Hopeful S. (G1) hero DUBLIN (Afleet Alex) is the marquee attraction in the
The D. Wayne Lukas-trained Dublin finished fourth on his debut at Churchill
In the Hopeful, the chestnut juvenile overcame a stumble at the start, and a
Dublin also emulated his freshman sire, Afleet Alex, winner of the 2004
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Lukas has made no secret of his high regard for Dublin, comparing him to
Grand Canyon, who won the 1989 Hollywood Futurity (G1) in 1:33, the fastest mile
time ever posted by a two-year-old.
“He’s the only other horse that comes to mind that was as sensational,” the
Hall of Fame trainer said.
Retired Hall of Fame jockey Angel Cordero Jr., who rode Grand Canyon at
Hollywood that day, weighed in on the issue.
“(Grand Canyon) was probably the best two-year-old I’ve ever had,” Cordero
said. “Him and Saratoga Six. Wayne always has the eye for those horses. If he
says he’s as good as Grand Canyon, I’ve got to believe him.”
Dublin is a massive physical specimen, standing 16.3 hands tall and weighing
more than 1,250 pounds.
“Allen Jerkens and I were looking at him the other day, and we said if you
told people he was a four-year-old, no one would doubt it,” Lukas said. “We
stood him in the gate with two other two-year-olds and his rump was this much
higher than theirs,” he said, holding his hands wide apart.
“He’s gotten more focused (since the Hopeful). He’s stronger and tighter than
he was. He’s got a really good mind. He handles everything in stride. I can’t
get over how well he rests. Every morning at 10 a.m., he lies down and snores.
“This is what all of us are in the profession for — to have a nice
two-year-old,” he said. “This is what makes you enjoy the sport so much, the
speculation that you may have ‘the one.'”
Ramon Dominguez picks up the mount aboard Dublin, who will break from post 5
in a six-horse field.
ASPIRE (Tale of the Cat), a late-running second in the Hopeful, will hope
that the added ground in the one-mile Champagne will further his cause. Javier
Castellano will guide the Eddie Kenneally pupil for the first time.
DISCREETLY MINE (Mineshaft), runner-up to the impressive D’ Funnybone (D’wildcat) in the Futurity S. (G2), will offer a good yardstick for the form. A
smashing Saratoga maiden winner two back over SUPER SAVER (Maria’s Mon), the
Stanley Hough trainee had a rough trip in the Futurity, hitting the gate and
having to steady at the half-mile pole, yet still managed to finish a clear
second by eight lengths.
While D’ Funnybone sits this one out, his trainer Rick Dutrow will be
represented in the Champagne by HOMEBOYKRIS (Roman Ruler). Privately purchased
after a sharp maiden score at Calder, the bay gelding will be making his first
start for his new barn here.
Rounding out the field are Super Saver, a front-running, seven-length maiden
winner for Todd Pletcher last out, and Hopeful seventh OVERLAP (Chapel Royal).
Discreetly Mine could be part of a big day for his connections, both human
and equine. One race prior to the Champagne, his maternal relative Awesome Maria
looms as a prime contender in the Frizette. Like Discreetly Mine, Awesome Maria
is an E. Paul Robsham Stables homebred. The gray was a near-miss second in her
career debut going 5 1/2 furlongs, but has won her past two at seven furlongs,
and the one-mile trip should suit her well.
After an 8 1/4-length maiden romp, Awesome Maria stalked the pace through
quick fractions in the Matron and kicked clear in the stretch, defeating
TOUCHING BEAUTY (Tapit) and WORSHIP THE MOON (Malibu Moon) by 2 3/4 lengths.
Cornelio Velasquez, who has ridden Awesome Maria in all of her starts, will be
back aboard as she breaks from post 4.
Touching Beauty and Worship the Moon both experienced trouble in the Matron,
and both are eligible to improve with better trips on Saturday.
FRANNY FREUD (Freud) is the only other stakes winner in the seven-filly
field. The John Terranova trainee, who broke her maiden at first asking at
Belmont, is coming off scores in the Ontario Debutante S. at Woodbine and the
restricted Lady Finger S. at Finger Lakes.
Intriguing stakes debutantes are DEVIL MAY CARE (Malibu Moon), ANNIE’S MELODY
(Forestry) and NONNA MIA (Empire Maker), all good-looking maiden winners last
time out.
Before the juveniles take the spotlight, three-year-old turf specialists will
square off over nine furlongs in the Jamaica. TAKE THE POINTS (Even the Score)
already has a top-level victory to his credit, having prevailed after a
stretch-long duel in the 1 1/4-mile Secretariat S. (G1) in his latest, but the
Pletcher colt will be cutting back in distance in this spot.
In contrast, the up-and-coming COURAGEOUS CAT (Storm Cat) posted his biggest
career victory at this trip, driving to a convincing success in the National
Museum of Racing Hall of Fame S. (G2) in stakes-record time at Saratoga. In the
process, he extended his winning skein to three in a row. Courageous Cat will
try to give trainer Bill Mott his second straight Jamaica trophy, following
Court Vision’s (Gulch) coup last year, when it was a Grade 2 prize.
STRAIGHT STORY (Giant’s Causeway), who just missed in the Virginia Derby (G2)
and Colonial Turf Cup (G2), defeated Take the Points in both of those events at
Colonial Downs. The Alan Goldberg pupil disappointed next time out in the Hall
of Fame, checking in an uncharacteristic eighth behind Courageous Cat, but
regrouped to finish a solid second to older New York-bred kingpin Banrock (Go
for Gin) in the Ashley T. Cole S.
Also worth a look are BOOTS AHEAD (Storm Boot), who steps up in class after a
6 1/4-length triumph in the Restoration S. at Monmouth, and the well-bred GRASSY
(El Prado [Ire]), who brings a two-race winning streak into his stakes bow for
the ever-dangerous Christophe Clement.