Good Night! Night Time edges Let My People Go in Holiday Cheer
Turfway Park stakes recap by Kevin Kerstein (Coady photo)
FLORENCE, Ky. (Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023) – S B Stables, GenStar Thoroughbreds, David A. Bernsen and Omar Aldabbagh’s Night Time battled for nearly a quarter-mile with Let My People Go and was able to prevail by a neck in Saturday’s 24th running of the $125,000 Holiday Cheer Stakes at Turfway Park Racing & Gaming.
Trained by Bill Morey, Night Time was ridden by Fernando De La Cruz while completing six furlongs in a swift 1:10.17.
It was a favorable early pace setup for Night Time after the speedy Heaven Street and Olazabal set a blazing opening-quarter mile of :21.36. While the two dueling leaders battled on the lead, De La Cruz had Night Time positioned in fifth, about five lengths off the lead. Around the far turn, following a half-mile in :45.06, the pacesetters began to give way while Night Time was finding his best stride in the three path. As Night Time entered the stretch, Let My People Go and jockey Martin Garcia ranged up to his outside and the race was on. As the duo battled down the lane, Night Time never gave in to his rival and prevailed by a neck. It was another 2 ½ lengths back to third-place Fortin Hill who was followed in order by Manny Wah, Condemn, Olazabal, Stardfromdabottom, My Buddy B, Dhabab (IRE),True Temper and Heaven Street.
Night Time rewarded his backers with $2 mutuel payouts of $9.90, $5.40 and $3.28. Let My People Go returned $9.20 and $5.26 while Fortin Hill paid $3.44.
With his victory in the Holiday Cheer, Night Time improved his overall record to 26-6-7-4 while boosting his earnings to $566,722.
Night Time is a 6-year-old son of Majesticperfection out of the Kitten’s Joy mare Silent Joy. He was bred in Kentucky by the late former governorBrereton Jones.
Following dark days Sunday-Tuesday, the 2024 Winter/Spring Meet will begin Wednesday and run through Saturday, March 30. For more information about racing and gaming from Turfway Park, visitwww.Turfway.com.
JUVENILE SPRINT STAKES WINNER VOTE NO HEADLINES $125,000 TURFWAY PREVUE – Joseph Morey’s Kentucky Downs Juvenile Sprint Stakes winner Vote No headlines a competitive field of seven soon-to-be 3-year-olds that entered Saturday’s $125,000 Turfway Prevue Stakes.
Run at 6 ½ furlongs, the Turfway Prevue will go as Race 6 with a post time of 8:25 p.m. (all times Eastern). First post for the nine-race program is 5:55 p.m.
Trained by Bill Morey, Vote No was a debut winner this summer at Presque Isle Downs under jockey Antonio Gallardo. Three weeks after he broke his maiden, the son of Divisidero tested stakes company in the Juvenile Sprint at Kentucky Downs where he narrowly defeated next-out allowance winner Hedwig at odds of 12-1. The Turfway Prevue will be Vote No’s first start since finishing third in the Bourbon Stakes (GII) in early October at Keeneland.
Jockey Gerardo Corrales will have the mount from the rail.
The Turfway Prevue field also includes Foster Family Racing, LonnieReynolds, Vicki Mills and Donald Coomes recent 12 ¾-length maiden winner Joe Shiesty and Triple M Racing Stable’s local allowance winner Let’s Go Mark.
Here is the complete field for the Turfway Prevue from the rail out (with jockey and trainer): Vote No (Corrales, Morey); Sweet Soddy J (Abel Cedillo, Raymond Ginter Jr.); Joe Shiesty (Alex Achard, Eric Foster); Quarrymen (Axel Concepcion, Brad Cox); Tagliatelle (Walter Rodriguez, Foster); Ceepeegee (Luan Machado, Ron Moquett) and Let’s Go Mark (Adam Beschizza, John Ennis).
Following dark days Sunday-Tuesday, live racing will resume on Wednesday with a first post of 5:55 p.m. For more information about racing and wagering from Turfway Park, visit www.turfway.com.
