Grand Sonata As Good As Gold In Kentucky Turf Cup

[Wandering Eyes]

Whisper Hill Farm's GRAND SONATA (h, 5, Medaglia d'Oro–A. P. Sonata, by A.P. Indy) saved ground when it mattered most, slipped through inside with less than a quarter mile to race and kept on nicely to cause a 15-1 upset in Saturday's GII Kentucky Turf Cup at Kentucky Downs to earn a berth in the field for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Del Mar Nov. 2. Drawn widest in a field scratched down to nine with the late withdrawal of Ballydoyle's Chief Little Rock (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the homebred slotted into about sixth position through the opening exchanges as defending champion Get Smokin (Get Stormy) was pressed along through fractions of :23.65 and :47.53 by California raider Balladeer (Distorted Humor). Quietly ridden down the back of the track as the pace up front remained nearly unsustainable, Grand Sonata was shuffled back to the latter third of the field with a half-mile to go and was guided down onto the fence by Tyler Gaffalione. Content to ride for luck passing the quarter pole, Grand Sonata got through a hole at the fence as the front-runners began to feel the pinch. The progressive Highway Robber (Hard Spun) emerged as a late threat, but he couldn't quite get there, as Grand Sonata reported home to the most valuable victory of his career. Tawny Port (Pioneerof the Nile) was given every chance by Flavien Prat, but could do no better than third, while favored Integration (Quality Road) struck some late trouble and finished off the board.

Saturday, Kentucky Downs
FANDUEL TV KENTUCKY TURF CUP S.-GII, $1,995,000, Kentucky Downs, 9-7, 3yo/up, 1 1/2mT, 2:24.93, fm.
1–GRAND SONATA, 122, h, 5, by Medaglia d'Oro
                1st Dam: A. P. Sonata, by A.P. Indy
                2nd Dam: Moonlight Sonata, by Carson City
                3rd Dam: Wheatly Way, by Wheatly Hall
($125,000 RNA Ylg '20 KEESEP). O/B-Whisper Hill Farm, LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Tyler Gaffalione. $1,195,200. Lifetime Record: 23-5-6-2, $2,057,635. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Highway Robber, 124, g, 4, Hard Spun–Yabba, by Lemon Drop Kid. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($65,000 RNA Ylg '21 KEESEP; $30,000 2yo '22 OBSAPR). O-Jim and Susan Hill; B-Foxpointe Thoroughbreds (KY); T-Brian A. Lynch. $392,000.
3–Tawny Port, 122, h, 5, Pioneerof the Nile–Livi Makenzie, by Macho Uno. ($430,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Peachtree Stable; B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY); T-Christophe Clement. $196,000.
Margins: HF, 1, 2HF. Odds: 15.39, 4.49, 6.14.
Also Ran: Integration, Anglophile, Cathkin Peak (Ire), Get Smokin, King Curlin, Balladeer. Scratched: Chief Little Rock (Ire), Sugoi.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

#10 GRAND SONATA ($32.78) was perfectly tuned today in the $2 million @FanDuelTV Kentucky Turf Cup (G2) at @KYDownsRacing!

The @whisper_hill homebred was ridden by @Tyler_Gaff for @PletcherRacing. pic.twitter.com/wNWRXWazku

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) September 7, 2024

 

The post Grand Sonata As Good As Gold In Kentucky Turf Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

View the full article