Naming a horse Battle of Normandy comes with excessive expectations that the horse will carry out at a stage worthy of the servicemen who had been a part of the most important amphibious invasion in army historical past throughout World Conflict II.
A 4-year-old Metropolis of Gentle colt, Battle of Normandy is doing his half. On Nov. 9 at Churchill Downs, he scored his fourth consecutive victory and first on the stakes stage, capturing the $290,500 River Metropolis Stakes (G3T) by defeating Reckoning Pressure by 1 3/4 lengths. Gigante ran third forward of a large Money Fairness in fourth.
The winner, a Shug McGaughey trainee, pressed early chief Fantastic Justice via gradual fractions of :24.77, :49.88, and 1:14.05 within the 1 1/8-mile turf race, took over after a mile in 1:37.07, and proved uncatchable with a swift ultimate furlong in :11.72. He hit the wire in a ultimate time of 1:48.79 on agency turf below Luan Machado.
“He was a bit headstrong going into the primary flip however I attempted to get him to settle as a lot as I may going onto the bottom,” Machado stated. “He was so stuffed with himself and simply dragging me the complete time. I watched his previous couple of races and you could possibly see with the blinkers he preferred to be fairly shut.
“He is a really impressive-moving colt. We weren’t going too quick early, so I used to be assured turning for dwelling he’d nonetheless have a variety of power left. He simply took off after I requested him and completed up very properly.”
He paid $10.32 for a $2 win ticket.
This was the sort of efficiency West Level Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing had lengthy hoped for him after they bought him three years in the past for $500,000 at Fasig-Tipton’s The Saratoga Sale. Gage Hill Stables and W. S. Farish, companions affiliated with the present possession, bred the colt in Kentucky out of the stakes-winning Kitten’s Pleasure mare Lovely Miss .
“This was a horse that some West Level people bred approach again when,” stated Jeff Lifson, govt vp for West Level Thoroughbreds. “We purchased him for racing as a result of he was one of many standouts of that sale. It has been an unbelievable trip with him. Then, he broke his maiden at Saratoga for all of our companions.
“He is just like the feel-good horse for West Level. Simply thrilled as a result of it has been overdue that he acquired a giant stakes win, and in a graded stakes.”
Lifson credited McGaughey, a Corridor of Famer, for his growth of Battle of Normandy, who confirmed promise in 2022 as a 2-year-old with a second-place end within the With Anticipation Stakes (G3T) and a detailed fifth within the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T). After a disappointing 3-year-old marketing campaign, McGaughey added blinkers this 12 months. The colt’s solely loss since got here in his season debut when he competed in a race that got here off the grass.
“Giving him an opportunity to get his confidence” by working via his allowance situations was instrumental in Saturday’s success, Lifson stated.
“Let’s face it, Shug is the grasp at growing horses, giving them an opportunity to be higher as they go alongside in life,” he added. “It is a horse that is responded to the Shug magic.”
Battle of Normandy is the third black-type horse and second stakes winner for his dam. The opposite stakes winner, Cugino , notched his black-type victory on the Churchill Downs course within the Audubon Stakes and has two graded placings.
Metropolis of Gentle, who stands at Lane’s Finish Farm in Versailles, Ky., can also be the sire of reigning 2-year-old male champion Fierceness , winner of this 12 months’s Travers Stakes (G1) and Florida Derby (G1). Metropolis of Gentle will stand for a $35,000 payment in 2025.
Video: River Metropolis S. (G3T)
Higher Case Stands Out in Dream Supreme Win
Greater than 9 years after American Pharoah triumphed at Churchill Downs within the Kentucky Derby (G1), a 4-year-old daughter of the eventual 2015 Triple Crown winner, Higher Case , had her second beneath the dual spires in capturing the $295,000 Dream Supreme Stakes.
Saving floor in fifth after a quarter-mile and later in fourth across the flip of the six-furlong race, she was angled out for a transparent path within the stretch by jockey Evin Roman and overhauled the opposition. She defeated a pace-chasing Mystic Pleasure by 1 1/4 lengths, timed in 1:09.88 on a quick observe.
Favored Spirit Wind ran third after a gradual begin and large journey.
Roman, previously primarily based in California and coming off a profitable meet at Horseshoe Indianapolis, recorded his first victory at Churchill Downs within the Dream Supreme.
“A dream come true,” he stated.
Higher Case and jockey Evin Roman win the Dream Supreme Stakes at Churchill Downs
Successful coach Paulo Lobo stated Higher Case ($11.24) could race subsequent at Turfway Park. Retirement for her to turn out to be a broodmare was mentioned earlier this 12 months, Lobo indicated. He stated he would seek the advice of successful proprietor Larry Better of OXO Equine on that call.
Bred in Kentucky by Thor-Bred Stables, she is the second black-type horse produced by Good Strike mare Rigged Good , a full sister to 2017 Breeders’ Cup Filth Mile (G1) winner Battle of Halfway.
American Pharoah, a top-20 sire in 2024, will stand the 2025 breeding season for a $45,000 payment at Ashford Stud.
Video: Dream Supreme S. (BT)
Horace Mann Catches Comebacking Observe Phantom
In different motion Saturday at Churchill Downs, Little Pink Feather Racing’s Horace Mann , educated by Phil D’Amato and ridden by Martin Garcia, ran down Observe Phantom by a size to win a loaded third-level allowance non-compulsory claiming race. The winner ran seven furlongs in 1:22.36 and paid $13.90.
The race marked the primary begin for Observe Phantom, winner of the Lecomte Stakes (G3) and runner-up to Sierra Leone within the Risen Star Stakes (G2), since his Eleventh-place end within the Might 4 Kentucky Derby. His coach, Corridor of Famer Steve Asmussen, stated the runner-up finisher would base this winter at Honest Grounds Race Course & Slots. Asmussen runs most of his stakes horses at both Honest Grounds or Oaklawn Park in the course of the winter.
Horace Mann runs them down at 5/1 in R9 at @churchilldowns for coach @PhilDamato1 with Martin Garcia within the irons! 🏇
The G3 River Metropolis is developing subsequent!
🔗https://t.co/vmBciH3Qys🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/3q78u9JRVB
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) November 9, 2024
