Washington Racing News

Rings a Chime’s Daughter Breaks Maiden in Grade 1 Stakes
    Stonerside Stables’ homebred Country Star, a two-year-old filly from the first crop of classic winner Empire Maker, won her second start, the $500,000 Darley Alcibiades Stakes (G1) on Keeneland’s opening day card, October 5, by one length. Country Star is the third foal out of 2000 Washington horse of the year Rings a Chime, who scored the biggest win of her career when she won the Ashland Stakes (G1) at the same Kentucky track. A two-time Washington champion, Rings a Chime was bred by Terry and Mary Lou Griffin and the daughter of Metfield—Outofthebluebell, by Red Ryder, earned $606,315. Rings a Chime, who had been purchased for $800,000 in 2002 by Stonerside, produced a colt by Storm Cat this past spring and was bred back to Giant’s Causeway.
    After closing well to be second in a 1 1/16 mile maiden special weight turf race at Belmont Park in late September, Country Star, who is trained by Robert Frankel, raced mid-pack in the Alcibiades under the guidance of Rafael Bejarano before making her move by going “seven or eight wide leaving the second turn to make a sweeping run.” Her final time was 1:45.85. A to the Croft, by Menifee, finished second and Grace Anatomy, by Alderbaran, ran third.
    The second winner and stakes winner for Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Empire Maker, Country Star has earned $320,600. Frankel later announced that Country Star will not be going to the 2007 Breeders’ Cup.

Artiste Royal (Ire) Wins Grade 1 for Heerenspergers
    David and Jill Heerensperger’s Artiste Royal (Ire) won the $250,000 Clement L. Hirsch Memorial Turf Championship Stakes (G1) over 2006 Hirsch winner and heavy favorite The Tin Man by a length on October 6 at the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita.
    A six-year-old ridgeling sired by Danehill out of Agatha, by Manila, Artiste Royal had finished third to The Tin Man in last season’s renewal of the 10 furlong grass race. His record stands at 5-6-4 from 20 starts and the Irish-bred runner has earned $471,257.
    Artiste Royal will now be pointed to the Japan Cup (G1).

Hystericalady Narrowly Misses in Lady’s Secret Stakes (G1)
    Dr. George Todaro, Rancho San Miguel and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer’s top filly Hystericalady was nipped by a nose at the wire by Tough Tiz’s Sis in the $250,000 Lady’s Secret Stakes (G1) at Oak Tree on October 7. The four-year-old daughter of Distorted Humor earned $50,000 for Todaro and partners.

New Juvenile Winners for Washington Sires
    Woodstead Farm’s He’s Tops sired his 10th juvenile winner of the year when Alyak’s Superstar won a maiden claiming race at Portland Meadows on October 8. Bred by Scott Hughes in Washington, the gelding out of Daylight Memory, by Jazzing Around, is trained by Steve Fisher and races for Prospective M Stables.
    El Dorado Farms’ Matty G had his seventh two-year-old winner of the year when Zig Zag Zeb won a six furlong test at Philadelphia Park by 4 1/2 lengths on October 9. The Kentucky-bred is out of the Storm Bird mare Stormin’ Nana.

Smarty Deb and Margo’s Gift Arrive at Monmouth Park
    Trainer Doris Harwood became the first Breeders' Cup arrival late Thursday when she shipped two-year-olds Smarty Deb and Margo’s Gift in from Emerald Downs.
    Northwest Farms' Smarty Deb, a Smart Strike filly who is unbeaten in four starts and beat colts in the Gottstein Futurity last out at Emerald Downs, is a candidate for the $2 million Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) to be run on Saturday, Oct. 27. Elttaes Stable's Margo's Gift, a Polish Gift gelding who won three stakes at Emerald Downs, is being pointed for the $250,000 Favorite Trick Stakes to be run on Friday, October 26.
    “I think it's important for the horses to condition on the same surface they're going to run on,” Harwood said of her decision to arrive at Monmouth three weeks before the Breeders' Cup. “It's my best shot to train here as many days as I can.”
    The filly does not have any graded stakes points to help her gain a berth in the Juvenile Fillies, but Harwood is thinking positively.
    “She's unbeaten, and that should help her get in,” said the trainer. “I'm thinking positively and I'm not making any plans for an alternative race.”

Rockinstomper Wins Portland Inaugural Handicap
    The 2007/2008 Portland Meadows’ race season opened on October 7. The feature race on the opening Sunday card was the $20,000 Inaugural Handicap at six furlongs. James Hambleton’s homebred Rockinstompin emerged the winner from the field of seven runners, scoring a neck win over David T. Green’s race favorite Gold Lad (Gold Fever—Irish Mandy). E. and T. Georgepoulos and Darrin Pezer’s Lethal Grande finished another head back in third place. Multiple Oregon champion Lethal Grande, an eight-year-old son of Corslew—La Bardot, continues to lead all Oregon-bred runners with $404,948.
    It was his first outing at Portland Meadows and was the first stakes appearance and marked the initial win for Rockinstomper, who finished the race in 1:11.10. The Washington-bred is a three-year-old son of Emerald Downs champion Ito the Hammer and out of Brave Testamony, by Deputy Testamony, who is trained by Ronald Wilson. It was his second win in seven starts and upped his money total to $44,751.