Whether roots on his 2-year-old pony Curly Jack or his alma mater Notre Dame during a college football game, Mike McLoughlin cheered on the winners on September 17.
Not long before Notre Dame beat California 24-17 in South Bend, Ind., where McLoughlin spent Saturday, Curly Jack gave the owner his first taste of victory by rallying with a point longer number honed for $299,250 Iroquois Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs.
The foal’s 10-1 defeat in the 1/16-mile race earned him 10 qualifying points towards next year’s Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) at Churchill, with the race playing the part. The game is the opening leg of Road 2022-23 to the Kentucky Derby series.
It also gives McLoughlin and coach Tom Amoss a chance to dream of another possible start, one that comes in just a month and a half — the November 4th TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance ( G1) presented at Keeneland.
“I don’t have a problem with firing jockeys, so it shouldn’t be a big deal going straight to Breeders’ Cup Juvenile,” Amoss said. “We will see how he deals with the matter and makes a decision in the coming days.”
Amoss isn’t the only one who can think of Juvenile. Runner-up Honed rallied from last to just miss, despite great concern among the horses when finishing last out of nine in the early stages of the race. He completed half the apparent length of Jace Street in part three.
Finishers on the board in Iroquois, as well as those from Saturday’s Pocahontas Stake (G3) for 2-year-olds at Churchill Downs, earned a fraction of the entry fee for Minors. Breeder’s Cup and Breeder’s Cup (G1), respectively, for the racing portion of the Breeder’s Cup Dirt Dozen program.
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Disappointing at the Iroquois are two race favorites, Racecourse Saratoga first winner Echo again and winner of Saratoga Special Stakes (G2) Damon’s Mound , both were defeated in their first two turns. Bet option 3-5 Echo Again, who pressed the pace, ran seventh, and 5-2 shot Damon’s Mound in sixth after setting the odds: 23.53, :47.48 and 1:11 ,66.
“I didn’t expect him to take the lead but (racer) Gabe (Saez) said he was pretty aggressive out of the gate,” said Damon’s Mounds coach Michelle Lovell.
Tackling is Curly Jack, who raced 2 1/4 to 4 3/4 the length of pace under Edgar Morales before Good magic colt rallied to take the lead mid-game. He maintained the advantage in length over the final lap, reaching a ratio of 1:45.62 on the fast track. He paid $23.66 to win.
When the near last pony made his second appearance” at Ellis Park Juvenile, he showed me he could relax comfortably on the horse and run a lap. We were able to do that today. “, said Morales, who recorded his first ranked bet winning. “He handled the longer distance well, and when I was able to get him out, he showed his best.”
Bred in Kentucky by Betz, J.Betz, Burns, Camaquiki, C.Kidder, et al., Curly Jack is not a Roman Ruler mare of class 1 Connie and Michael . He is the second black horse of his dam, after Fannie and Freddie (Moon Malibu ), first runner-up this year in Silverbulletday Shares at Fair Grounds & Slots.
Four of the six ponies of the dam to race are the winners. One of her two unappreciated ponies is a hungry pony Gunman colt, who earlier this week sold for $525,000 to BSW/Crow Colts Group, Spendthrift Farm, and Gandharvi at Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Amoss said he picked Curly Jack at the McLoughlin Car Sale in September 2021. The foal was purchased by its owner for $180,000 from a Betz Thoroughbreds shipment.
Video: Iroquois S. (G3)
Fun and vibrant circle school in Pocahontas
Later in the Saturday show, another slight upset took place when Lucky Seven Stable’s Fun and Feisty closed from 11th to be occupied by Pocahontas over 3 and a half length Shoplifters . Favorite Big Love pacesetter, settled in third place.
Fun and Feisty rode by Julien Leparoux, coached by Kenny McPeek, runs .24 seconds slower than Iroquois, a speed of 1:45.86 after the fractions: 23.74,:48.07 and the fraction 1:12.76 set by Grand Love. She returned $14.46 on a $2 winning bet.
Fun and Feisty wins Pocahontas Stakes
“She was trained like a good horse and behaved like a good stallion,” McPeek said. “When she won 3/4 of a mile, I told (the Mackin family of Lucky Seven Stables) we were going to have fun with her, and this was just the beginning.
“She’s going to grow longer and go longer. She’s good-minded, sound and healthy. I think you’ll see her around here in a couple of seasons. Alcibiades (October 7) Alcibiades (G1) will be there. is a sequel to find her in Keeneland.”
J. Stephen McDonald raised Fun and Feisty in Kentucky, with Boatman created without license First Samurai Mare Grouse Grind. Fun and Feisty became the first black type horse for his dam, who had another winner from three ponies to race. Her two underrated ponies are Fun and Feisty’s full-blown sisters and this year’s Jimmy Creed pony.
As an agent, McPeek purchased Fun and Feisty last year from Machmer Hall Sales consignment from The July Sale at Fasig-Tipton. Earlier in 2021, it was purchased by Jacob Nance for $13,000 from a Kaizen Sales consignment at the Keeneland January Horse of All Ages Sale.
Video: Pocahontas S. (G3)
