Churchill Downs Recap and Quotes: 26th Claiming Crown

Nov 16, 2024

Laughing Boy crossed the finish line a half-length back of Surface to Air in Saturday’s $225,000 Claiming Crown Jewel at Churchill Downs – the most lucrative of eight starter allowance races on the day for the nation’s top claiming-level horses – but the 6-year-old son of Distorted Humor was awarded the first prize when Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation stewards disqualified Surface to Air to fourth place when it was deemed he cost Welaka a placing for interference inside the final furlong.

 

The Jewel, a 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds and up that raced for a claiming price of $35,000 or less in 2023-24, headlined Saturday’s 26th annual Claiming Crown, which was staged at Churchill Downs for the second time. Inaugurated in 1999 at Canterbury Park in Minnesota, the Claiming Crown showcases eight races with starter allowance conditions and a super-charged total of $1.1 million in prize money for some of the most competitive, blue-collar horses in the country.

 

Laughing Boy dictated the early pace and the led the field of nine older horses through fractions of :24.10, :49.58 and 1:14.25. Leaving the final turn, Welaka, between horses, and Surface to Air, with a three-wide move, drew even with Laughing Boy and the trio were set down for a battle down the stretch.

 

Surface to Air, ridden by Fernando Jara who is best known for riding Invasor (ARG) to victory in the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) at Churchill Downs and Jazil in the 2006 Belmont Stakes (GI), grabbed the lead with an eighth of a mile to run but shifted into the path of 47-1 longshot Welaka, who was third at the time, when Jara went to a right-handed crop.

 

Surface to Air stopped the teletimer in 1:50.47 for 1 1/8 miles over the fast track. Hurry Hurry closed from last to finish a neck back of the runner-up Laughing Boy and 1 ¼ lengths ahead of Welaka, who ended up fourth.

 

Following a stewards’ inquiry and a claim of foul by Welaka’s jockey Adam Beschizza, Surface to Air was placed behind Welaka and the others ahead of him were promoted one position on the podium.

 

Laughing Boy, ridden by Samuel Camacho Jr. and trained by David Jacobson, was awarded $127,000 for first and improved his record to 33-5-4-5—$500,738 for his owners Lawrence P. Roman and Jacobson. He paid $23.02, $9.78 and $8.14 at odds of 10-1.

 

“This race wasn’t originally on our plans but I saw he was eligible for it,” Jacobson said. “I wasn’t quite sure if I’d have him ready to go a mile-and-an-eighth. He ran a great race. It’s been the second time in three races he’s been placed first. Sometimes in racing it’s good to have some luck on your side.”

 

Hurry Hurry, ridden by Jose Ortiz, returned $4.88 and $2.76. Welaka paid $16.16 to show.

 

After Surface to Air was placed fourth, it was Guntown, mild 3-1 favorite Money Supply, Bourbon Day, Spoiler and Auto Glide to complete the order of finish. General Mathis, Winston Wolf, Beyond Best, Gilded Craken and Big Dreaming were scratched.

 

Laughing Boy is out of the Congrats mare Applauding and was bred in Kentucky by Imagine.

 

Also on the Claiming Crown card:

 

Estela Garcia’s Delaware invader and 5-year-old gelding King of Hollywood ($30.14) edged 8-5 favorite Freedom Road by a neck to win $111,460 Iron Horse Kent Stirling Memorial under jockey Jorge Gonzalez for trainer Daniel Siculietano. It was King of Hollywood’s seventh win in 14 starts this year.
Tommy Town Thoroughbreds LLC (Tommy Stull)’s 6-year-old mare Ghostly Gal ($10.30) ran down 3-5 favorite Dana’s Beauty in the final strides to win the $170,834 Tiara by a head. Vincent Cheminaud rode the winner for trainer Wayne Catalano. Ghostly Gal has now won three races in a row.
Florida-based 5-year-old gelding Concrete Glory ($4.46), the 6-5 favorite owned by Big Frank Stable (Nikki Rupolo) and trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., led all the way in the $108,503 Ready’s Rocket Express and drew away in the stretch to defeat Charter Oak by 7 ½ lengths. Luis Saez replaced Tyler Gaffalione in the saddle after Gaffalione was unseated by 2-year-old Shadow Coast shortly after the start of Saturday’s third race. Gaffalione complained of hip and back pain and was transported to UofL Hospital for further evaluation.
California’s Jubilant Joanie ($5.74), the 9-5 favorite, wore down the Cal-bred filly Majestic Oops in deep stretch to win the $108,000 Glass Slipper by a neck. Rey Guttierez rode the 4-year-old filly to victory for owners Darren Carraway, Denise De Quevedo and Jeff Mullins, who also is the trainer. Jubilant Joanie, who won for the fifth time in nine starts this year, was claimed for $20,000 at Del Mar in early September.
Locally based Voodoo Zip ($69.52) had good juju in the $172,766 Canterbury Tom Metzen Memorial when the Juan Cano-owned and trained 7-year-old gelding ran down Spycraft in deep stretch of the 5 ½-furlong turf sprint to win by 1 ¼ lengths and score a 33-1 surprise under Francisco Arrieta.
The husband-and-wife team of jockey Chris Emigh and trainer Brittany Vanden Berg scored a thrilling win in the $136,582 Rapid Transit when 6-year-old Pennsylvania-bred gelding Like a Saltshaker ($28.64) prevailed by a head in a shoulder-to-shoulder stretch battle with Keen Cat. Like a Saltshaker, owned by Marisco Brothers Racing comprised of Jonathon J., Louis J. Jr., Louis J. III and Michael J. Marisco, won for the fifth time in 10 starts this year.
Anthony Rogers’ 3-year-old Florida-bred Echo Lane ($27.04), claimed for $25,000 last December and recent runner-up in the Virginia Derby (GIII), grabbed the lead at the top of the stretch in the $189,105 Emerald and turned back a late run by 4-5 favorite Sugoi to win the 1 1/16-mile turf race by a half-length. Luis Saez rode the winner for trainer Rohan Crichton.
EMERALD QUOTES

 

Rohan Crichton (trainer, Echo Lane, winner): “We knew it would be a tough race going into it but he was training so well. It is always so nice to have a plan and the plan working out. It’s been great to have horses here in Kentucky with the big purses. I’m excited to have more horses run here.”

 

JEWEL QUOTES

 

Samuel Camacho Jr. (jockey, Laughing Boy, winner): “This horse tries so hard every time. I knew down the lane he would be tough. I tried to make sure he could see the horses to his outside and he dug in like usual.”

 

David Jacobson (trainer, Laughing Boy, winner): “This race wasn’t originally on our plans but I saw he was eligible for it. I wasn’t quite sure if I’d have him ready to go a mile-and-an-eighth. He ran a great race. It’s been the second time in three races he’s been placed first. Sometimes in racing it’s good to have some luck on your side.”

 

RAPID TRANSIT QUOTES

 

Chris Emigh (jockey, Like a Saltshaker, winner): “We wanted to break on the lead and ended up breaking a little slow. It didn’t really make that big of a difference. This horse always tries so hard. It turned into quite the horse race down the lane and I thought I was able to get in front of the wire but didn’t know right away. He’s always been so tough in these starter races and was able to show it against the best today.”

 

CANTERBURY TOM METZEN MEMORIAL QUOTES

 

Juan Cano (trainer, Voodoo Zip, winner): “This is an unbelievable day and I’m so lucky to have the horses to compete on this day. I claimed him back at Turfway this winter and hoped I could get to this day. I’m so grateful it worked out.”

 

GLASS SLIPPER QUOTES

 

Jeff Mullins (trainer, Jubilant Joanie, winner): “She stretched to a mile earlier this summer and we knew she’d like the distance today for this race. We knew she belonged in this spot. We got lucky and shared a spot on a plane to get here from California. The last time I ran in the Claiming Crown it was at Canterbury. So, it’s been a while, but we had the right horse today.”

 

READY’S ROCKET EXPRESS QUOTES

 

Frank Rupolo (owner, Concrete Glory, winner): “Once this horse gets the lead by himself, no one is catching him. I had Tyler (Gaffalione) named on him to ride first but we got Luis (Saez) and he rode a perfect race. This was his first start here at Churchill and that was about as impressive as you can get.”

 

TIARA QUOTES

 

Vincent Cheminaud (jockey, Ghostly Gal, winner): “She’s a very nice mare and kept trying the entire stretch today to get the job done. It’s great to be back here in Kentucky and getting opportunities like this.”

 

Wayne Catalano (trainer, Ghostly Gal, winner): “I’m very blessed to train nice mares like this one. She was impressive winning last time and thought she’d be very live today and ran to our expectations. I love having the Claiming Crown here in Kentucky. We’ll probably keep Ghostly Gal here for the (Dec. 14) My Charmer Stakes at Turfway Park.”

 

IRON HORSE KENT STERLING MEMORIAL QUOTES

 

Jorge Gonzalez (jockey, King of Hollywood, winner): “My plan was to send my horse to the lead. When he broke it was perfect and went right to the lead. Turning for home I knew my horse was running great. I’m so happy being my first time at Churchill Downs winning this race.”