Resolute Racing, Maker, Corrales take Turfway titles

Dec 30, 2024 Jennie Rees No Comments

Turfway Park press release by publicist Kevin Kerstein (Coady Media photos)

FLORENCE, Ky. (Monday, Dec. 30, 2024) – The Turfway Park Racing & Gaming Holiday Meet concluded Saturday with jockey Gerardo Corrales clinching his sixth leading riding title, trainer Mike Maker securing his 23^rd training crown and Resolute Racing earning their first leading owner title at Turfway Park.

Corrales added another title to his impressive resume, finishing with 14 wins and earnings of $599,134 in purses. The veteran rider, represented by Cliff Collier, previously topped the Holiday Meet standings from 2020-22 and the Winter/Spring Meet in 2021-22. Corrales was followed in the standings by Fernando De La Cruz, Luan Machado and Irving Moncada, each finishing with 11 victories.

Maker’s barn delivered yet another dominant performance, posting seven wins – one more than Larry Rivelli – with total purse earnings of $564,753. Trainers Steve Asmussen, Brad Cox, John Ennis and Brendan Walsh tied for third with four wins apiece.

John Stewart’s Resolute Racing was part of a six-way tie for leading owner with two wins but topped the group in earnings with $199,253, narrowly edging Godolphin ($169,894). Also finishing with two wins were Two Hearts Farm, Tom Lambro, Bubba Rodgers, Ricky Short, and the partnership of Down the Stretch Racing, Craftyhorse Racing, Homer Schafer, and Robert Sulzberger Jr.

The Holiday Meet delivered strong returns for horseplayers, with the average 50-cent Pick 5 paying a remarkable $32,219, showcasing the sizable wagering pools available on a nightly basis. Additionally, the average $2 win mutuel returned an impressive $18.37.

Live racing resumes Wednesday at Turfway Park for the start of the Winter/Spring Meet. The New Year’s Day program will have a special 1 p.m. first post, followed by Thursday-Saturday evening cards starting at 5:55 p.m.

STAKES WINNER WARHEART LEADS COMPETITIVE FIELD OF 10 ENTERED IN TURFWAY PREVUE– DARRS, Inc.’s stakes winner Warheart leads an uber-competitive field of 10 newly turned 3-year-olds that entered Saturday night’s 30^th running of the $125,000 Turfway Prevue at Turfway Park Racing & Gaming.

Run at 6 ½ furlongs, the competitive lineup will head to post as Race 6 at 8:25 p.m., first post is 5:55 p.m.

Warheart enters the Turfway Prevue seeking his second-career stakes score following his commanding four-length victory in the Atlantic Beach Stakes on Nov. 1 during the Belmont at Aqueduct meet. Trained by Rodolphe Brisset, the gelded son of Omaha Beach has shown consistent form on turf, including a maiden-breaking triumph against 11 rivals at Kentucky Downs. Luan Machado will pilot Warheart from post No. 8.

Leading the opposition is Touchy, owned by Three Chimneys Farm and trained by Wesley Ward. The son of Nyquist impressed with a 3 ¾-length maiden victory at Keeneland over Mo Quality, who is entered in the Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn on Saturday. Hall of Fame jockey Joel Rosario will guide Touchy from the rail as he makes his debut on the Tapeta surface.

Another intriguing contender is the undefeated Star’s Image, co-owned by Patricia’s Hope and Knollwood Stables. Trained by Larry Rivelli, Star’s Image captured both of his career starts on turf at Fair Grounds, including a maiden special weight win on Nov. 22 followed by a first-level allowance victory three weeks later. Turfway Park’s Holiday Meet leading rider Gerardo Corrales will be aboard from post 2.

The field for the Turfway Prevue from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):