Connect with us

Kentucky

English Channel Filly Crushes Rivals at Kentucky Downs

Published

on

English Channel Filly Crushes Rivals at Kentucky Downs


This column highlights the performances of maidens who have made no more than five starts and who either sold for more than $500,000 at public auction, have siblings that are grade/group winners, or have dams that are grade/group winners. BloodHorse research shows maiden winners, in particular, who meet these criteria are more likely to go on to be graded stakes winners.

Kentucky Downs

It took four starts for everything to click for Smooth Waves , but when it did, she was akin to a tsunami force rocking through the hills of Kentucky Downs. The 2-year-old daughter of the late English Channel thrived over the European-style turf course, bidding adieu to her rivals around the far turn and romping to a 9 1/4-length victory Sept. 10.

Smooth Waves’ older full brother, the 2019 Virginia Derby (G3T) hero English Bee , was a hard-luck second at Kentucky Downs 11 days earlier in the $349,167 Tapit Stakes. English Bee and Smooth Waves were both bred by Calumet Farm, where English Channel stood before his death in 2021.

While 7-year-old English Bee runs for the silks of Calumet for trainer Graham Motion, Smooth Waves is campaigned by Three Diamonds Farm. She was sold for $90,000 to Grassroots Training and Sales as a yearling at the 2022 Keeneland September Sale.

Sign up for

Although Smooth Waves failed to hit the board in her first three starts for trainer Mike Maker, her speed figures were generally improving the farther she ran. Fifth in a 1 1/16-mile turf maiden special weight at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 6, she was prepared for full flight this time in the $157,000 maiden event at Kentucky Downs. Contested at a mile, which is arguably closer to 1 1/16 miles or 1 1/8 miles over the arduous hilly course, Smooth Waves chased the leader in second early before taking command at the six-furlong marker. Bounding to the wire with no one in sight except jockey Tyler Gaffalione on her back, she swept under the wire in a final time of 1:36.05.

BloodHorse Maiden Watch
Notable  2-year-old maiden winners for week of Sept. 4-Sept. 10
Date Track Race Horse Sire Dam Start Maiden Watch eligibility criteria
9/6 IND 3 Abeyance American Pharoah Antipathy 2 Dam is a G3SW
9/7 CNL 5 Independenceavenue Mr Speaker Off the Road 2 Dam is a G1SW
9/8 CNL 2 Betsylicious Omaha Beach Miss Behaviour 1 Dam is a G2SW
9/8 DMR 2 Soho City of Light Keri Belle 1 Dam is a G3SW; $625K Yearling
9/10 KD 2 Smooth Waves English Channel Evil Kitten  4 Full Sibling to G3SW English Bee
9/10 KD 7 Lagynos Kantharos Steamy 1 Half Sibling to G3SW Vision Perfect
9/10 DMR 5 Formidable Man City of Light Fanticola 1 Dam is a G2SW





Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Kentucky

Otega Oweh setting the tone is a key factor in his hot start to the season

Published

on

Otega Oweh setting the tone is a key factor in his hot start to the season


Kentucky basketball is through its first four games of the season, coming off a blowout 97-68 victory over Lipscomb on Tuesday. The Wildcats have the type of team were any given night, a different player may step up in the stat sheet. Through these four games, though, the most consistent has been Otega Oweh, who has been near the top of the stat sheet in every game so far.

Last game out, Oweh had 14 points on 5-6 shooting, 4 rebounds, an assist, and 2 blocks. Mark Pope spoke with the media ahead of Kentucky’s matchup with Jackson State on Friday, and he said a key part of Oweh’s hot start to the season is his “knack” for really setting the tone to start games and help Kentucky come out strong, which will be crucial when the opponents get tougher.

“Otega (Oweh) has been unbelievable. I don’t know if he’s the headline guy of any game, but he’s the best player in every game almost, give or take. He gets us off to unbelievable starts. Man, he has a knack to start the game. It’s been brilliant, actually. He has an impact. His conditioning has gotten better and better. He’s not getting fatigued on the floor. He’s understanding us better. He’s making a defensive impact. …Otega’s been incredible. I’m so proud of him. He might not have been the most highly heralded guy coming in in this portal class, but he’s been beautiful with his teammates. He’s been really mature about taking advantage of every opportunity he’s given and earning them. He’s grown immensely since the summer.”

– Pope on Otega Oweh’s hot start.

Oweh has been electric in Kentucky’s backcourt, and will be absolutely important in the team’s success throughout the season, especially with his hot starts to games to begin the season.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Kentucky

Kentucky vs. Texas Injury Report: Things stay the same

Published

on

Kentucky vs. Texas Injury Report: Things stay the same


We are less than 48 hours away from the Kentucky Wildcats kicking off their week 13 matchup with the Texas Longhorns in Austin.

In what is going to be a tough matchup for the Cats, but for the first time this season the Cats will be the closest to healthy as they have been all season. Now it will feature some big players that will miss the marquee matchup with the Longhorns, but it appears the Cats could return some key players.

In tonight’s update, the UK staff had the report hold the same as Courtland Ford and Kahlil Saunders remain questionable and JJ Weaver stays in a probable status.

The Cats will need all the help they can get this weekend if they hope to pull off the upset. Adding a player back like Weaver to the defense can only help the Cats’ chances of a monster road upset.

Advertisement



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Kentucky

Drone Shows Wintry Mist in Southern Kentucky

Published

on

Drone Shows Wintry Mist in Southern Kentucky


Stormy conditions hit east of Somerset, Kentucky, on Thursday, November 21, as scattered showers passed through the region. Footage filmed and posted to X by Johnnie Nicholson shows fog and wintry precipitation shrouding an area east of Somerset on Thursday. Three rounds of precipitation are expected to move through the region on Thursday and Friday, according to a local news outlet. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the first measurable snow of the season is forecast for parts of eastern Kentucky on Friday as well. Credit: Johnnie Nicholson via Storyful



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending