Page 5 - Fall Meet News Today

Prat put on a riding clinic on Del Mar’s closing weekend with three graded stakes wins and a six-win day on Sunday which vaulted him to the riding title.

Put to a drive on the backstretch by jockey Luis Saez, odds-on favorite Julia Shining didn’t make it look easy but got the job done nonetheless in the $250,000 Demoiselle (G2) on Saturday at Aqueduct Racetrack, narrowly defeating the maiden Affirmative Lady in the nine-furlong race for 2-year-old fillies.

Jockey Luis Saez made his presence felt Saturday at Churchill Downs as the 30-year-old vaulted to the top of the Fall Meet jockey standings with six victories on the 12-race card.

Calumet Farm’s impressive 5 ¼-length allowance winner Running Bee leads a field of 11 3-year-olds that were entered in Sunday’s 17th running of the $300,000 Commonwealth Turf (G3) on closing day at Churchill Downs.

Keeneland concluded its premier November Breeding Stock Sale on Wednesday with bullish results that reflected positive market trends.

Winner has now accumulated 40 qualifying points toward next year’s Kentucky Derby.

Most trainers are poor handicappers, and I’m one of them, but when you train as long as I have you have to say, ‘OK, my horse is as good as I think I can make her and I wouldn’t change anything Saturday.’

After bumping with a rival into the first turn, Two Phil’s tracked a contested early pace down the backstretch and then rolled home to a 5 ¼-length win over Hayes Strike in Sunday’s $199,800 Street Sense (G3) – the featured event on opening day of Churchill Downs’ 133rd Fall Meet and 18th annual Stars of Tomorrow I program for juveniles.

Gold Standard Racing Stable LLC’s Hoosier Philly tracked the early leaders from third down the backstretch before swing three-wide on the final turn, sweeping to the front, and drawing away to a 7 1/2-length win over T Max in the $200,000 Rags to Riches for fillies Sunday, opening day of Churchill Downs’ 133rd Fall Meet and co-feature on the 18th Stars of Tomorrow I program 2-year-olds.

Keeneland concluded its 2022 Fall Meet on Saturday with a season record all-sources handle of $208.9 million, which was boosted by record purses, full race fields, and championship-caliber competition provided by the nation’s best horses and riders.