Encino, Caitlinhergrtness, Mink’s Palace, Joe Shiesty star in Synthetic Championships
Turfway Park stakes recaps by Kevin Kerstein. Coady Media photo above of Encino winning the Prairie Bayou
Winners’ interviews on Kentucky HBPA Youtube: Encino, Joe Shiesty, Mink’s Palace, Caitlinhergrtness
FLORENCE, Ky. (Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025) – Godolphin’s Encino seized control from the break and never looked back, powering to a gate-to-wire victory in Sunday’s 30thrunning of the $247,250 Prairie Bayou Stakes (Listed) on Synthetic Championships Day at Turfway Park Racing & Gaming.
The Prairie Bayou was Encino’s seventh-career victory and third win over the synthetic surface at Turfway Park. He was ridden by Flavien Prat for trainer Brad Cox.
Prat hustled Encino from gate No. 8 of 9 to establish position into the first turn. He set an opening quarter-mile in a composed :24.33 and half-mile in :47.95. Around the far turn, Horsepower, who was tracking a length behind Encino in second, attempted to cut into his lead but could not make up enough ground and ultimately finished 1 ½ lengths behind.
“He’s a very classy horse and clearly loves this racetrack,” Cox’s local assistant Trace Messina said. “It’s a quick run into the turn but Flavien did a great job to get from the outside to the rail. You could tell he was traveling very well the entire time.”
Cameo Performance, with Irad Ortiz Jr. in the irons, finished third. He was followed by Naptown, Wagstaff, Best Actor, Otago, Chiron and Surly Furious.
Encino earned $149,040 for his victory in the Prairie Bayou to boost his career mark to $801,710. A 4-year-old son of Nyquist, Encino is out of the Bernardini mare Glittering Jewel. He was bred in Kentucky by his owner.
Sent off as the heavy 3-5 favorite, Encino returned his backers $3.36.
Live racing at Turfway Park will resume Friday and Saturday for the last two days of the Holiday Meet. The Winter/Spring Meet will begin Thursday, Jan. 1.
For the latest information on racing and gaming from Turfway Park, visit www.turfway.com.
CAITLINHERGRTNESS PROVES MUCH THE BEST LATE IN $219,000 MY CHARMER PRESENTED BY CLAIBORNE FARM – WinStar Farm’s Caitlinhergrtness proved much the best as the 1-2 favorite in Sunday’s 37th running of the $219,000 My Charmer presented by Claiborne Farm at Turfway Park Racing & Gaming.
Flavien Prat rode Caitlinhergrtness for trainer Kevin Attard. She completed the one-mile distance in 1:36.74.
Breaking from the inside in the field of eight fillies and mares, Prat had Caitlinhergrtness forwardly positioned into the first turn where longshot Nanabush(ARG) took command through an opening quarter-mile in a composed :24.36. As the field entered the backstretch, Caitlinhergrtness was in third at the rail, to the inside ofShe’s Lookin Lucky, as the duo traveled a length behind Nanabush. Entering the far turn, 63-1 longshot Trial, with Irving Moncada in the saddle, loomed into contention while in the three path which forced Prat to go four-wide at the top of the lane. Inside the final eighth mile, Trial briefly took the lead but Caitlinhergrtness found her best stride and powered clear for a 1 ½-length victory.
Literate, who closed late up the rail, finished a neck behind Trial in third. She was followed by She’s Lookin Lucky, Next Up, Nanabush, Vina Arana (IRE), Queens Command (IRE).
Caitlinhergrtness paid $3.10 for the win. Trial returned $25.90 to place while Literate, under Irad Ortiz Jr., paid $3.46 to show.
Caitlinhergrtness is a 4-year-old daughter of Omaha Beach out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Belatrix. She was bred in Ontario by Jesse Korona.
With her victory in the My Charmer, Caitlinhergrtness became racing’s newest millionaire with earnings of $1,071,569. Her overall record stands at 17-6-4-2.
The My Charmer is part of the Claiborne Farm “Make Your Mare” series where the top three finishers will receive stallion credits to the famed farm on a $10,000-$5,000-$2,500 scale.
MINK’S PALACE GOES LAST-TO-FIRST IN $250,000 HOLIDAY INAUGURAL– Summerhill Stables’ Mink’s Palace stormed down the center of Turfway Park Racing & Gaming’s stretch to go from last-to-first in Sunday’s 39th running of the $250,000 Holiday Inaugural presented by Claiborne Farm.
Ridden by Holiday Meet leading jockey Walter Rodriguez for trainer Eddie Kenneally, Mink’s Palace completed six furlongs in a sharp 1:09.48.
The pace was hot early in the Holiday Inaugural with a four-way battle for the lead between Ms. Tart at the rail, Ellen Jay in the two path, Lithe Spirit three wide andCivetta four wide. While the quartet blitzed an opening quarter-mile in :21.93, Rodriguez and Mink’s Palace continued to bide their time in eighth until they reached the far turn. At the top of the stretch, Ms. Tart and Ellen Jay attempted to kick clear of 3-2 favorite Pondering, who loomed large in third. Mink’s Palace was fifth at the top of the stretch but Rodriguez positioned her into the six-path and was able to power home late for a 2 ¼-length victory.
Pondering, under Irad Ortiz Jr., closed late to finish second, a neck in front of Ms. Tart. They were followed by Lithe Spirit, Ellen Jay, Civetta, Uphill Dance and Shezafunkydrummer.
Sent off at odds of 12-1 Mink’s Palace returned $26.28.
Mink’s Palace earned her connections $150,280 for the victory to boost her career total to $657,078. It was the fifth win of her 15-race career.
Mink’s Palace is a 4-year-old daughter of Palace Malace out of the Scat Daddy mare Scattering Mink. She was bred by her owner.
The Holiday Inaugural is part of the Claiborne Farm “Make Your Mare” series where the top three finishers will receive stallion credits to the famed farm on a $10,000-$5,000-$2,500 scale.
On Thursday, the American Graded Stakes Committee notified Turfway Park that starting in 2026, the Holiday Inaugural would be upgraded to a Listed stakes.
JOE SHIESTY TURNS BACK HOWARD WOLOWITZ TO WIN $247,835 HOLIDAY CHEER – Foster Family Racing, Lonnie Reynolds, Vicki Mills and Donald Coomes’ Joe Shiesty turned back heavy favorite Howard Wolowitz to go gate-to-wire in Sunday’s 30th running of the $247,835 Holiday Cheer at Turfway Park Racing & Gaming.
Joe Shiesty, now a three-time winner over the synthetic surface at Turfway Park, was ridden to victory by Fernado De La Cruz for trainer Eric Foster. He completed six furlongs in 1:09.05.
Out of the starting gate, Joe Shiesty blasted to the early lead which forced Irad Ortiz Jr. to stalk in second aboard 1-5 favorite Howard Wolowitz. After a quarter-mile in :22.37 and half-mile in :45.18, Howard Wolowitz engaged Joe Shiesty to his outside and battled the entire length of the Turfway Park stretch but was held at bay by a head.
It was 2 ¾ lengths back to Script in third. He was followed by Lofty Adjudicator, Out On Bail, Lucky Score, Incinerator and Run Curtis Run.
Those who backed Joe Shiesty were rewarded with a $2 mutuel payout of $21.08.
The Holiday Cheer was the sixth overall victory for Joe Shiesty. The win earned his connections $150,280 to improve his overall total to $745,217.
Joe Shiesty is a 4-year-old gelded son of Air Force Blue out of the More Than Ready mare Ready to Unleash. He was bred in Kentucky by Rodney Orr.
