Gaffalione sweeps G1 double with Carl Spackler (Turf Mile), East Avenue (Breeders’ Futurity)

Stakes recaps from Keeneland’s Fall Stars Saturday by Keeneland publicity team. Coady Media/Keeneland/Jenny Doyle photo of Carl Spackler winning $1.25M Coolmore Turf Mile.

Carl Spackler (IRE) Scores Front-Running Victory in $1.25 Million
Coolmore Turf Mile (G1) on Fall Stars Saturday at Keeneland

Gina Romantica, East Avenue, Zeitlos, Our Shot capture other stakes

LEXINGTON, KY (Oct. 5, 2024) – e Five Racing Thoroughbreds’ favored Carl Spackler (IRE) went straight to the lead after the start and then held off a late bid from More Than Looks to post a 1-length victory in the 39th running of the $1.25 million Coolmore Turf Mile (G1) for 3-year-olds and up to win the richest race in Keeneland history.

Other Grade 1 winners on the 11-race program were Gina Romantica in the 27th running of the $750,000 First Lady Presented by UK HealthCare for fillies and mares and East Avenue in the 111th running of the $600,000 Claiborne Breeders Futurity for 2-year-olds.

Also capturing stakes on the sun-splashed afternoon were Zeitlos in the 44th running of the $350,000 Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) for fillies and mares and Our Shot in the 28th running of the $350,000 Woodford (G2) Presented by FanDuel for 3-year-olds and up.

In the Coolmore Turf Mile, Carl Spackler provided trainer Chad Brown with his 50th Keeneland stakes victory and first in the race. For jockey Tyler Gaffalione, it is his 30th Keeneland stakes victory and second in the race, having won in 2018 with Next Shares.

Carl Spackler outraced Talk of the Nation and Spirit of St Louis to the first turn and set comfortable fractions of :23.93 and :47.28. On the far turn, Carl Spackler began to open up on the field, hit the top of the stretch in complete control and had more than enough to hold off More Than Looks’ belated bid. He completed the mile in 1:34.23.

With the victory, Carl Spackler earned a spot in the starting gate for the $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) Presented by PDJF to be run Nov. 2 at Del Mar.

In winning his second consecutive Grade 1 race, Carl Spackler added $589,000 to his earnings that increased to $1,568,475 with a record of 10-7-1-0. He is a 4-year-old son of Lope de Vega out of the More Than Ready mare Zindaya.

Carl Spackler returned $4.14, $3 and $2.36. More Than Looks, ridden by Jose Ortiz, returned $3.92 and $2.70 and finished 1¼ lengths in front of Mountain Bear (IRE), who paid $4.64 to show under Chris Hayes.

It was another neck back to Running Bee with Spirit of St Louis, Kikkuli (GB), Cash Equity (FR), Talk of the Nation and Noises Off following in order.

Gina Romantica repeats in First Lady Presented by UK HealthCare

Peter Brant’s Gina Romantica roared past favored Ag Bullet at the eighth pole and coasted to a 2-length victory over stablemate Chili Flag (FR) to win the First Lady (G1) Presented by UK HealthCare.

Trained by Chad Brown and ridden by Jose Ortiz, Gina Romantica completed the mile over a firm turf course in 1:33.80. With the victory, she joins Uni (GB) as the only winners of the race in consecutive years. Uni won in 2019 and 2020.

Brown recorded his seventh consecutive victory in the race and eighth overall. His previous winners were Dayatthespa (2014), A Raving Beauty (GER) (2018), Uni, Blowout (GB) (2021) and In Italian (GB) (2022). For good measure, Fluffy Socks rallied for third to complete a Brown-trained trifecta.

Ag Bullet raced off to an uncontested lead with fractions of :22.81 and :46.01 as Ortiz gave Gina Romantica a ground-saving trip in third. At the top of the stretch, Gina Romantica came off the rail and took dead aim on Ag Bullet and blew past at midstretch.

A Keeneland sales graduate, Gina Romantica is a 5-year-old daughter of Into Mischief out of the Unbridled’s Song mare Special Me. It is her third Grade 1 victory with all of those wins coming at Keeneland beginning with the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Presented by Dixiana in 2022.

The victory was worth $430,125 and boosted her earnings to $1,786,228 with a record of 16-6-3-1.

Gina Romantica returned $8.84, $4.76 and $3.62. Chili Flag, ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, returned $5.74 and $3.52 and finished 2 lengths in front of Fluffy Socks, who paid $6.82 to show under Frankie Dettori.

It was another neck back to Ag Bullet, who was followed in order by Evvie Jets, Tarawa (IRE), Special Wan (IRE), Walkathon, Whitebeam (GB), Implicated and Safeen.

East Avenue survives objection to win Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity

Godolphin’s homebred East Avenue took the lead out of the gate and never trailed as he posted a 5 1/4-length victory over favorite Ferocious in the Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity.

Trained by Brendan Walsh and ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, East Avenue completed the 1 1/16 miles over a fast main track in 1:43.17. It is the second victory in the race for Walsh, who won with Maxfield in 2019.

With the victory, East Avenue earned a fees-paid berth into the $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance to be held at Del Mar on Nov. 1.

East Avenue was first out of the gate. In the run to the first turn to his inside, Ferocious and Optical exchanged bumps while in tight that led to an objection against the winner by the runner-up. With clear sailing, East Avenue quickly established a clear advantage in the field of 11 through fractions of :23.18, :46.76 and 1:11.20.

Dapper Moon raced in closest pursuit with Ferocious third until the far turn when Ferocious moved into second but was unable to threaten the winner.

East Avenue’s victory gave Godolphin a sweep of the weekend’s Grade 1 events for 2-year-olds as Immersive won the Darley Alcibiades the day before. The win was worth $348,750 and improved East Avenue’s earnings to $390,645.

East Avenue is a Kentucky-bred son of Medaglia d’Oro out of the Ghostzapper mare Dance Music.

Sent off as the second choice, East Avenue returned $7.56, $3.72 and $3.36. Ferocious, who was fractious in the gate and unseated Luis Saez, returned $2.88 and $2.56 and finished 4¼ lengths in front of Filoso, who paid $8.02 to show under John Velazquez.

It was another length back to Dapper Moon with Mesero, Tenacious Leader, Big Boat, Handsome Pants, Saratoga Cruiser, Ready for Peace and Optical following in order.

Zeitlos takes inside route to Thoroughbred Club of America victory

Stonestreet Stables and Peter Leidel’s Zeitlos cut the corner at the top of the stretch and drew off for a 2¾-length victory over Spirit Wind in the Thoroughbred Club of America (G2).

Trained by Steve Asmussen and ridden by Jose Ortiz, Zeitlos completed the 6 furlongs on a fast main track in 1:09.52. 

With the victory, Zeitlos earned a fees-paid berth into the $1 million PNC Bank Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) to be held at Del Mar on Nov. 2.

Clearly Unhinged led the field of six through an opening quarter-mile of :21.54 as Zeitlos was content at the back of the pack. On the far turn, Ortiz guided Zeitlos off the rail to pass Run for the Hills and then went back inside approaching the top of the stretch.

At the three-sixteenths pole, Zeitlos ducked to the inside of Clearly Unhinged to go after Spirit Wind, who had taken the lead. Zeitlos surged past at the eighth pole and coasted to her first graded stakes victory.

The victory was worth $214,288 and made Zeitlos a millionaire with earnings of $1,031,305 with a record of 16-8-4-1. A Keeneland sales graduate, Zeitlos is a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Curlin out of the Redoute’s Choice mare Thyme For Roses.

Zeitlos returned $9.46, $4.16 and $2.66. Spirit Wind, ridden by Mike Smith, returned $4.58 and $2.86 and finished 2½ lengths in front of favored Brightwork, who paid $2.58 to show under Luis Saez.

It was another 1½ lengths back to Clearly Unhinged, who was followed in order by Run for the Hills and Red Carpet Ready.

Our Shot gets first graded stakes victory in Woodford Presented by FanDuel

Gatsas Stables, Steven Schoenfeld and trainer John Terranova’s Our Shot hit the front at the 16th pole en route to a 1¾-length victory over Charcoal in the Woodford (G2) Presented by FanDuel.

Ridden by Luis Saez, Our Shot completed the 5½ furlongs over a firm turf course in 1:02.36 to post his first graded stakes victory. It is the second win in the race for Saez, who won on Leinster in 2020.

Our Shot got a ground-saving trip on the run down the backstretch as the quartet of Souper Quest, Coppola, Nobals and Foxtrotanna dueled on the front end. Approaching the stretch, Saez angled Our Shot off the inside and swung five-wide for a clear path and taking over in deep stretch.

Our Shot is a 5-year-old Pennsylvania-bred son of Kantharos out of the Northern Afleet mare Fleetheart. The victory was worth $169,725 and improved Our Shot’s earnings to $570,080 with a record of 19-6-4-1.

Second in this race last year, Our Shot returned $13.66, $7.44 and $5.02. Charcoal, ridden by Axel Concepcion, returned $17.66 and $10.64 and finished a neck ahead of defending champion Arzak, who paid $4.42 to show under Jaime Torres.

It was another nose back to Coppola, who was followed in order by One Timer and Nobals, who dead-heated for fifth, XY Speed, Souper Quest, Let My People Go, No Nay Hudson (IRE), Foxtrotanna and Gear Jockey.

*************************

Racing continues Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. ET with a 10-race program that features three stakes headlined by the $600,000 Juddmonte Spinster (G1) for fillies and mares. The Juddmonte Spinster is  a Breeders’ Cup Challenge race with the winner earning a fees-paid berth into the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) at Del Mar on Nov. 2.