Naming a horse Battle of Normandy comes with high expectations that the horse will perform at a level worthy of the servicemen who were part of the largest amphibious invasion in military history during World War II.
A 4-year-old City of Light colt, Battle of Normandy is doing his part. On Nov. 9 at Churchill Downs, he scored his fourth consecutive victory and first at the stakes level, capturing the $290,500 River City Stakes (G3T) by defeating Reckoning Force by 1 3/4 lengths. Gigante ran third ahead of a wide Cash Equity in fourth.
The winner, a Shug McGaughey trainee, pressed early leader Wonderful Justice through slow fractions of :24.77, :49.88, and 1:14.05 in the 1 1/8-mile turf race, took over after a mile in 1:37.07, and proved uncatchable with a swift final furlong in :11.72. He hit the wire in a final time of 1:48.79 on firm turf under Luan Machado.
"He was a bit headstrong going into the first turn but I tried to get him to settle as much as I could going onto the backside," Machado said. "He was so full of himself and just dragging me the entire time. I watched his last few races and you could see with the blinkers he liked to be pretty close.
"He's a very impressive-moving colt. We weren't going too fast early, so I was confident turning for home he'd still have a lot of energy left. He just took off when I asked him and finished up very well."
He paid $10.32 for a $2 win ticket.
This was the kind of performance West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing had long hoped for him after they purchased him three years ago for $500,000 at Fasig-Tipton's The Saratoga Sale. Gage Hill Stables and W. S. Farish, partners affiliated with the current ownership, bred the colt in Kentucky out of the stakes-winning Kitten's Joy mare Adorable Miss.
"This was a horse that some West Point folks bred way back when," said Jeff Lifson, executive vice president for West Point Thoroughbreds. "We bought him for racing because he was one of the standouts of that sale. It's been an incredible ride with him. Then, he broke his maiden at Saratoga for all of our partners.
"He's like the feel-good horse for West Point. Just thrilled because it's been overdue that he got a big stakes win, and in a graded stakes."
Lifson credited McGaughey, a Hall of Famer, for his development of Battle of Normandy, who showed promise in 2022 as a 2-year-old with a second-place finish in the With Anticipation Stakes (G3T) and a close fifth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T). After a disappointing 3-year-old campaign, McGaughey added blinkers this year. The colt's only loss since came in his season debut when he competed in a race that came off the grass.
"Giving him a chance to get his confidence" by working through his allowance conditions was instrumental in Saturday's success, Lifson said.
"Let's face it, Shug is the master at developing horses, giving them a chance to be better as they go along in life," he added. "This is a horse that's responded to the Shug magic."
Battle of Normandy is the third black-type horse and second stakes winner for his dam. The other stakes winner, Cugino, notched his black-type victory on the Churchill Downs course in the Audubon Stakes and has two graded placings.
City of Light, who stands at Lane's End Farm in Versailles, Ky., is also the sire of reigning 2-year-old male champion Fierceness, winner of this year's Travers Stakes (G1) and Florida Derby (G1). City of Light will stand for a $35,000 fee in 2025.
Video: River City S. (G3T)
Upper Case Stands Out in Dream Supreme Win
More than nine years after American Pharoah triumphed at Churchill Downs in the Kentucky Derby (G1), a 4-year-old daughter of the eventual 2015 Triple Crown winner, Upper Case, had her moment beneath the twin spires in capturing the $295,000 Dream Supreme Stakes.
Saving ground in fifth after a quarter-mile and later in fourth around the turn of the six-furlong race, she was angled out for a clear path in 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 fast track.
Favored Spirit Wind ran third after a slow start and wide trip.
Roman, formerly based in California and coming off a successful meet at Horseshoe Indianapolis, recorded his first victory at Churchill Downs in the Dream Supreme.
"A dream come true," he said.
Winning trainer Paulo Lobo said Upper Case ($11.24) may race next at Turfway Park. Retirement for her to become a broodmare was discussed earlier this year, Lobo indicated. He said he would consult winning owner Larry Best of OXO Equine on that decision.
Bred in Kentucky by Thor-Bred Stables, she is the second black-type horse produced by Smart Strike mare Rigged Smart, a full sister to 2017 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) winner Battle of Midway.
American Pharoah, a top-20 sire in 2024, will stand the 2025 breeding season for a $45,000 fee at Ashford Stud.
Video: Dream Supreme S. (BT)
Horace Mann Catches Comebacking Track Phantom
In other action Saturday at Churchill Downs, Little Red Feather Racing's Horace Mann, trained by Phil D'Amato and ridden by Martin Garcia, ran down Track Phantom by a length to win a loaded third-level allowance optional claiming race. The winner ran seven furlongs in 1:22.36 and paid $13.90.
The race marked the first start for Track Phantom, winner of the Lecomte Stakes (G3) and runner-up to Sierra Leone in the Risen Star Stakes (G2), since his 11th-place finish in the May 4 Kentucky Derby. His trainer, Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, said the runner-up finisher would base this winter at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. Asmussen runs most of his stakes horses at either Fair Grounds or Oaklawn Park during the winter.
Horace Mann runs them down at 5/1 in R9 at @churchilldowns for trainer @PhilDamato1 with Martin Garcia in the irons! 🏇
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) November 9, 2024
The G3 River City is coming up next!
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🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/3q78u9JRVB
