maiden special weight

Both Churchill Downs ($120,000) and Keeneland Race Course ($100,000) are projecting maiden special weight (MSW) purses this autumn to be level with the money paid out at the same meets in 2022. Those figures were revealed by representatives of the two tracks Thursday during a meeting of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) advisory committee. The Churchill MSW purses for this year's two fall meets (Sep. 14-Oct. 1 and Oct. 29-Nov. 26) have been unchanged since 2020. In 2020, Churchill offered split MSW purse values in September-$97,000 during the pandemic-rescheduled...

9th-Churchill Downs, $123,240, Msw, 5-21, 3yo/up, 1 1/16mT, 1:43.89, fm, 1 3/4 lengths. TAKING CANDY (c, 3, Twirling Candy--Taking Aim, by Trappe Shot), not seen since his debut last August at Saratoga in a route over the turf where he finished a well-beaten sixth, returned here as the 8-1 choice. The bay colt settled mid-pack as the leaders tried to slow the pace down the backstretch. Into the far turn, Taking Candy looked for running room along the rail, cut to the three path at the top of the lane,...

3rd-Keeneland, $98,610, Msw, 4-27, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:27.71, ft, 11 lengths. ARDEN'S ASSAULT (f, 3, Violence--Can't Explain {SW & GSP, $219,809}, by Not For Love), debuted to be third when routing in a rained-off event Mar. 18 at the Fair Grounds, made the trek to Keeneland and entered the gate Thursday with added blinkers as the 2-1 choice in a tightly-bunched wagering field. Pushed for speed early by Luis Saez, she stormed to the front along the rail and was never challenged through a half in :46.04. In a one-horse...

Purse levels for maiden special weight (MSW) races on the Kentucky circuit have been projected for the summer meets at Ellis Park ($70,000 through 24 dates in July and August) and Kentucky Downs ($150,000 for seven days in September). Those figures were disclosed by representatives of those tracks Wednesday during a meeting of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) advisory committee. The projected Ellis MSW purses will be a boost from the $60,000 offered in 2022. Kentucky Downs will remain year-over-year level at $150,000 after last bumping up MSW purses...

1st-Santa Anita, $68,000, Msw, 1-15, 3yo, 6 1/2f, 1:14.58, gd,1 1/4 lengths. HEJAZI (c, 3, Bernardini--G Note, by Medaglia d'Oro), the $3,550,000 EASMAY sale-topper, finally got the monkey off his back Sunday, winning a rescheduled maiden special weight contest at Santa Anita. Bested by SW Classical Cat (Mendelssohn) after a slow start when first seen at Del Mar Aug. 20, it took a track-record setting effort by stablemate and GSW Speed Boat Beach (Bayern) to best him again Sept. 10. Third in a Bob Baffert exacta topped by Cave Rock...

2nd-Woodbine, C$92,730, Msw, 5-14, 2yo, f, 4 1/2f (AWT), :52.41, ft, 4 3/4 lengths. ADORA (f, 2, Into Mischief--Southern Ring {MGSW-Can, SP-USA, $343,998}, by Speightstown) was heavily favored in this debut and ran to the money with a decisive graduation. Dueling on the front end early, the $450,000 FTSAUG buy sauntered clear with ease in the lane to win by 4 3/4 lengths in :52.41. Delilah's Revenge (Good Magic) closed greenly late to get the better of a photo for second at 44-1 for her freshman sire (by Curlin). The...

9th-Oaklawn, $84,000, Msw, 1-23, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:10.83, ft, 3 3/4 lengths. HOT AND SULTRY (f, 3, Speightster--Hot Water, by Medaglia d'Oro) burst out of the gate at Oaklawn Sunday with her mind on running and never looked back, toying with the field for a facile 3 3/4-length score. The dark bay was sent as the 8-5 choice and kept a narrow advantage through :21.97 and :46.21 splits. She changed leads on cue coming off the turn, batted off her rivals, and drew clear in the stretch, easing up late...

Turfway Park executives are projecting purses for maiden special weight (MSW) races to nearly double to about $60,000 for the upcoming dual meets that will be run December through March. Last season, Turfway paid out just $32,000 for MSW races while conducting meets heavily compromised by both the COVID-19 pandemic and a massive grandstand rebuild that kept the northern Kentucky oval closed to on-track spectators. Turfway's 2021-22 MSW purse projection was disclosed Tuesday during a Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) advisory board meeting by Tyler Picklesimer, the track's director of...

3rd-Churchill Downs, $114,814, Msw, 4-28, 2yo, f, 5f, :58.75, ft, 3 lengths. MOLLIE KATE (f, 2, Tapizar--Forbidden Brew, by Milwaukee Brew), sent off at 4-1 for this unveiling, broke sharply and soon led Tranquil Times (Firing Line) through a crisp opening quarter in :22.19. Clear of her rival and moving easily straightening for home, the John Ennis trainee was given moderate encouragement by James Graham in the stretch, cruising home an unchallenged three-length winner over Murgatroyd (Brody's Cause). The winner, a half to Paige Anne (Take Charge Indy), MGSP, $114,540,...

1st-BEL, $90K, Msw, 3yo, 7f, 1:00p.m. Trainer Shug McGaughey unveils West Point, Siena Farm, Bobby Flay and Woodford Racing's FIRST CAPTAIN (Curlin), a $1.5 million purchase at the Fasig-Tipton's Saratoga Select sale last summer. The colt is the first foal out of GSW & GISP America (A.P. Indy), a homebred for the Iron Chef. The 3-year-old sports a bullet four-furlong work in :48 1/5 at Payson Apr. 10, and most recently, registered a :48 4/5 (28/63) for the same distance at Belmont Apr. 17. Also suiting up for the first...

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. In this edition, Pit Boss (Union Rags) is highlighted following a second-place finish on debut for trainer Wayne Catalano at Oaklawn Park last weekend. Previous runners featured in this column include: MGISW and 'TDN Rising Star' Paradise Woods (Union Rags), GSW Backyard Heaven (Tizway), MSW and 'TDN Rising Star' Gidu (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), the highly regarded GII San Felipe S. runner-up Honor A. P. (Honor Code) and GII...