The Steve Asmussen-trained THISKYHASNOLIMIT (Sky Mesa), who has
failed to threaten Breeders’ Cup-bound D’ Funnybone (D’wildcat) in a
pair of Grade 2 races in New York, relished the added ground and change
of venue in Sunday’s $120,800
Iroquois S. (G3) on opening day at Churchill Downs. Owned by Cathy
and Bob Zollars and Mark Wagner, the 13-1 shot rallied to victory over a
stubborn Uh Oh Bango (Top Hit) in the one-mile test, one of a pair of
graded events on the “Stars of Tomorrow I” program dedicated to
promising juveniles.
Thiskyhasnolimit broke alertly with regular rider Shaun Bridgmohan
Turning for home, Three Day Rush launched his bid and seized the lead from a
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Thiskyhasnolimit appeared to be traveling the better of the two, and although
Uh Oh Bango kept plugging on gamely on the inside, the winner inched away to
prevail by a driving length. After stopping the teletimer in 1:37 1/5 on the
fast track, Thiskyhasnolimit rewarded his supporters with generous mutuels of $28.20, $13
and $6.60.
“We had a great trip,” Bridgmohan said. “He broke well, and we got to settle
into a great position on the backside. I was just very patient and waited for a
hole to open up, and turning for home it did. He gave me the acceleration that I
needed to get home. He is a pretty nice horse. He was a very professional
racehorse today.”
Uh Oh Bango was himself three lengths clear of Soaring Empire, returning
$8.60 and $6.20 as the 7-1 third choice in the 10-horse field.
“He ran huge!” said Glenn Corbett, who rode Uh Oh Bango. “I’m very, very
happy with his performance. He was a little bit fresh at the first part of it,
but we kind of figured that since he was coming off sprint races. It looks like
he can run with these kind, that’s for sure. The one-turn mile is pretty
demanding, and he might have got just a hair short on us, but there’s no
embarrassment, that’s for sure.”
Soaring Empire, the 6-1 second choice, stayed on for third by 2 1/4 lengths
and yielded $5. The exotics totaled $282.60 (exacta), $2,955 (trifecta) and
$18,590.80 (10-7-8-11 superfecta) with the nearly 14-1 Gleam of Hope (City Zip)
closing for fourth. Three Day Rush retreated to fifth. Next came Call Shot
(Tale of the Cat); Dublin, who never threatened from off the pace; Brassy Boy
(Storm and a Half); Oh Charlie Boy; and Raging Wit. Comedero (Posse) and Fist of
Rage (Consolidator) were scratched.
“He never got into the race like he normally does,” Hall of Fame trainer D.
Wayne Lukas said of Dublin. “He usually just pulls himself into the race, but he
didn’t today. I just don’t know. He’s been training wonderful. We’ll just step
back and analyze him and see.”
Thiskyhasnolimit more than doubled his bankroll to $136,236 from his 5-2-1-1
line. The dark bay made his career debut beneath the Twin Spires in June in what
turned out to be a key maiden race, finishing second to subsequent Bashford
Manor S. (G3) and Sanford S. (G2) winner Backtalk (Smarty Jones).
Thiskyhasnolimit broke his maiden by an impressive seven lengths next time out
at Churchill. That earned him a tilt at the Saratoga Special S. (G2), where he
unfortunately broke a step slow, rushed up to chase the pace, gave way, and
faded to last of eight behind D’ Funnybone. Thiskyhasnolimit did relatively
better to finish third in the Futurity S. (G2) at Belmont, 12 3/4 lengths adrift
of D’ Funnybone.
“He trained extremely well here (at Churchill) coming into this race and he
put forth the kind of race we were expecting,” Asmussen said. “Obviously, we
were extremely disappointed with his previous two starts because we always had
high hopes for him. He looks to appreciate the added distance. His next target
will be the Kentucky Jockey Club (S. [G2] at 1 1/16 miles) on closing day
(November 28).”
Thiskyhasnolimit is the second registered foal from the Deputy Minister mare
Lovely Regina, who is herself a half-sister to champion three-year-old male and
$3 million earner Bernardini (A.P. Indy). In 2006, his only season to race,
Bernardini won the Preakness S. (G1), Travers S. (G1), Jockey Club Gold Cup S.
(G1), Jim Dandy S. (G2) and Withers S. (G3), and concluded his career with a
second-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Churchill.
Thiskyhasnolimit’s second dam is Broodmare of the Year and Grade 1 star Cara
Rafaela (Quiet American). In addition to capturing the Hollywood Starlet S. (G1)
and Alcibiades S. (G2), Cara Rafaela placed in eight stakes, including runner-up
efforts in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), Ashland S. (G1), Santa Anita
Oaks (G1), Matron S. (G1) and Las Virgenes S. (G1), and third-place finishes in
the Kentucky Oaks (G1) and Mother Goose S. (G1).
Bred by Stud TNT in Kentucky, Thiskyhasnolimit was listed as sold for
$120,000 to his breeder at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Lovely Regina,
who is also a half-sister to the Grade 1-placed Ile de France (Storm Cat), has
since produced an unnamed yearling colt by A.P. Indy and a weanling filly by
Street Cry (Ire).