By Alan Carasso
Charles Marquis's hard-knocking Bear River (Flameaway) grab command of Saturday's $2-million GII Mint Kentucky Turf Sprint soon after the start and never relinquished the advantage while reversing form with comebacking favorite Howard Wolowitz (Munnings) to earn a fees-paid berth into the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar on Nov. 1.
A no-excuses sixth to Howard Wolowitz in last year's GI Franklin-Stamps Stakes in his lone previous attempt at this quirky layout, the chestnut ridgling was returning to southern Kentucky off a narrow victory at 17-1 in the Turf Sprint Preview at Ellis Park on Aug. 3. With the gamblers going hook, line and sinker for Howard Wolowitz, making his first start since finishing well down the field in the G2 1351 Turf Sprint in Saudi Arabia Feb. 22, Bear River loaded a 19-1 shot.
Quickly into stride from gate five, the $50,000 OBS June graduate took them along through an opening quarter in :22.42 as the filly Pipsy (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) and former BC Turf Sprint winner Nobals (Noble Mission {GB}) fueled the pace two and three deep, respectively.
Bear River continued along nicely through four furlongs in :44.69, kicked when asked by James Graham and proved a half-length best at the finish. Howard Wolowitz sat a pocket trip from fourth, was shy of running room at a critical stage and was getting there late, but the wire came first. Khaadem (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), runner-up to Cogburn (Not This Time) 12 months ago, ran with credit to be third.
“We live in California and [winning trainer Keith Desormeaux] doesn't come out there anymore,” Marquis said. “We had to come here to see him, and I'm sure glad we did. I couldn't breathe. I'm glad [Bear River] could. He ran a great race. He runs up front, and front speed seems to be good here today. It's fabulous.”
Of the runner-up, trainer Jose D'Angelo said: “He ran a huge race. I think he was the best horse in the race, just unlucky with the post position because he's fast, but not fast enough to get around on these short races. You can see on the video he was checking, trying to get his position. He doesn't like too much to go inside horses. He ran huge after the layoff, so I'm very happy and proud of him.”
Pedigree Notes:
The sixth graded winner for his Darby Dan-based sire, Bear River is one of two winners from four to the races for Sixtyfivenorth, who was purchased by breeder Dreamfields for $75,000 in foal to Not This Time at the 2019 Keeneland January Sale. The 4-year-old is the sixth winner at the graded level produced by a daughter of the underrated Midshipman.
Bear River's second dam produced the two-time stakes winner and twice graded-placed Alina (Came Home), whose Group 3-winning and MG1/GISP daughter Nemoralia (More Than Ready) is the dam of May Day Ready (Tapit), recent wire-to-wire victress of the GII Lake Placid Stakes at Saratoga.
Sixtyfivenorth is also the dam of the 3-year-old filly Sharp Speed (Sharp Azteca) and the juvenile filly No Forgiveness.
Saturday, Kentucky Downs
MINT KENTUCKY TURF SPRINT S.-GII, $1,870,000, Kentucky Downs, 8-30, 3yo/up, 6fT, 1:06.91, fm.
1–BEAR RIVER, 121, r, 4, by Flameaway
1st Dam: Sixtyfivenorth, by Midshipman
2nd Dam: Lady Heroine, by Sea Hero
3rd Dam: Lady Caveat, by Caveat
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($67,000 Wlg '21 KEENOV; $65,000 RNA Ylg '22 KEESEP; $50,000 2yo '23 OBSOPN). O-Charles K. Marquis; B-Dreamfields Farm, Don Brady & Brendan Burke (KY); T-J. Keith Desormeaux; J-James Graham. $1,154,900. Lifetime Record: 22-7-0-3, $1,698,823. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Howard Wolowitz, 125, c, 4, Munnings–Forget Me Not, by Uncle Mo. ($240,000 Ylg '22 KEEJAN). O-Gold Square LLC; B-Martha Buckner & Matthew Ernst (KY); T-Jose Francisco D'Angelo. $379,000.
3–Khaadem (Ire), 125, g, 9, Dark Angel (Ire)–White Daffodil (Ire), by Footstepsinthesand (GB). (750,000gns Ylg '17 TATOCT). O-Mrs. Fitriani Hay; B-Yeomanstown Stud (IRE); T-Charlie Hills. $89,500.
Margins: HF, 1 3/4, NO. Odds: 19.15, 1.09, 6.11.
Also Ran: Arrest Me Red, Pipsy (Ire), Arzak, Nobals, Implementation, Durante, Axthelm, Charcoal, Air Force Red. Scratched: Eamonn, High Front, One Timer.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
#5 BEAR RIVER ($40.30) under @James_D_Graham was bear on the lead going gate-to-wire to win the $2 million Turf Sprint Stakes (G2) at @kydownsracing. The son of Flameaway is trained by Keith Desormeaux and owned by Charles Marquis. pic.twitter.com/2q0mXD2W3u
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) August 30, 2025
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
