Flameaway’s Bear River Pillar To Post In Mint Kentucky Turf Sprint

[Wandering Eyes]

Charles Marquis's hard-knocking BEAR RIVER (r, 4, Flameaway–Sixtyfivenorth, by Midshipman) grab command of Saturday's 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.

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 in the Turf Sprint Preview at Ellis Park on Aug. 3, but with the gamblers going hook, line and sinker for Howard Wolowitz, 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}) were up on that gallop two and three deep, respectively. Bear River continued along nicely through four furlongs in :44.69, kicked when asked by James Graham and proved about 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.

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

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