Churchill Downs Stakes Recaps & Quotes: River City, Bet On Sunshine and Dream Supreme

Nov 13, 2022 Churchill Downs Communications

Hozier, owned by Ted Nixon’s Storyteller Racing, went straight to the front and never looked back while winning Sunday’s $292,500 River City at Churchill Downs by 3 ½ lengths over Starting Over.

The River City, which was not staged in 2020-21, returned to the Churchill Downs stakes schedule this year but was switched from turf to dirt because of wet conditions on the grass course following Saturday morning snow showers.

Hozier, who had back class on the dirt including a second-place finish in last year’s Rebel (Grade II), broke well from the rail and dictated the terms in the field of seven horses through comfortable fractions of :24.05, :48.05 and 1:13.59 as Starting Over tracked one length back in second. Starting Over drew even with Hozier off the final turn but jockey Julien Leparoux hadn’t asked Hozier for his best run and the 4-year-old gelding kicked clear down the lane for the easy win in 1:51.67 for 1 1/8 miles.

Hozier, trained by Rodolphe Brisset, returned mutuels of $11.90, $7.22 and $4.08 as the 9-2 third betting choice. Starting Over, at 14-1 under Adam Beschizza, paid $10.86 and $4.36. It was another 2 ½ lengths back in third to In Love (BRZ) under Gerardo Corrales, who paid $3.42 to show.

English Tavern, Pixelate, 6-5 favorite Militarist and Rupp N Ready completed the order of finish. Beatbox, Cellist, Max K.O., Street Ready, Accredit, Set Piece (GB) and Field Pass were scratched.

The first stakes victory for Hozier was worth $181,900 and increased his earnings to $585,910. He boasts a record of 4-4-1 in 18 starts.

“He has some good speed and with all of the early scratches he was able to take advantage of that and get the lead early,” Leparoux said. “Rodolphe told me he can be a tricky horse to ride sometimes but he ran great today. He drug me around there and finished up well in the stretch.”

Hozier, a son of Pioneerof the Nile out of the Henny Hughes mare Merry Meadow, was bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm.

“He ran a great race today and was able to settle well on the front end,” Brisset said. “It was a really big race for him and now we’ll take him back home, see how he comes out of it and see what options we have next either dirt or turf.”

RIVER CITY QUOTES

Julien Leparoux (jockey, Hozier, winner)– “He has some good speed and with all of the early scratches he was able to take advantage of that and get the lead early. Rodolphe (Brisset) told me he can be a tricky horse to ride sometimes but he ran great today. He drug me around there and finished up well in the stretch.”

Rodolphe Brisset (trainer, Hozier, winner)– “He ran a great race today and was able to settle well on the front end. It was a really big race for him and now we’ll take him back home, see how he comes out of it and see what options we have next either dirt or turf.”

CHURCHILL DOWNS-LOVING BANGO WINS $300,000 BET ON SUNSHINE

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Sunday, Nov. 13, 2022) – Tamaroak Partners’ classy sprinter Bango overcame traffic trouble along the inside rail in mid-stretch before he shifted out to get a clear run and overhaul leader Sibelius in deep stretch to win Sunday’s 14^th running of the $299,750 Bet On Sunshine (Listed) at Churchill Downs by three-quarters of a length.

Ridden by Tyler Gaffalione for trainer Greg Foley, Bango ran six furlongs in 1:10.00 over a fast track to collect his ninth win in 16 starts at Churchill Downs – just two victories back of the documented modern-day record of 11 set by Ready’s Rocket between 2008-12.

The win was worth $178,800 and improved Bango’s career earnings to $947,715 with a record of 11-1-2 in 27 starts. Earlier this year, Bango won the $199,833 Aristides (Listed) at Churchill Downs for the second year in a row. He won Sunday’s stakes event 51 days after winning an allowance/optional claiming race at Churchill Downs on Sept. 23.

Silbelius broke alertly from the outside but Top Gunner pressed right to the front from the inside and led the field of nine horses through a first quarter mile in :21.60 as Bango racing in seventh behind a second flight of horses. Sibelius drew even with Top Gunner leaving the half-mile in :44.84 as Bango ranged into contention along the rail. Top Gunner maintained his position and Bango had nowhere to go. After checking while approaching the eighth-pole, Bango swung out to the three-path as Sibelius took over and surged to victory once clear.

“I let him get settled behind the speed and we couldn’t quite get by on the inside and I had to switch him out late and he spurted clear,” Gaffalione said. “He loves this track and ran big.”

Bango survived an objection by jockey James Graham aboard eventual fifth-place finisher Surveillance. Kentucky Horse Racing Stewards dismissed Graham’s claim that he was interfered when Bango swung out with a furlong to run.

“I didn’t really know about the objection until I was about to bring him into the winner’s circle,” Foley said. “His record talks for itself, he loves it here at Churchill. He’s two away from reaching the record of 11 wins at the track. We’ll be back next year to hopefully get it.”

Bango returned $5.06, $3.28 and $2.44 as the 3-2 favorite. Sibelius, the 3-1 second betting choice under Junior Alvarado, paid $4.16 and $3.44. Top Gunner, ridden by Rey Gutierrez, was another 1 ½ lengths back in third and paid $4.26 to show.

Kavod, Surveillance, Mucho, Long Range Toddy, Williston Way and Torontotoro completed the order of finish. Miles Ahead, who was vying for favoritism with Bango minutes before the race, was scratched at the gate by the state veterinarian.

Bango is a 5-year-old son of Congrats out of the Smart Strike mare Josaka. He was bred in Kentucky by his owners Fred and Debbie Schwartz.

BET ON SUNSHINE QUOTES

Tyler Gaffalione (jockey, Bango, winner)– “I let him get settled behind the speed and we couldn’t quite get by on the inside and I had to switch him out late and he spurted clear. He loves this track and ran big.”

Greg Foley (trainer, Bango,winner)– “I didn’t really know about the objection until I was about to bring him into the winner’s circle. His record talks for itself, he loves it here at Churchill. He’s two away from reaching the record of 11 wins at the track. We’ll be back next year to hopefully get it.”

COPPELIA WINS $300,000 DREAM SUPREME AT CHURCHILL DOWNS

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Sunday, Nov. 13, 2022) – Richard Rigney’s Coppelia sat just off the right hip of pacesetter Palm Cottage, took the lead leaving the final turn and kicked clear in the stretch to win Sunday’s 17^th running of the $300,000 Dream Supreme (Listed) at Churchill Downs by 2 ¾ lengths over Joyful Cadence. Multiple graded stakes winner Sconsin, in her final career race, finished third.

Ridden by Martin Garcia for trainer Phil Bauer, Coppelia ran six furlongs over a fast track in 1:09.90.

It was Coppelia’s first career stakes win.

“We wanted to see how she could handle things against the big girls and she proved she belongs right with them,” Bauer said. “This is huge for this filly being only 3-years-old and being black type. She’s always trained well and has really put things together recently.”

Coppelia broke sharply from the gate but Palm Cottage quickly took over and led the field of six fillies and mares down the backstretch through a first quarter mile in :21.94. When Coppelia took command at the top of the stretch, she clocked a half mile in :45.69 as Joyful Cadence, the slight 2-1 favorite, and Sconsin, also at 2-1, loomed boldly from the outside. Coppelia, however, spurted clear in the stretch when she was asked for her best run by Garcia and drew away for the victory.

“We sat a great trip near the lead and she just keeps getting better,” Garcia said. “I think she’s only going to get better next year.”

The win was worth $183,450 and improved Coppelia’s career earnings to $390,201 with a record of 4-2-0 in 14 starts.

Prior to the Dream Supreme, Coppelia was a four-length winner of a second-level allowance at Keeneland on Oct. 26.

Coppelia returned $6.90, $4.20 and $2.92 as the 2-1 third betting choice. Joyful Cadence, under Rey Gutierrez, paid $3.44 and $2.52. Sconsin, with Tyler Gaffalione up, was another 5 ½ lengths back in third and paid $2.60 to show. Club Car, Sharp Hero and Palm Cottage completed the order of finish.

Coppelia is a 4-year-old daughter of Not This Time out of the Mineshaft mare Crespano and was bred in Kentucky by Gabriel Duigan & Crosshaven Bloodstock.

Sconsin, a winner in five of her 12 starts at Churchill Downs, earned $29,750 for her third-place finish and concluded her career with a record of 21-6-5-3—$1,020,287. She has a date to be bred to 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner.

“She’s headed to be a mom and I know she’ll be a great mom,” said Sconsin’s trainer Greg Foley. “I’ll miss her a lot at the barn. She’s a tremendous mare and has given us so many thrills. I can’t wait to train her babies. I can tell you between her and Gun Runner her first one should be really good looking.”

The Dream Supreme is named after the six-time graded stakes winner who won the Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs in 2001. Trained by Bill Mott, Dream Supreme won two Grade I sprints in her 16-race career and earned $1,007,680 between 1999-2001.

DREAM SUPREME QUOTES

Martin Garcia (jockey, Coppelia, winner)– “We sat a great trip near the lead and she just keeps getting better. I think she’s only going to get better next year.”

Phil Bauer (trainer, Coppelia,winner)– “We wanted to see how she could handle things against the big girls and she proved she belongs right with them. This is huge for this filly being only 3-years-old and being black type. She’s always trained well and has really put things together recently.”

Greg Foley (trainer, Sconsin,third)– “She’s headed to be a mom and I know she’ll be a great mom. I’ll miss her a lot at the barn. She’s a tremendous mare and has given us so many thrills. I can’t wait to train her babies. I can tell you between her and Gun Runner her first one should be really good looking.”