Rezif spoils Cloudy's comeback in Kentucky Cup Turf

One year ago, the veteran Cloudy's Knight (Lord Avie) made an improbably

victorious return in the

Kentucky Cup Turf S. (G3), but in Saturday's renewal of the $150,000 event

at Kentucky Downs, there was no fairy tale comeback from injury for the

10-year-old gelding. Instead, Donald Sexton, trainer Matthew Jacobson and Thomas

Baughman's REZIF (Distant View), who had finished second to Cloudy's Knight last

year, turned the tables in resounding fashion. Teaming up with new rider Greta

Kuntzweiler, the 18-1 shot surged past 4-5 favorite Cloudy's Knight in the

stretch and drew off by 6 1/4 lengths to earn his first stakes victory, and snap

a 10-race losing streak.

The opening stages featured a fluid pace scenario. Celtic New Year (North

Light [Ire]) led in the early going, yielded to Imponente Purse (Brz) (Public

Purse) for a time, but regained the advantage while vying with Coolcullen Times

(Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar [Ire]). Cloudy's Knight, who had been racing in

seventh, made an early bid at the mile mark, and put his head in front turning

for home.

Free Fighter (Out of Place) slipped through along the inside to challenge

Cloudy's Knight, but the more dangerous opponent proved to be Rezif, who burst

from midpack on the outside. Rapidly gathering momentum, Rezif roared to the

front and went on to complete 1 1/2 miles in 2:44 3/5 on the good, undulating

turf. The winner, better known for competing in starter company, rewarded his

backers with $38.80, $8.20 and $4.80.

Cloudy's Knight finished a respectable second, five lengths clear of Free

Fighter, and yielded $3.20 and $2.60. Free Fighter, the nearly 7-2 second

choice, paid $3.40. The exotics totaled $112.40 (exacta), $477.80 (trifecta) and

$6,103 (4-1-2-6 superfecta) with the 23-1 Celtic New Year in fourth. Next came

Imponente Purse, Guadalcanal (Graeme Hall), Coolcullen Times, Class Bopper (Bop)

and Negro Da Gaita (Brz) (Know Heights [Ire]).

Rezif doubled his earnings to $176,484 from his 17-5-2-2 line. Unplaced in

his only start for Michael Stidham in the fall of 2007, he resurfaced with Caryn

Vecchio nearly 18 months later, breaking his maiden for a $5,000 tag at

Mountaineer last spring. Rezif later won three in a row on the Mountaineer turf,

and aside from his runner-up effort in the Kentucky Cup Turf, he was also a

creditable fifth in the 2009 Sycamore S. (G3) at Keeneland.

Jacobson took over the training of Rezif this campaign, and the bay gelding's

best results were a trio of placings in starter company. The five-year-old was

coming off a distant fifth in an August 7 optional claimer at Ellis Park.

Bred by Don Edward Fizer in Kentucky, Rezif is the first registered foal from

the winning Dynaformer mare Formal Affair, whose latest is a yearling filly

named Formal Gulch (Gulch). This is the family of Grade 1-winning millionaire

The Cliff's Edge (Gulch), Grade 1 heroine and graded stakes producer Comedy Act

(Shecky Greene), and Grade 2 victress Tizaqueena (Tiznow), who captured the

Arlington Matron S. (G3) earlier this season and was most recently fourth in the

Matchmaker S. (G3) at Monmouth.