Synthetic champions: Paros, Howard Wolowitz, Awesome Treat, Dana’s Beauty
Stakes recaps by Turfway Park publicist Kevin Kerstein (Coady Media/Devin Hall photo of #9 Paros winning the Prairie Bayou in track-record time)
PAROS SETS NEW TRACK RECORD IN PRAIRIE BAYOU TRIUMPH ON SYNTHETIC CHAMPIONSHIP NIGHT AT TURFWAY PARK
FLORENCE, Ky. (Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024) – Paradise Farm Corp.’s Paros etched his name into the record books, setting a new track record for 1 1/16 miles while holding off a late surge from Dresden Row to win Saturday’s 29thrunning of the $244,570 Prairie Bayou Stakes (Listed), the featured event of the Synthetic Championships at Turfway Park Racing & Gaming.
Ridden by Luis Saez for trainer Mike Maker, Paros stopped the clock in 1:42.22, besting the previous mark of 1:42.26 set by Cyber Secret in 2013.
In the early stages, Saez settled Paros in seventh, trailing the field as pacesetter Tremor set sharp fractions of :23.53 and :46.95. Approaching the three-eighths pole, Saez began to ask for more, guiding Paros to the outside and steadily gaining ground. Turning for home, Paros seized the lead but had to dig deep to repel a late bid from Dresden Row, who closed strongly along the rail under jockey Martin Garcia. At the wire, Paros prevailed by a head.
Hush of a Storm, ridden by Luan Machado, rallied late to finish third, followed by 6-5 favorite Wadsworth, Noises Off, Big Blue Line, Money Supply, Exaulted, Wonderful Justice (GB), Midnight West, Stilleto Boy and Tremor.
“I had a good trip and was able to relax off the pace,” Saez said. “Around the turn, we started passing horses, and he was very game late to hold on.”
At odds of 6-1, Paros returned $14.94, $7.20, and $4.10. Dresden Row paid $5.16 and $3.74, while Hush of a Storm returned $4.48 to show.
The Prairie Bayou marked the eighth win in 17 starts for Paros, a 4-year-old gelded son of Cairo Prince. His career earnings climbed to $495,596 with this record-setting performance.
Racing resumes at Turfway Park on Wednesday with a first post of 5:55 p.m. For more information about the Holiday Meet, visit www.turfway.com.
HOWARD WOLOWITZ JUST MISSES TRACK RECORD IN HOLIDAY CHEER VICTORY – Gold Square’s Howard Wolowitz returned to the winner’s circle on Saturday, edging past Run Carson in deep stretch to win the $249,670 Holiday Cheer Stakes, part of the Synthetic Championships at Turfway Park Racing & Gaming. The 3-year-old colt narrowly missed setting a track record, completing six furlongs in a swift 1:08.10, just 0.07 seconds off the mark.
Howard Wolowitz captured the first Grade 1 stakes in Kentucky Downs history in the $2 million, 6 1/2-furlong Franklin-Simpson against straight 3-year-olds on Sept. 7.
Ridden by Emisael Jaramillo for trainer Jose D’Angelo at Turfway, Howard Wolowitz settled into third early as Run Carson, piloted by Luis Saez, set sharp fractions of :21.47 and :43.60. Turning for home, Howard Wolowitz began closing into Run Carson’s lead and surged past inside the sixteenth pole to secure the victory by 1 ½ lengths.
“I saw this race come up after the Breeders’ Cup,” D’Angelo said. “I think anywhere between six furlongs and 6 ½ furlongs is perfect for him. He had a tough trip in the Breeders’ Cup but we were confident he’d handle the distance and knew he liked the Tapeta surface.”
Howard Wolowitz paid $6.36, $4.16, and $3.20. Run Carson returned $4.66 and $2.96, while One Timer, under E.T. Baird, finished third paying $2.84 to show.
Demolition Duke finished fourth followed by Manny Wah, Let’s Go Mark, Mo Stash, Shefflin, Dream Shake, Senbei and Dude N Colorado (GB).
The win marked the third victory in six starts for Howard Wolowitz, a Grade I winner whose earnings now stand at $1,349,960. The 3-year-old son of Munnings, out of the Uncle Mo mare Forget Me Not, was bred in Kentucky by Martha Buckner and Matthew Ernst.
AWESOME TREAT PULLS 37-1 UPSET IN HOLIDAY INAUGURAL – Longshot Awesome Treat stunned the field at odds of 37-1 in Saturday’s $249,715 Holiday Inaugural Stakes at Turfway Park, part of the Synthetic Championships.
Owned by Rakesh Sikand and Kumud Sikand, trained by Justin Wojczynski, and ridden by Sophie Doyle, the 6-year-old mare scored a 2 ¾ length victory in the Holiday Inaugural, covering six furlongs in a swift 1:08.76.
Awesome Treat tracked the early leaders Miss Arlington and B G Warrior while sitting fourth, just to the outside of Beauty of the Sea, through the early stages of the six-furlong race. As the pacesetters began to tire, Doyle urged Awesome Treat for her best run around the turn and she surged past the field, drawing clear by mid-stretch.
“It was a picture-perfect trip,” Doyle said. “I was a little worried around the turn because she was kind of leaning out. Once she got going down the lane she really took off.”
Another longshot, Bling, at 34-1, closed late under Luis Contreras to finish second, while Nice as Pie, under Luis Saez, settled for third.
Awesome Treat rewarded her backers with payouts of $76.56, $27.92 and $13.82. Bling returned $24.18 and $11.72 and Nice as Pie paid $3.24 to show.
Sunday Shoes finished fourth, followed by Upper Case, Night Kiss, Beauty of the Sea, Baby No Worries, Love Appeals, B G Warrior, A Game and Miss Arlington.
The Holiday Inaugural was Awesome Treat’s sixth career victory from 29 starts, increasing her lifetime earnings to $621,228 with Saturday’s $145,320 winner’s share.
A 6-year-old mare by Awesome Patriot out of the Tiz Wonderful mare Tiz a Treat, Awesome Treat was bred in Kentucky by her co-owner Kumud Sikand.
The Holiday Inaugural was part of the Claiborne Farm “Make Your Mare” series with the Top 3 finishers earning future stallion credits of $10,000, $5,000 and $2,500, respectively, to the famed farm.
FAVORED DANA’S BEAUTY GOES GATE-TO-WIRE IN MY CHARMER – Resolute Racing’s Dana’s Beautytook the field gate-to-wire in Saturday’s $249,800 My Charmer Stakes, one of four Synthetic Championship contests at Turfway Park Racing & Gaming.
Trained by Mike Maker and ridden by Luis Saez, Dana’s Beauty was sent to the early lead and dictated modest fractions of :25.01 and :49.09 for the 1 1/16-mile contest. Turning for home, Saez asked the 6-year-old mare for her best and she responded by extending her advantage. Down the stretch, Everland, under Abel Cedillo, made a late bid at the rail but could only manage second, while Ghostly Gal, ridden by Vincent Cheminaud, closed to finish third.
“She’s a very nice filly and it was a pretty straightforward race,” Saez said. “I let her break and she took me to the front. She really came home well.”
Dana’s Beauty returned $4.70, $2.70, and $2.36 for the victory. Everland paid $5.34 and $3.74 to place, and Ghostly Gal returned $3.42 to show.
It was another half-length back to Take a Stand followed by Cozee Rags, Forever Dixie, Here’s the Spider,Catmint and Canisy.
The My Charmer Stakes was Dana’s Beauty’s 11th career victory from 43 starts, boosting her record to 43-11-6-8 with purse earnings of $813,033.
The My Charmer was part of the Claiborne Farm “Make Your Mare” series with the Top 3 finishers earning future stallion credits of $10,000, $5,000 and $2,500, respectively, to the famed farm.
