Exaggerator Storms to Haskell Win (Cont
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MONDAY, AUGUST 1, 2016 LORD NELSON FLIES TO BING CROSBY WIN EXAGGERATOR STORMS Spendthrift Farm=s Lord Nelson (Pulpit) doubled up on Grade I TO HASKELL WIN tallies with a scorching victory in the GI Bing Crosby S. Sunday at Del Mar. The 4-year-old completed the Crosby=s six furlongs in 1:07.65, just .05 seconds off the track=s 43-year-old record for the distance. Off as the even-money choice, Lord Nelson sat third, two to three lengths off a blazing :21.16 quarter-mile set by joint leaders Justin Squared (Zensational) and Subtle Indian (Indian Charlie). Moving to tackle the leaders under Flavien Prat on the latter half of the turn, Lord Nelson opened clear in the straightaway and bounded home by four lengths, nearly matching the track record of King of Cricket (Coursing), set back in 1973. Lord Nelson's time established a stakes record for the Crosby, eclipsing the 54-year-old record of 1:07.80 set by Crazy Kid, which at the time was a world's record. AHe=s become a serious sprinter,@ said winning trainer Bob Baffert. AHe=s getting better and better. He was pretty close to those fast splits and he still had a kick left. So that was really impressive.@ Cont. p8 Exaggerator | Sarah K Andrew IN TDN EUROPE TODAY Exaggerator (Curlin), who has made a habit of impressive wins over off tracks, skipped over the sloppy going at Monmouth Park ROTHSCHILD GLORY FOR QEMAH Sunday in a powerful last-to-first victory in the GI Betfair.com Al Shaqab Racing’s Qemah (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) found Haskell Invitational S. the first in the G1 Prix Rothschild at Deauville Sunday. Click or AOnce I called on him he exploded,@ enthused winning rider tap here to go straight to TDN Europe. Kent Desormeaux. AWhen we got clear I just kept him to his task. He=s a really amazing horse with a devastating turn of foot. I was ecstatic when I heard he was coming to this race. I knew he would like the surface here and he showed that today.@ Exaggerator, second behind Nyquist (Uncle Mo) in the GI Kentucky Derby, splashed home first in the GI Preakness S., but was a disappointing 11th as the favorite in the June 11 GI Belmont S. last time out. The dark bay colt was last out of the gate Sunday and Desormeaux angled him to the rail well back as a four-pronged battle developed for the lead going into the first turn. Derby hero Nyquist, making his first start since suffering his first loss when third in the Preakness, gained a narrow advantage through a quarter in :22.78 with American Freedom (Pulpit) pressing him every step and even taking a narrow advantage after a half in :46.62. Nyquist dug back in to regain the lead over American Freedom entering the final bend, but Exaggerator had made stout progress and loomed a menacing threat four wide as the field approached the home stretch. Cont. p3 THE BEST RACEHORSE IN THE WORLD IS SIRING THE WORLD’S BEST RACEHORSES The impressive victory for this Classic winning three year old son of Curlin increases his earnings to $3,571,120. www.hillndalefarms.com LGB, LLC 2016 / Photo: Horsephotos.com THE BEST RACEHORSE IN THE WORLD IS SIRING THE WORLD’S BEST RACEHORSES Curalina, one of four 2016 Grade 1 Winners for Curlin, romps by 9 1/4 at Saratoga. www.hillndalefarms.com LGB, LLC 2016 / Photo: Horsephotos.com PRESIDENT & CO-PUBLISHER Barry Weisbord @barryweisbord [email protected] SR. V.P. & CO-PUBLISHER Sue Morris Finley @suefinley [email protected] V.P., INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS Gary King @garykingTDN [email protected] Monday, August 1, 2016 EDITORIAL [email protected] Editor-in-Chief Jessica Martini @JessMartiniTDN Managing Editor Alan Carasso @EquinealTDN Senior Editor Steve Sherack @SteveSherackTDN Racing Editor Brian DiDonato @BDiDonatoTDN Associate Editor Christie DeBernardis @CDeBernardisTDN Assistant Editors Heather Anderson @HLAndersonTDN Ben Massam @BMassamTDN Joe Bianca @JBiancaTDN ADVERTISING [email protected] Director of Advertising Alycia Borer Advertising Manager Exaggerator (Curlin) pulls away in the homestretch of the GI Betfair.com Haskell Lia Best Invitational . | Equi-Photo Advertising Designer Amanda Crelin BRADESTER ON TOP IN MONMOUTH CUP 9 Advertising Assistants Brittlan Wall @bwallTDN August Pons @APonsTDN Bradester (Lion Heart) proved he loved Monmouth Park even on Alexa Reisfield a rainy day, splashing home to a dominant victory in the GII Monmouth Cup S. Photo Editor/Dir. of Distribution Sarah K. Andrew @SarahKAndrew [email protected] CURALINA TAKES SHUVEE 11 Social Media Strategist Curalina (Curlin) continued a big weekend for her sire, who Nichola Henry @NicholaHenryTDN had three graded stakes winners over two days, with her [email protected] victory in the GIII Shuvee H. at Saratoga. Curlin was also represented by GI Haskell Invitational winner Exaggerator Director of Customer Service and GI Clement L. Hirsch winner Stellar Wind. Vicki Forbes [email protected] Director of Information Technology Ray Villa TODAY’S GRADED STAKES [email protected] EDT Race Click for TV WORLDWIDE INFORMATION 4:41p Seagram Cup S.-GIII, WO TJCIS.com PPs ----- International Editor Kelsey Riley @kelseynrileyTDN [email protected] European Editor Emma Berry [email protected] Newmarket Bureau, Cafe Racing Sean Cronin & Tom Frary [email protected] 60 Broad Street, Suite 100 Red Bank, NJ 07701 732-747-8060 | 732-747-8955 (fax) www.TheTDN.com TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 3 OF 16 • THETDN.COM MONDAY • AUG. 1, 2016 FEATURE PRESENTATION • GI HASKELL AAs the race was unfolding, I thought, >Perfect,=@ the trainer told TVG=s Christina Blacker. AIt was not as much Exaggerator laying off the pace, but the way the race was setting up in front of him. There was a lot of speed and he was settling right off of them. It was a repeat of his other wins in the mud.@ Bejarano, aboard American Freedom, said Exaggerator=s drifting in as he was passing the eventual runner-up hurt his mount=s chances. AI had a big chance in the stretch,@ Bejarano said. AWhen he Exaggerator Storms to Haskell Win (cont. from p1) came around me, he crossed me a couple times. I had to change my course in the stretch and then let him run again. I=m Nyquist grittily stuck his head in front at the top of the lane, completely disappointed. We are hoping everyone had a clean but Exaggerator drove effortlessly to the lead with a furlong to race, in such a prestigious race, and he definitely crossed my run and soared clear. American Freedom was second, while local lane and I had to change my course.@ contender Sunny Ridge (Holy Bull) just nipped even-money Connections of the beaten favorite remained proud of their favorite Nyquist for charge after Nyquist suffered only the second loss of his career. third. Rafael Bejarano, AThe trip was great,@ reported jockey Mario Gutierrez. AThe aboard the runner-up, horse [Nyquist] was just a little off today. Any other day, he lodged a claim of foul should be able to attack the pace, Rafael [Bejarano]=s horse against the winner, [American Freedom] kept going and I didn=t. The race was great, alleging interference at perfect, but we were a little off today.@ Cont. p4 the eighth pole, but the stewards let the result stand. Desormeaux admitted he was Exaggerator splashes home first in confident right from Haskell | Horsephotos the start of Sunday=s Haskell, a Win and You=re In event for the GI Breeders= Cup Classic. AHe broke right on the money,@ Desormeaux said. AThey were going at it pretty well up front and I said to myself, >Could this be happening?= Up the entire backstretch, he was just galloping and gaining on them. I had to snatch him up a little bit into the far turn. I didn=t want him to go too soon.@ The jockey=s brother, trainer Keith Desormeaux watched the race remotely, but he was equally optimistic. Haskell winner=s circle | Equi-Photo TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 4 OF 16 • THETDN.COM MONDAY • AUG. 1, 2016 Trainer Doug O=Neill added, AHis hands were kind of tied from Despite the decision to bypass Saratoga=s traditional prep for the rail, so we were forced to ride a little harder than we the Aug. 27 GI Travers S., Desormeaux will still consider the wanted to. I=m still proud of this guy and we will regroup, see Midsummer Derby for Exaggerator=s next start. how he comes out of it and go from there. I thought Mario rode AI will absolutely consider him perfectly. the Travers at Saratoga for That=s how he had him next,@ Desormeaux to ride, with said. AThat=s where my east confidence, and he coast stable is based. The did. No excuses and Travers is a famous race. I we will go over the hope to see a better style of champ later and go breeze from him. That=s the from there. He will reason we went to the go back to Haskell, because of his Exaggerator | Horsephotos California in the breeze. He was struggling next day or two.@ with the track and hopefully that changes in the upcoming weeks.@ Owned by Big Exaggerator, winner of last year=s GII Saratoga Special, was Chief Racing, Head Sol Kumin celebrates Haskell win runner-up in the GI Breeders= Futurity and fourth behind of Plains Partners Sarah K Andrew Nyquist in the GI Breeders= Cup Juvenile. He splashed home to a and Rocker O Ranch, Exaggerator had been expected to start in front-running neck victory over Sunny Ridge in the GIII Delta Saturday=s GII Jim Dandy S.