Bishop’s Bay rose simply in need of a gutsy neck victory over the decided Micah within the $500,000 Grade 2 Cigar Mile Handicap at Aqueduct on Dec. 6.
The win was Bishop’s Bay’s first win at G2 degree and saved alive the proprietor’s eager hopes of racing within the $20 million Saudi Cup on February 14th.
“The purpose is to go to the Center East and this can assist the trigger,” coach Brad Cox stated. “We do not know the way rapidly we’ll hear if he will run, however we will nominate him and attempt to run.”
With Cigar Mile downgraded in 2023, Bishop’s Bay might not be blessed with a Group 1 win, however Bishop’s Bay hasn’t achieved a lot incorrect with 9 wins and three seconds in his 13-race profession. Additionally a a number of Grade 3 winner, he has at present earned $977,800 in his profession.
“He is a really aggressive horse. He is a really constant horse who desires to win. I am happy with his effort,” Cox stated. “I used to be nervous that the lead horse (Mika) may need run away within the straight, however I wanted to land nicely within the straight and Flavien Prat rode me on the proper time and I bought there.”
Cox stated if Uncle Mo’s Son receives an invite to compete within the One Flip, 1 1/8-mile Saudi Cup, he may doubtlessly run in a preparatory race at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Bishop’s Bay ($4.40) entered the Cigar Mile after successful the Grade 3 49er S at Aqueduct over the identical mile distance.
Micah broke away from the beginning and after half a mile had a six-length lead over Bishop’s Bay by three lengths, taking the lead in 45.72 seconds. He maintained a 2 1/2-length lead from the quarter pole to 6 furlongs in 1:09.63, and maintained the identical margin on the eighth pole.
Pratt was capable of kick Bishop’s Bay into high gear and the margin started to slender within the closing levels. Bishop’s Bay made the a lot of the mile, taking the lead within the closing stride and finishing the mile in 1:34.62.
“He is a really aggressive horse. He is very sincere and at all times real. He is a enjoyable horse to be round as a result of he has a fantastic thoughts and needs to win each time,” coach Pratt stated.
Working in a graded stakes for the primary time, Mika got here in second with a 4 1/4 size lead over third-place finisher Loopy Mason, after which bounced again from a 12 1/2 size result in take third.
“He had a fantastic run,” coach Mike Maker stated of Micah. “As a 3-year-old horse, he can (run) in opposition to older horses, so I’ve no complaints.”
Paladin took a giant step towards his dream of successful the Kentucky Derby by defeating Renegade and Balboa within the G2 Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct on Dec. 6 to win $250,000. He gained his first two-turn race at 1 1/8 miles over coach Chad Brown by two lengths, enhancing his file to 2-2 and establishing himself as a contender for subsequent 12 months’s Triple Crown Sequence.
Paladin gained the primary turn-mile race on October 17 at Aqueduct, shifting from second to first after Renegade was disqualified for interfering with a bit. This time, the Paladin required no motion from the steward.
Effectively-positioned by jockey Flavien Prat, Paladin took third place with opening splits of 23.32 and 47.42 seconds on the backstretch from the within of the primary nook. After the lead group lined six furlongs in 1 minute 12.53 seconds, Pratt missed an angle and Paladin pulled away from the remainder. He chased down Renegade and Balboa and prolonged his result in the wire, ending two lengths first in 1:50.97. Paladin paid $5.76 and gained as the favourite.
“All the pieces went nicely. I used to be a bit of nervous that I used to be going to lose tempo, however I used to be capable of sit out off tempo,” Pratt stated. “After I gave him the data, he responded in the appropriate method.”
Second place Renegade completed third, one and a half lengths behind Balboa, who was step by step getting drained. The well-bred Coating had a difficult journey to the surface and completed in a snug fourth place, three and a half lengths behind Balboa. Gritness was fifth.
Remsen’s high 5 horses earned qualifying factors on a 10-5-3-2-1 foundation en path to the 2026 Kentucky Derby offered by Woodford Reserve. Churchill Downs officers, who maintain the Derby on the primary Saturday in Could as normal, use qualifying factors as a precedence system within the occasion the Derby attracts greater than its 20-horse capability.
Six Remsen members have had success within the Rose race, however none since 1994-1995, when Thunder Gulch gained each races.
Platt gained the Remsen Trophy for the second 12 months in a row after his success aboard the Eoin Harty-trained Godolphin Poster in 2024.
“It is that point of 12 months once you begin dreaming,” Pratt says. “We nonetheless have an extended technique to go. Now we have a whole lot of checks to reply, nevertheless it was a superb race right this moment.” — Byron King
Lepore Steady’s Zanny gained the $250,000 Dumoiselle Stakes for 2-year-old fillies held at Aqueduct on December sixth. It marked Corridor of Fame coach Todd Pletcher’s tenth win within the race, which is taken into account a prelude to the 2026 Longines Kentucky Oaks.
Zanny, a daughter of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, was the third to fifth favourite in Dumoiselle. She pulled away from the six-horse discipline and simply gained by 8 1/2 lengths. Zanny earned 10 qualifying factors heading into the Kentucky Oaks.
Demoiselle was solely Zanny’s second begin, ending his debut at Gulfstream Park on Nov. 2 in a six-and-a-half furlong maiden particular weight dash with a six-and-a-half size lead. Proprietor Mike Lepore instantly pointed Pletcher’s ear to the mile-eighth Dumoiselle.
“Mike was like, ‘I’ve to go to Dumoiselle,'” Pletcher stated. “I did not have many choices to run till Gulfstream on January 1st, and I did not wish to sit on her that lengthy.”
Schilling set the tempo on Dumoiselle, posting occasions of 24.05 and 48.16 seconds, with Zanny and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. a few size behind him. Zanny ($3.50) began the flip residence first and elevated his margin within the stretch, passing the 1 1/8 mile in 1:50.55. Leaping the Gun took second place. On the identical time, I used to be in third place. Schilling took fourth place.
“She did it the appropriate method each step of the way in which,” Ortiz stated. “The best way she did it right this moment was spectacular.”
Pletcher stated Zaney will return to Florida, nevertheless it’s too early to search for one other begin. — Bob Ehardt
