For Immediate Release
Contact: Ron Uchman (708) 780-3700
Illinois Festival of Racing Recap
STICKNEY, IL
– Saturday marked the running of the Illinois Festival of Racing at Hawthorne
Race Course as top Illinois
runners competed in six state-bred stakes.
Powerless Handicap –
Tomato Ripe for Victory
In the 9th running of the Powerless Handicap, it
appeared to be a battle of a pair of Christine Janks runners in Cruise and
Nicks to take on the Chris Block trained Secret Kin. Few expected the late
charge of Ripe Tomato to be enough to pull off the upset.
The pace for the Powerless was very quick. Magnetic Miss
broke on top and was quickly pressed by Taylor Madison and Cruise. Following an opening quarter in :21 2/5 and
half in :44 3/5, Cruise had put Magnetic Miss away. At the top of the stretch, Nicks ranged up to
grab the lead while Ripe Tomato saved ground on the inside. Mid-stretch, Ripe Tomato split horses to take
over and drew clear, winning by 2 ½ lengths in a stakes record time of
1:09.87. Nicks held second while Secret
Kin closed to run third.
The stakes score in the $84,750 event was the first in the
young career of jockey Brandon Meier for owner John Carman and trainer Roger
Brueggemann. The win was the 10th
of Ripe Tomato’s career. The $50,341 winner’s share boosted her career earnings
to $369,533.
Ripe Tomato paid $16.80, $6.20, and $3.20. Nicks paid $4.00 and $2.20 while Secret Kin
paid $2.20 to show.
Powerless Notes and Quotes:
Stakes record time, 1:09.87. Randy Meier won 2001.
Brandon Meier, “This was my first
stakes victory. She runs true to form. That’s the way she runs. She’s a
closer and she was in a field full of speed runners. She really kicked it for
me today. She never hesitated. She just kept going.
Israel Ocampo aboard Nicks:
“She was the best filly of the field. She had no excuse today she was
sitting perfect. Coming off a layoff she probably needed a race.”
Chris Emigh, 4th on beaten
favorite Cruise: "She was running, but they just went by me."
Eddie Perez, 3rd on Secret Kin: "She ran good, she tried hard."
Illini Princess
Handicap – Martini Grabs the Win
In the 32nd running of the Illini Princess Handicap, there
was no major pace threat as favored Tour D’Aura looked to lead the entire way
around. Following slow opening fractions
of :26 25 and :51 to the half, Tour D’Aura was in command while Ally’s Little
Sis pushed her along. On the turn, Labar
ranged up three wide to contend as the pair of Chris Block trainees, Apple
Martini and Lakeaway saved ground. In
the stretch, Tour D’Aura gave way to Labar, covering three-quarters in 1:15
1/5, but Apple Martini split horses and Lakeaway snuck through on the rail to
run 1-2, stopping the clock for the 1 1/16 miles in 1:47.51.
Owned by the Virginia H. Tarra Trust and ridden by Eddie
Razo, Jr., Apple Martini won by ¾ length, earning $51,187 for the $86,175
event. Apple Martini paid $9.60, $3.80,
and $3.40. Lakeaway returned $4.20 and
$2.60 while Labar returned $6.40 to show.
Illini Princess Quotes:
Chris Block, “This filly ran
really well today. She trained well up to it. Eddie was supposed to ride Giant
Oak at Keeneland today but Giant Oak wasn’t able
to run so I was glad to get Eddie back aboard this filly today. She’s had a lot
of hard luck in races without much pace. She never goes out there and not give
us 110%. I’ve never been disappointed in her.”
Eddie Razo, Jr. “Chris Block
always has his horses ready and that gives me the confidence. I’m confident no
matter how the pace sets up. The pace of this race was pretty slow but we were
in good position right behind them. She responded when I asked her.
Eddie Perez rider of 2nd place finisher Lakeaway:
“She ran good. I ran into a little traffic. The horse stopped in
front of me. I had no choice.”
Israel Ocampo rider of 4th
place finisher Tour D’Aura: “She ran huge numbers the last race but
she ran back so quick. I think that cost me the race. She was
trying today but not like the last time.”
Showtime Deb Stakes –
Thats Whatshesaid!!!
In the 14th running of the Showtime Deb Stakes
for two-year-old fillies, Shake N Quake was making her Hawthorne debut as the
even money choice. Trying not to
disappoint, Shake N Quake broke on top and scampered away to the lead, setting
very quick early fractions of :21 3/5 and :45 2/5 with the tail wind. Leading into the lane, Shake N Quake had a
challenge from jockey Ariel Smith and Thats Whatshesaid, who was making a
strong rail bid. Inside the final
sixteenth, Thats Whatshesaid angled out and wore down Shake N Quake, emerging
with a ¾ length win, in a stakes-record time of 1:11.40.
Owned by Mark Van Keirsbilck’s Hoss-Bone Racing and trained
by Jim Gulick, That’s Whatshesaid earned $51,638 for the $88,725 event. Shake N Quake held second while Speak Peace
ran on to finish third.
That’s Whatshesaid returned $9.60, $3.80, and $3.00. Shake N
Quake came back $2.60 and $2.40 while Speak Peace returned $4.00 to show.
Showtime Deb Notes and Quotes:
Stakes Record Time – 1:11.40
Jim Gulick, “Things certainly set
up well for her today and she obviously ran very well. Ariel rode a great race. To be honest, we really didn’t have a plan
with this filly going into this race. She’s a little erratic at times. She can
break in front or she can break poorly. We have to let her go out, get herself
clear, let her get herself running and take things from there. We had an
extension blinker on her today. That’s something I would like to work with and
eventually get them off of her. But, that’s what was required to get her going
straight today.”
Chris Emigh, Speak Peace, “She ran
with speed from the gate and got outrun. She ran hard and did well. I thought
it was anyone’s race.
Buck’s Boy Handicap –
He’s Bonafide Pulls off the Upset
The 13th running of the Buck’s Boy Handicap
marked the final race in the illustrious career of Fort Prado. The 18 time winner was the second choice in
the Buck’s Boy behind Stonehouse in a race that appeared to be a two-horse
affair.
The battle was not to be as Hugh Robertson’s He’s Bonafide
received a perfect trip under jockey Eddie Perez, running on to a 5 ½ length
score.
The opening fractions were set by All in Slew, covering the
opening quarter in :24 4/5 and half in :48 2/5.
Into the turn, He’s Bonafide took over as Stonehouse ranged up to
contend. In the lane, He’s Bonafide drew
clear, stopping the clock for the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.57. Stonehouse held second while Racing Bran
closed to finish third. Fort Prado
was placed mid-pack throughout the race but never found clear sailing, tiring
to finish seventh in the eight horse field.
He’s Bonafide returned $26.60, $7.80, and $4.20. Stonehouse came back $2.60 and $2.20 while
Racing Bran returned $3.60 to show.
He’s Bonafide earned $66,770 for owner trainer Hugh
Robertson in the $103,950 Buck’s Boy.
Buck’s Boy Notes and Quotes:
Trainer Hugh Robertson won the 1995 running of this event
with Polar Expedition.
Perry Compton, Stonehouse “I got
stuck behind the speed and I couldn’t get out when I needed to.”
Chris Emigh, Racing Bran, “My
horse ran a good race. We had no excuses. We just got outrun. Think they were
glad to get third.”
Eddie Perez, He’s Bonafide “I
didn’t expect a lot. I rode him as a maiden before. Got him out a little from
the gate. Got him in good position. The rest is history.
Sun Power Stakes – A
“Star” is Born
The 14th running of the Sun Power Stakes for
two-year-old colts and geldings looked to be a proving ground for this field as
the entire 10 horse field came into the race with only maiden scores.
Sent off as the favorite was the Dale Romans trained My Time
to Star at odds of 2-1. Breaking from
the gate, it was Royal Express who was quick to the lead, passing the quarter
in :21 2/5 and the half in :45. At the
top of the stretch, Devient Behavior had ranged up next to him to contend while
My Time to Star was saving ground.
Slipping through and accelerating, My Time to Star took off and quickly
opened up, winning by 7 lengths under jockey Israel Ocampo in a final time of
1:10.65.
My Time to Star earned $57,941 in the $91,125 event for
owner Heiligbrodt Racing Stable.
My Time to Star returned $6.40, $3.80, and $3.00. Royal Express came back $5.20 and $3.00 while
Devient Behavior came back $3.40 to show.
Sun Power Quotes:
Israel Ocampo, “There were a lot
of speed horses in the race. I wanted to sit a bit off the pace and try to come
on late. I had a perfect trip. When things opened up, she took off. I’m very
happy with the way she ran.
Perry Compton rider of 2nd
place finisher Royal Express: “My horse ran good, its asking an awful lot
of him to come back in a week but he handled it well.”
Timothy Thornton rider of 3rd
place finisher Devient Behavior: “My horse ran hard, I think he ran his
race. There were some good horses in that race. I think my horse is
eventually going to stretch out and run long. He just didn’t have the
turn of foot the other horses had today.”
Lightning Jet
Handicap – A Mighty Repeat
The final of the Illinois Festival Stakes was the Lightning
Jet Handicap as a field of nine lined up to battle. With scratches of Last Wompus and Fort Prado,
Shrewd Operator was sent off as the choice as he looks to be a part of the
early pace. When the gates sprung,
Shrewd Operator missed the break, opening the door for others to contend.
Down the backstretch, longshot Tripper’s Cart set the early
fractions while Mighty Rule stalked the pace.
After a quick quarter of :21 3/5 and half in :44 4/5, Mighty Rule took
over turning for home under jockey Jose Ferrer and held off the late charges of
High Expectations and Last Gran Standing.
Winning by 1 ¼ lengths, Mighty Rule covered the three quarters in
1:10.03, posting a repeat of his 2007 win in the Lightning Jet.
Owned by Scarlet Stable and trained by Roger Brueggemann,
Mighty Rule earned $52,574 for the win in the $91,275 event.
Mighty Rule returned $16.60, $9.00, and $5.60. High Expectations came back $12.60 and $5.80
while Last Gran Standing returned $12.20 to show.
Lightning Jet Notes and Quotes:
Mighty Rule won this race in 2007
Jose Ferrer, “Shrewd Operator got
left. The other horse outside of me and one of the horses inside of me had
speed so I just tried to get good position. I laid off the pace and just waited
for an opening. I thought there would be even more speed. Instead I was able to
save my horse a little bit. It helped when Shrewd Operator got left. It opened
the doors for my horse. It worked out good for us.
Inez
Karlsson, 4th on Big Rushlet: "He's a hard-knocking horse, he tries. We
were in a little bit of traffic, I thought I was third."
Israel Ocampo, 3rd on Last Gran Standing: "My horse ran a huge race. The
speed didn't stop in this race, it just kept going and going. He ran good, we
had good position. There are no excuses."
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