B G Warrior cruises in Turfway’s Wishing Well
Turfway Park stakes recap by Kevin Kerstein (Coady Photography photo of B G Warrior winning Wishing Well under Albin Jimenez)
FLORENCE, Ky. (Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024) – Keith Grass’ B G Warrior used her powerful display of early speed in Saturday’s 31st running of the $125,000 Wishing Well Stakes at Turfway Park Racing & Gaming, defeating her seven rivals by an impressive 5 ¾ lengths.
Trained by Hugo Andrande, B G Warrior broke sharply from the gate under jockey Albin Jiminez and quickly took command of the field through a sharp quarter-mile in :22.28. While B G Warrior broke quickly, the same couldn’t be said for 1-2 favorite Marissa’s Lady, who bobbled leaving the gate and rushed up the rail to assume position by the mid-point of the backstretch. By the time Marissa’s Lady was able to move back into her stalking position, B G Warrior’s lead swelled to eight lengths after cruising a half-mile in :44.89. Jiminez continued to urge B G Warrior through the stretch but the duo was able to coast to the wire, completing 6 ½ furlongs in 1:17.32
Baby No Worries, a 20-1 longshot ridden by Walter Rodriguez, closed from last to finish second by a neck over Ravella, who was five lengths in front of her stablemate Marissa’s Lady. She was followed by Secret Operation, Napa Candy, Hartful Hope and Twice as Sweet.
Those who backed B G Warrior were rewarded with payouts of $11.88, $6.44 and $4.98. Baby No Worries returned $15.86 and $8.42 while Ravella paid $5.80.
With her victory in the Wishing Well Stakes, B G Warrior improved her overall mark to 21-4-5-3 with purse earnings of $407,252.
Live racing from Turfway Park will resume Wednesday-Saturday with daily first posts of 5:55 p.m.
NIGHT TIME BACK FOR REDEMPTION IN $125,000 FOREGO STAKES – S B Stables, GenStar Thoroughbreds, David Bernsen and Omar Aldabbagh’s recent Holiday Cheer Stakes winner Night Time headlines a cast of eight competitive older sprinters that entered Saturday’s 40th running of the $125,000 Forego Stakes at Turfway Park Racing & Gaming.
Trained by Bill Morey, Night Time finished a narrow third in this race last year when under the care of trainer Dale Romans. Morey and his clients claimed Night Time for $80,000 on Aug. 11 at Saratoga and has gone on to win a conditioned allowance contest at Keeneland and last month’s Holiday Cheer Stakes. Jockey Fernando De La Cruz will be back aboard Night Time from post No. 3.
Run at 6 ½ furlongs, the Forego field also includes the 2022 Twin Spires Turf Sprint (GII) winner Arrest Me Red. Trained by Wesley Ward for Lael Stables, Arrest Me Red has been away from the races since he finished sixth on Sept. 2 in a conditioned allowance event at Kentucky Downs. The speedy son of Pioneerof the Nile is a six-time winner from 17 starts including his gutsy 1 ¾-length victory two years ago in the Twin Spires Turf Sprint. Walter Rodriguez will be in the irons for the Forego from post 4.
Here is the complete field for the Forego Stakes from the rail out (with jockey and trainer): Storm Daddy (Andres Ulloa, Lilia Gonzalez); Condemn (Gerardo Corrales, Tommy Drury Jr.); Night Time (De La Cruz, Morey); Arrest Me Red (Rodriguez, Ward); Sir Alfred James (Martin Garcia, Raymond Ginter Jr.); Bourbon Heist (Tyler Connor, Ian Wilkes); Surly Furious (Luan Machado, Glenn Wismer); Manny Wah (Gavin Ashton, Will Walden).
The Forego Stakes will go as Race 7 at 8:55 p.m. First post is 5:55 p.m.
Racing will resume Wednesday at Turfway Park for a 10-race program that will begin at 5:55 p.m. For more information about racing and gaming from Turfway Park, visit www.turfway.com.
