By Esther Marr,
Gamay Noir, who snapped a five-race losing streak when she captured the Rampart Stakes (gr. III), tops a field of eight fillies and mares that will go postward in the $150,000 Sixty Sails Handicap (gr. III) April 19 at Hawthorne Race Course.
The 1 1/8-mile contest, named after Illinois multiple graded stakes-winning filly Sixty Sails, is the eighth race on the card and is slated for 5:10 p.m. CDT. It precedes the $500,000 Illinois Derby (gr. III).
Gamay Noir was bumped at the start of the 1 1/8-mile Rampart March 29 at Gulfstream Park, but recovered and got up late to score an impressive three-quarter-length victory over Unlimited Budget at 49-1 odds. She is trained by Marty Wolfson, who claimed her for $100,000 on behalf of Chasing Tail Stables in January at Gulfstream.
Bred in Kentucky by Fares Farm, the 4-year-old daughter of Harlan's Holiday—Uncork, by Unbridled, holds an overall career record of 4-0-4 from 15 starts, for earnings of $195,366.
Carrying 117 pounds, Gamay Noir has morning line odds of 9-2 and will be ridden for the first time by Tim Thornton from post 7.
Also toting 117 pounds are Imposing Grace and Flashy American.
The Kenny McPeek-trained Flashy American, who won a trio of stakes at three different tracks last year for Preston Stables, is looking for her first victory since last September's Locust Grove at Churchill Downs. In her sole start this year, the 5-year-old mare ran sixth, beaten 9 3/4 lengths, in the Azeri Stakes (gr. II) at Oaklawn Park March 15. She is the 3-1 morning line favorite and will be piloted by Christopher Emigh from the 2-post.
Imposing Grace captured last year's Arlington Matron Stakes (gr. III) for trainer Wayne Catalano and owner Coffeepot Stables but has been winless in four starts since. She enters the Sixty Sails off a runner-up effort in an allowance/optional claiming event at Oaklawn March 20. Imposing Grace, who has morning line odds of 10-1, will break from the far outside under Channing Hill.
Also worthy of consideration is Glen Hill Farm's Dress the Part, who is seeking her fourth consecutive victory. Trained by Tom Proctor, the daughter of Malibu Moon most recently won the March 15 Wayward Lass Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs in her first start on dirt around two turns. It was also her stakes debut.
Rounding out the field is millionaire Dixie Strike, who ran second in this year's Bayakoa Stakes at Oaklawn; Brazilian group II winner Ana Luisa; and former claimers Sonja's Angel and Distinctive Review. The latter filly is to make her stakes debut in her 18th start.
Read more on BloodHorse.com: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/84436/rampart-winner-gamay-noir-heads-sixty-sails#ixzz2zJoW7437
By Claire Novak,
Given the colt's Chicago connections, it's not surprising that Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert would send Midnight Hawk to the $500,000 Illinois Derby (gr. III) at Hawthorne Race Course April 19. As for his plans from there on out, you'll have to read between the lines.
The 3-year-old son of champion sprinter Midnight Lute is the definite class of eight entered for the 1 1/8-mile Illinois Derby, which goes as race 9 with an approximate post of 5:42 p.m. CDT. Co-owned by Chicago Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville and Atlanta Falcons offensive line coach Mike Tice, along with Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings and breeder Mike Pegram, Midnight Hawk has already earned enough points (52) to qualify for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
The Illinois Derby, mostly due to politics over racing dates between Churchill Downs and Hawthorne, was not included when the new system was put into place by Churchill last year, nor does it award points this season. For that reason and because of the timing of the race, run two weeks before the Kentucky Derby, it is considered more of a logical prep for the May 17 Preakness Stakes (gr. I).
At the beginning of the season Midnight Hawk came straight off his debut maiden win to take the Sham Stakes (gr. III) at Santa Anita Park, but he hasn't been back to the winner's circle since then. He comes into the Illinois Derby off a runner-up finish in the March 23 Sunland Derby (gr. III) and was second in the San Felipe Stakes (gr. II) behind buzz horse California Chrome and third in the Robert B. Lewis (gr. II) won by Candy Boy.
While Baffert has not officially withdrawn Midnight Hawk from Kentucky Derby participation, it would not fit his usual pattern to wheel a runner back into the Run for the Roses in 14 days. Publicly, he's sticking to his "one race at a time" mantra for now, and sends Martin Garcia in to get the mount from post 3. Midnight Hawk is the 4-5 favorite on the morning line.
One to watch in this spot is Lane's End Racing's late-blooming Class Leader, a half brother to multiple grade I winner Student Council . The Smart Strike colt ran poorly in his Churchill debut in October, then went to the sidelines until this February. He is 2-for-2 this season with tidy victories at a mile and 70 yards at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, the latter by a length March 13. James Graham gets the mount for trainer Neil Howard from the outside post.
Trainer Todd Pletcher, a four-time Illinois Derby winner, has entered King Cyrus and Global Strike, although the latter is cross-entered in the Coolmore Lexington (gr. III) at Keeneland.
A Bellamy Road colt owned by WinStar Farm, King Cyrus has been highly regarded by his connections but has not rewarded thus far, with an eighth in the Hopeful Stakes (gr. I) due to a wide trip last year and a seventh last time out in the Louisiana Derby (gr. II). Pletcher adds blinkers this start for the stakes-placed runner who finished second in the Smooth Air at Calder Casino & Race Course in early March.
Global Strike, a Stonestreet Smart Strike homebred, was sixth in the Sunland Derby after breaking his maiden at the Illinois Derby distance at Gulfstream Feb. 22.
The Mark Casse-trained Dynamic Impact was also cross-entered in the Lexington. By Tiznow , he took five starts to break his maiden before getting the job done March 1 going a mile at Oaklawn Park.
Allowance winner Emmett Park, maiden winner A Step Ahead, and maiden Irish You Well complete the lineup.
The Illinois Derby and the $150,000 Sixty Sails (gr. III) for fillies and mares are both parts of a live local broadcast on WGN Television from 5 to 6 p.m. CDT. Additionally, WGN Radio 720 AM will be broadcasting from Hawthorne, along with TVG Network.
Read more on BloodHorse.com: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/84430/midnight-hawk-brings-illinois-derby-intrigue#ixzz2zJoAo2CX
