FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Michael Adolphson
(847) 385-7558
Barn Notes: Thursday, July 3, 2014
In Today's Notes:
- Stephanie's Kitten Pointing to Beverly D.
- General Jack Takes Aim on Secretariat
- I'm Already Sexy Leaning toward Modesty
- Maker to Try for Back-to-Back Stars and Stripes with Moro Tap
STEPHANIE'S KITTEN POINTING TO BEVERLY D.
Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey's Breeders' Cup champion Stephanie's Kitten, who broke her maiden at Arlington International Racecourse in 2011, is taking aim on the centerpiece for fillies and mares at the Chicagoland track, according to her connections.
"She's doing very well right now," reported Mark Partridge, manager for the Ramsey stable. "She'll go to the (Grade I) Diana (Stakes on July 19) at Saratoga first, then we'll point to the (Grade I $750,000) Beverly D. (on Aug. 16) if all goes well."
Last year, while conditioned by Wayne Catalano, Stephanie's Kitten was injured when preparing for a possible run in the Beverly D. After receiving a few months to heal and refresh, the daughter of 2013 champion sire Kitten's Joy was turned over to trainer Chad Brown. Since joining the Brown stable, the 5-year-old mare has made two starts – failing to hit the board each time.
"She's had a hard time getting her head back in the game. Sometimes fillies are like that," Partridge explained. "She had a tough trip in the (Grade I) Jenny Wiley (Stakes at Keeneland on April 12) and then was actually the best horse in the field in the (Grade I Just a Game Stakes on June 7). She was 15 lengths off the lead and then she came absolutely flying." In the Jenny Wiley, the earner of over $1.6 million was eighth beaten 3¼ lengths, while in the Just a Game she was fifth beaten 2¼ lengths.
"We'll switch jockeys in the Diana and see if that helps. She's a very talented mare," Partridge concluded. Stephanie's Kitten has been ridden the majority of her 15-race career – including her victory in the 2011 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf – by John Velazquez.
GENERAL JACK TAKES AIM ON SECRETARIAT
Wednesday's Listed $200,000 Centaur Stakes at Indiana Grand turned into a procession for a talented and improving sophomore colt from the Mike Maker barn, General Jack. Owned by Maker and F. Thomas Conway, the well bred chestnut bested nine others in the one-mile turf stakes by an expanding three lengths and now will be pointed toward the Grade I $500,000 Secretariat Stakes at Arlington International Racecourse.
"We're going to point to the Secretariat with him," Maker confirmed. "He just keeps improving off each race. I was pretty confident going into (the Centaur) off his last performance. Everything just fell into place for him." Last year, Maker annexed the Secretariat with Admiral Kitten for Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey.
General Jack is a son of Giant's Causeway out of stakes winner J'ray, a daughter of European champion 3-year-old Distant View who won a stakes race every season of her career, including five graded events. After winning the Shakopee Juvenile Stakes at Canterbury Park as a juvenile in his second start, the muscular colt ran two ghastly races over the synthetic surfaces of Keeneland in the Grade I Breeders' Futurity (to close his juvenile season) and that of Turfway Park in the Listed John Battaglia Memorial (to commence his sophomore year). Since, Maker has kept General Jack on the grass, including a fourth in an allowance at Keeneland in April and a fifth in the Grade II American Turf Stakes on Kentucky Derby Day.
"You can throw out his Polytrack races – he doesn't like it at all," Maker explained. "He also had trouble leaving the gate at Keeneland. On Derby Day, he ran a good race, but was blocked pretty good when it mattered."
Given five weeks to recover, General Jack took a turf allowance at Churchill Downs at a mile on June 6 in exciting fashion – running away with ease by 4½ lengths over nine rivals. The race set him up perfectly for his Indiana win and indicated to the rest of the sophomore turf division that he is incontestably talented and on the improve.
I'M ALREADY SEXY LEANING TOWARD MODESTY
Grade III Pucker Up Stakes and Hatoof Stakes winner of 2013 I'm Already Sexy is seriously considering a return to the site of her best performances in the Grade III Modesty Handicap, according to trainer Wayne Catalano.
"She's doing really good right now. I'm on my way down to Churchill right now to see her," Catalano reported. "We are going to take a good look at the Modesty and see how it comes up."
Since her aforementioned stakes wins at Arlington International Racecourse, the daughter of Ready's Image threw in three sub-par performances. The first was a sixth in the Grade I Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Keeneland, followed by a ninth in the Grade II Mrs. Revere Stakes at Churchill Downs and a sixth in the Grade II Distaff Turf Mile at that same course. Last out, though, the small dark bay filly returned to form at Churchill in her second start of the season when finishing a charging second in the Grade III Mint Julep Handicap.
Though she has won at 1 1/8 miles when taking the Pucker Up in September, the Hit the Board Stable-owned filly has yet to race beyond that distance. "I don't think the (1 3/16-miles) distance will bother her," Catalano said. "She was still coming at the end last time, so I guess we will see. Our goal is to find good races for her (this season)."
MAKER TO TRY FOR BACK-TO-BACK STARS AND STRIPES WITH MORO TAP
Moro Tap, an improving son of Tapit, is to be aimed toward the Grade III $150,000 Stars and Stripes on Million Preview Day, according to trainer Mike Maker. Owned by the partnership of Shychai Racing, Sand Dollar Stable, T. Raymond and J. Wagner, Moro Tap exits a third in the Grade III Louisville Handicap behind possible Stars and Stripes rivals War Dancer and Suntracer. Previous to that he was a respectable seventh – beaten only 4½ lengths – in the Grade I Turf Classic behind Wise Dan.
"We'll run him in the Stars and Stripes," Maker confirmed. "He ran a really good race in the Louisville Handicap and hopefully he'll continue to improve."
Moro Tap has made one previous trip to Arlington, finishing sixth – beaten less than three lengths – in last year's Grade III American Derby. That same day, Maker won the Stars and Stripes with Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey's Dark Cove. "I wouldn't say Moro Tap is as good as Dark Cove right now, but he's definitely heading in the right direction," Maker concluded.
-END-
David Zenner│Senior Manager of Communications
Arlington International Racecourse
2200 W. Euclid Ave. Arlington Heights IL 60006-0007
P 847.385.7535│C: 847.371.1670 | F: 847.870.6727│E: David.Zenner@arlingtonpark.com
Twitter: @dave_zenner, @arlingtonracing
________________________________
This Churchill Downs Incorporated communication (including any attachments) is intended for the use of the intended recipient(s) only and may contain information that is confidential, privileged or legally protected. Any unauthorized use or dissemination of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please immediately notify the sender by return e-mail message and delete all copies of the original communication. Thank you for your cooperation.
