8-1 Holy Boss and stalked by 14-1 Catalina Red. Entering the lane, Catalina Red swept past the tiring pacesetters to lead 3 wide through 3/4 in 1:08.37. Kept to task by Javier Castellano he pulled away to a 1 length win over late-running 6-1 Calculator in 1:20.79. It was another 3/4 length back to Kobe's Back third, while favorite Speightster checked in 8th.
Results chart from DRF

Left: Catalina Red in the winner's circle. Winning jockey Javier Castellano said, "A very good set-up. It worked out perfect for me. Those two horses showed speed early in the race, and it was a good set-up for me. A good post outside. I like it the way he did it turning for home. When I asked him, he took off really well."

Right: Beaten favorite and 8th place finisher Speightster. The 3-1 choice settled about 1 1/2 lengths off the pace under Jose Lezcano but tired in the stretch to finish 8th beaten 14 lengths.



The first Grade 1 event on the card is the $300,000 Humana Distaff Stakes (G1), featuring older fillies and mares sprinting 7 furlongs on the main track. Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) winner Wavell Avenue was the 2-1 favorite in the field of 9 over 5-2 Stonetastic, winner of the Inside Information (G2), and 3-1 Taris, second in the Santa Margarita (G1). Jockey Paco Lopez sent Stonetastic to a clear lead exiting the chute through fractions of 22.19 and 44.95 while stalked by 23-1 Super Saks and Taris. Entering the lane Taris swept to the front 4 wide, and then under a handride by Flavien Prat, powered away to win by 5 3/4 lengths in 1:21.03. It was another 2 lengths back to 6-1 Enchanting Lady third, while Wavell Avenue was fourth.
Results chart from DRF

Left: Taris in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Simon Callaghan said, "There’s a little bit of pressure with such a high purchase price, but she deserved it and she deserved it before this. We couldn’t be happier. It was a perfect trip. We thought there would be speed up to the inside and we just got a nice, clean trip and it just worked out perfectly." Jockey Flavien Prat added, "It was the trip I was hoping for. I was happy coming into the turn and the pace was what I wanted. When she turned for home, she was gone."

Right: Second place finisher Stonetastic. Jockey Paco Lopez said, "My filly tried really hard. No real excuse. The other filly (Taris) beat me really easy."



Camelot Kitten wins the American Turf (G2)
The $300,000 American Turf Stakes (G2) featured a field of 13 three-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles on the turf. Spiral Stakes (G3) 8th place finisher Airoforce was the 5-2 favorite over 4-1 Shakhimat, winner of the Transylvanian (G3), and 5-1 Beach Patrol, an allowance winner last out. Jockey Julien Leparoux sent Airoforce to the lead first time by and he set fractions of 23.27, 46.51, and 1:10.63 while stalked by 17-1 Frank Conversation and Shakhimat. On the far turn Beach Patrol, 4th early, swept past the tiring Airoforce 4 wide through 1 mile in 1:35.04. 18-1 Camelot Kitten, 6th early, came through late to win by a head in 1:41.13. It was another 2 1/4 length back to 15-1 Surgical Strike third.

Full results chart

Left: Camelot Kitten in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Chad Brown said, "Irad (Ortiz) worked out a really good trip from that post position and we made the equipment change and put blinkers on the horse. He’s a horse that always had trained really well like a top-level stake horse and then in the afternoons I felt like we weren’t really getting everything out of him. We tried to put the blinkers on him, he worked really big here at Churchill last week and combined with Irad’s great ride it made the difference."

Right: Beaten favorite and 4th place finisher Airoforce leads first time by. The 2-1 choice set the pace under Julien Leparoux but tired late to finish fourth beaten 2 3/4 lengths.



The $250,000 Pat Day Mile (G3) featured a full field of 14 3-year-olds going 1 mile around 1 turn. Debut winner American Freedom was the 7-5 favorite over 13-2 Fellowship, 3rd in the Florida Derby (G1), and 7-1 Cocked and Loaded, 3rd in the Bay Shore (G3). 15-2 Imperial Hint led the field out of the chute through fractions of 22.05 and 44.09 while pressed by 13-1 Sharp Azteca and stalked by 30-1 Gray Sky. On the far turn Sharp Azteca swept to the front through 3/4 in 1:08.32. He opened up a 4 length lead midstretch through 7/8 in 1:20.95, and easily held off late-running 17-2 Forevamo by 2 1/2 lengths in 1:34.37. It was another 2 lengths back to 14-1 Star Hill third, while American Freedom checked in 6th.
Results chart from DRF

Left: Sharp Azteca in the winner's circle with race namesake Pat Day on the far left. Winning trainer Jorge Navarro said, "I think this horse is one of the best 3-year-olds in the nation. The horse had some issues and we gave him some time off. We took a chance in here. He worked in :58 last week and the way he did it was just amazing. This horse will run all day."

Right: Sixth place finisher and beaten favorite American Freedom. The 7-5 choice settled in 5th 5 lengths off the pace under Javier Castellano, but could not improve late finishing 6th beaten 7 lengths.



The final stakes of the undercard was the $500,000 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (G1), a 1 1/8 mile trip over the Matt Winn Turf Course for older horses. A field of 12 went to post with Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) third place finisher Big Blue Kitten sent off as the 2-1 favorite over 5-1 Tourist, 8th in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1), and 11-2 Bolo, second in the Kilroe Mile (G1). Jockey Victor Espinoza sent 16-1 Midnight Storm to the lead through fractions of 23.09, 46.32, and 1:10.90 while pressed by Bolo and stalked by 10-1 World Approval. Into the stretch, World Approval swept to the lead 4 wide through 1 mile in 1:35.30, but 13-2 Divisidero, 6th early, came through late to win by a neck in 1:47.37. It was a length back to 15-2 Slumber third, while Big Blue Kitten checked in 5th.
Results chart from DRF

Left: Divisidero in the winner's circle. Trainer Buff Bradley said, “I love winning on Derby Day. He’s a really special horse. We felt really confident coming into this race. We’re realistic. We knew this was a good bunch of horses. He’s a terrific horse and I think he’s going to show what kind of horse he is this year. Edgar (Prado) thought he’d be closer. We felt he could lay a lot closer. Edgar thought there wasn’t as much speed in here. We felt like when we got to this distance we’d let him run his race."

Right: Fifth place finisher and beaten favorite Big Blue Kitten trails the field first time by. Trainer Chad Brown said, “He ran like a horse that needed a race. He hadn’t started since the Breeders’ Cup."

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