Kirkwood Stables: GRADUATES NEWS

8/3/08 - COOL COAL MAN, c. 3 Mineshaft - Coral Sea, by Rubiano ran a good third in the Haskell G1 behind Big Brown and stable mate Coal Play. Early this year he scored convincingly in the Fountain of Youth (G2). Most recently he won the Spend a Buck Stakes at Monmouth. He was prepared for racing and offered by Kip Elser at Calder 2007. He is owned by Robert V. LaPenta and was bred by W. S. Farrish and the E. J. Hudson Jr. Irrecovable Trust et al.
Lifetime: 11-5-1-1 $449,531

8/2/08 - It was quite a day at tracks across the country for Kirkwood prepared horses! In the north, AKRONISM, f. 4, Not For Love - Jerry Bomb, by Explosive Bid scored in the ROYAL NORTH S. (Can-G3) for owner/breeder Robert S. Evans. Akronism is trained by Tim Ritchey. She zipped 6 furlongs on the turf in 1:07 and change and has now earned $431,496 . She has pushed her earnings to $122,209.

Down the road at Saratoga, SW SWEET HOPE, f. 3, Lemon Drop Kid - High Heeled Hope by Salt Lake ran second in the TEST (G1) behind Indian Blessing. She is owned by High Bank Syndicate and was bred by Castleton Lyons & Kilboy Estate Inc. (Ky.). Her trainer is J. Larry Jones.

Farther south still, at Monmouth, Sky Haven, f. 2 Sky Mesa- Shouldn't We All by Woodman ran second in the COLLEEN S. in her second start. She is owned by Elite Racing Partners LLC and was bred by B: Daniel M Ryan. She is trained by Steve Asmussen.

In the middle of the country at Arlington Park, , Lemon Spice, c. 3, Langfuhr - Lemon Haze by Distant View won an allowance race for owner/breeder Mt Joy Stables. He is trained by Dallas Stewart.

7/27/08 - Kirkwood prepared You and I Forever c. 3, A.P. Indy - You, by You and I ran a good second in the HENRY WALTON S. at Saratoga for owner/breeder Edmund A. Gann and trainer William I. Mott. He lost by a neck and was over 12 lengths ahead of the third horse.

7/26/08 - Kirkwood prepared Dynaforce m. 5, Dynaformer - Aletta Maria, by Diesis (GB) was recently returned to the US from France. First she rewarded her owner/breeder Dr. John A. Chandler (Ky.) with a second in the NEW YORK S. (G2) at Belmont Park. She was gaining on the winner and lost by a short neck. Most recently she was second in the Diana G1 at Saratoga. This mare has been off the board only once in her career.
Lifetime:9 -3-3-2 $251,505

7/16/08 - Kirkwood prepared Moral Compass, c, 3 Grand Slam - Affair With Aflair, by Well Decorated ran second in the Oceanside S on opening day at Del Mar. Earlier this year he ran a close third in the BULLEIT BOURBON PALM BEACH S. (G3) going 9 furlongs on the turf. He is owned by North Shore Racing and was bred by Castleton Lyons & Kilboy Estate Inc.
Lifetime:11 -2-3 -4 $140,290

July 13, 2008 was a productive day for Kirkwood prepared fillies at DELAWARE PARK

In the million dollar plus DELAWARE H.-GII, Lemon Drop Mom, f, 4, Lemon Drop Kid - Return of Mom, by Deputy Minister ran second for owner-breeder Robert S Evans (KY) and added $200,000 to her bankroll.
Lifetime: 18 6-2-2 $476,945

On the same day, SW AKRONISM, f. 4, Not For Love - Jerry Bomb, by Explosive Bid ran third in the LIGHT HEARTED S. at Delaware Park. Recently she scored in the SKIPAT S. for owner/breeder Robert S. Evans.
lifetime: 19 7-2-3 $343,872

6/22/08 - Kirkland prepared and sold SWEET HOPE, f. 3, Lemon Drop Kid - High Heeled Hope by
Salt Lake won the BEAUTIFUL DAY S. at Delaware Park zipping 6 furlongs in 1:09.47. She is owned by High Bank Syndicate and was bred by Castleton Lyons & Kilboy Estate Inc. (Ky.). Her trainer is J. Larry Jones.
Lifetime: 10-3-0-2, $72,209.
She was a $320,000 2007 KEEAPR purchase.

6/210/08 - Kirkwood prepared Dynaforce m. 5, Dynaformer - Aletta Maria, by Diesis (GB) was recently returned to the US from France. She rewarded her owner/breeder Dr. John A. Chandler (Ky.) with a second in the NEW YORK S. (G2) at Belmont Park. She was gaining on the winner and lost by a short neck.

In the Spend a Buck Stakes, one of Monmouth's prep races for the $1 million Haskell Invitational (G1) on Aug. 3, Robert LaPenta's COOL COAL MAN regained his winning ways, out dueling Atoned through the stretch for a hard-fought neck victory.

The winner, trained by Nick Zito and ridden by Eddie Castro, raced the mile and 70 yards over a fast track in 1:41 4/5 and returned $3.60, $2.20 and $2.10 across the board as the 4-5 favorite in the field of five 3-year-olds.

Atoned, second choice at 6-5, paid $2.40 and $2.20 and completed the $5.40 exacta. Chirac held third, nearly six lengths behind the top pair, and paid $2.80 to show.

This was the first win for Cool Coal Man since he took the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park in February. After that, he was a well-beaten ninth in the Blue Grass Stakes and then ran a dismal 15th in the Kentucky Derby.

This was the fifth lifetime win in 10 starts for Cool Coal Man, a bay son of Mineshaft. Even though it was a dry racetrack, the colt wore front mud caulks.

Cobra Strike set all the early pace, with Cool Coal Man sitting to his outside and Atoned content to follow along the rail. At the quarter pole, the winner made his move to the lead. At the same time, Atoned gunned up along the inside. The two hooked up in early stretch and dueled to the wire, with Cool Coal Man proving best.

"He broke sharply out of the gate and got good early position," said Castro, who was aboard for the first time. "I just kept him on the outside in the clear because I didn't want to get in any trouble. I sat with him down the backside and waited. When I asked him, he just exploded, and then stayed tough through the lane."
Lifetime: 10 5-1 $349,531

At Colonial Downs, Kirkwood prepared True Blue Fingers, g. 3, Van Nistelrooy - Boltin' Bride by Runaway Groom was second in the John D Marsh S. He is owned by Eric Fein and was bred by Anne N Tucker & Deborah A Easter.
Lifetime: 14 1-2-1 $32,003

6/12/08 - Kirkwood sales graduate SKY HAVEN, f. 2, Sky Mesa - Shouldn't We All by Woodman, who was purchased for $150,000 at KEEAPR ( hip 58 ), was bet down to 3-5 in this four-horse field. The filly ducked in a bit at the start, but recovered to race in second. She took over turning for home and drew off to post a seven-length debut success. She is owned by Elite Racing Company, was bred by Daniel M Ryan (PA), and is trained by Steven M Asmussen.
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $30,000.

6/6/08 - Moral Compass c. 3, Grand Slam - Affair With Aflair, by Well Decorated ran third in the HILL PRINCE S. (G3) at Belmont Park going a flat mile on the turf in 1:35.03. Bred by Castleton Lyons & Kilboy Estate Inc. ,he was prepared by Kirkwood for owner North Shore Racing, (Ky.).
Lifetime: 10 2-2-4 $123,030

5/31/08 - Kirkwood prepared Smooth Air glides to clear victory in Ohio Derby at Thistledown
Courtesy of the Thoroughbred Times Today
Mike Curry

Hutcheson Stakes (G2) winner Smooth Air powered past Cherokee Artist in early stretch and surged clear to a convincing four-length win in the $300,000 Ohio Derby (G2) on Saturday at Thistledown. The Smooth Jazz colt rebounded strongly from an unplaced finish on May 3 at Churchill Downs in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1), in which Smooth Air broke in the air and was steadied twice in the early stages of the 11⁄4-mile classic.

“If somebody said last year that we’d go to the Kentucky Derby, then win the Ohio Derby, I’d have told them they were crazy,” winning trainer Bennie Stutts Jr. said. “This is the proudest of my life.”

Mount Joy Stables’ Smooth Air settled into an ideal stalking position under Manoel Cruz in the 11⁄8-mile Ohio Derby as Celtic Meal set a solid pace through an opening quarter in :22.52 and a half-mile in :46.34. Cherokee Artist was positioned in second by Jeremy Rose on the backstretch with Smooth Air racing comfortably in third as the field bunched up approaching the final turn. Cherokee Artist quickly overpowered the fading pacesetter on the turn and seized command approaching the stretch as Smooth Air hit his best stride and Grade 3 winner Z Fortune rallied into contention.

Smooth Air accelerated smoothly in the stretch and drove past runner- up Cherokee Artist with a visually impressive turn of foot. He built a clear advantage at the eighth pole and streaked to a comfortable win in 1:50.26 on a track rated as fast.

5/19/08 - Grade 2 winner and Kirkwood prepared Smooth Air (Smooth Jazz) breezed one-mile in 1:45.80 on Sunday in preparation for the $300,000 Ohio Derby (G2) on May 31 at Thistledown.

Trained by Bennie Stutts Jr., Smooth Air finished 11th in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) on May 3 after a runner-up finish to Derby winner Big Brown (Boundary) in the Florida Derby (G1) on March 29 at Gulfstream Park.

The bay colt is scheduled to be shipped to Arlington Park today to continue preparations for the 11⁄8-mile Ohio Derby prior to being shipped to Thistledown.

A Mount Joy Stables homebred, Smooth Air won the Hutcheson Stakes (G2) in his sophomore debut on January 5 at Gulfstream. Churchill Downs

5/17/08 -On Preakness day, STEVIL ran a creditable 5th to BIG BROWN but two other Kirkwood prepared horses won stakes on the same day for owner/breeder Robert S. Evans, one at Pimlico. AKRONISM, f. 4, Not For Love - Jerry Bomb, by Explosive Bid scored in the SKIPAT S. for owner/breeder Robert S. Evans. She zipped 6 furlongs in a very spritely 1:09.76.
Lifetime: 17-7-2-2, $328,372

Up the road at Delaware Park, LEMON DROP MOM, f. 4, Lemon Drop Kid - Return of Mom, by
Deputy Minister won the WINTER MELODY S. Both fillies are trained by Timothy F. Ritchey.
Lifetime: 16-6-1-1, $260,445.

5/16/08 -SW SIR WHIMSEY, prepared by Kirkwood Stables, ran third in the PIMPLICO SPECIAL G1. Last out he was third in the G3 Ben Ali S. at Keeneland. He is a homebred for Chance Farm, Va. Before that, he scored a game win in the Gulfstream Park Handicap (G2).
Lifetime: 15-4-3-3, $398,543.

5/13/08 - Kirkwood prepared STEVIL a roan son of Maria’s Mon, left a solid impression in his final workout at Churchill Downs the morning of May 13, breezing four furlongs in :47.80 under exercise rider Megan Smillie over a fast surface. It was the sixth-fastest work of 61 runners at the distance.

“It was pretty nice, and he galloped out real nice,’’ said trainer Nick Zito, who will be saddling his 19th Preakness starter, a number that ties him for second all-time with the legendary Max Hirsch. Only D. Wayne Lukas (32) has run more horses in the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown.

“He’s a very consistent horse, and hopefully he’ll run well Saturday,’’ said Zito, who collected fourth-place money in last year’s Preakness with C P West. Zito won the 1996 Preakness with Louis Quatorze, who shares the official record for the 1-3/16-mile stakes with Tank’s Prospect and last year’s winner, Curlin (1:53 2/5).

John Velazquez, the regular rider for trainer Todd Pletcher, has the mount for the first time on the Robert LaPenta-owned colt. Stevil was scheduled to arrive by van later May 13.

4/20/08 -SW SIR WHIMSEY, prepared by Kirkwood Stables, ran third in the G3 Ben Ali S. at Keeneland. He is a homebred for Chance Farm, Va. In his last out he scored a game win in the Gulfstream Park Handicap (G2).
Lifetime: 14-4-3-2, $371,043.

3/29/08 - Kirkwood prepared SW SMOOTH AIR , c. 3 by Smooth Jazz colt out of the French Deputy mare Air France, was second behind a tough BIG BROWN in the FLORIDA DERBY (G1) at Gulfstream Park. Earlier he won the Hutcheson Stakes (G2). He is a homebred for Mount Joy Stables Inc.
.Lifetime 7 3-2-2 $395,50

On the same day and at the same track, Kirkwood prepared Moral Compass, c, 3 Grand Slam - ffair With
Aflair, by Well Decorated ran a close third in the BULLEIT BOURBON PALM BEACH S. (G3) going 9 furlongs on the turf. He is owned by North Shore Racing and was bred by Castleton Lyons & Kilboy Estate Inc.
Lifetime: 8 1-2-3 $78,330

3/22/08 - Kirkwood Stables prepared VANDERKAAY, c 3. Malibu Moon out of Hen Party by Hennessey ran back to be third in the Private Terms S at Laurel Park. Earlier this year he won a 1 X allowance race at Calder. He is owned by Bowman Thoroughbreds, LLC and was bred by Dr. Frank Justice and Meadow Oaks Farm, LLC.
His record now stands at 8 3-1-2 and he has earned $76,700.

3/15/08 - HIGH BLUES made a four-wide run into the stretch in Saturday's $50,000 Tejano Run Stakes and closed quickly to win by 1 3/4 lengths over Self Made Man. Solo Cat was third and the odds-on favorite, Jade's Revenge, faded in the stretch to finish seventh of eight. High Blues, a 5-year-old, Kentucky-bred ridgling by High Yield, ran the 9 furlongs on the all-weather track in 1:51.71 with James Lopez up.

3/11/08 - Kirkwood prepared Smooth Air stays firmly on the Derby Trail - works a Mile for Florida Derby:
Mount Joy Stables' Smooth Air (Smooth Jazz), who is being pointed toward the $1-million GI Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park Mar. 29, worked a mile Sunday morning at Calder for trainer Bennie Stutts, Jr. Posting his second straight one-mile breeze, the Jan. 5 GII Hutcheson S. winner stopped the clock in 1:45 3/5
under jockey Manny Cruz.

3/9/08 - Kirkwood prepared Larrys Revenge, c, 3, Vindication - Carsonality,by Carson City ran third in the GothamS. (G3) thus joining Kirkwood prepared Cool Coal Man and Smooth Air on the Derby Trail. He is owned by Robert V LaPenta.
Lifetime: 6 1-0-3 $60,560

2/24/08 - COOL COAL MAN, c. 3 Mineshaft - Coral Sea, by Rubiano bounded onto the Derby Trail with a game and convincing win in the Fountain of Youth (G2). He was prepared for racing and offered by Kip Elser at Calder 2007. He is owned by Robert V. LaPenta and was bred by W. S. Farrish and the E. J. Hudson Jr. Irrecovable Trust et al. Never worse than fourth, he came three wide at the turn and finished well to score by half a length.

2/9/08 - Kirkwood Stables selected and prepared, SILVER LORD (Unbridled's Song) placed in an impressive finish in Saturday's Mineshaft Handicap (G3) at the Fairgrounds located in New Orleans, LA. Silver Lord stalked the pace as the 3-1 third choice, won a three-way scramble for second and paid $3.40 and $2.60.

Last month, he won the $100,000 Louisiana H. going 1 1/16 miles also at the Fair Grounds.

Please see photo below ( Louisiana Handicap)

2/2/08 - Kirkwood Stables prepared VANDERKAAY, c. 3. Malibu Moon out of Hen Party by Hennessey won the DANCING COUNT S. at Laurel Park getting his 6 furlongs on a track rated as good in 1:10 and change. He stalked the pace and came clear at the 1/16 pole to hold sway by 2 3/4 lengths in essentially a hand ride.
Last out, Vanderkaay won a 1 X allowance race at Calder. He is owned by Bowman Thoroughbreds, LLC and was bred by Dr. Frank Justice and Meadow Oaks Farm, LLC.
New Lifetime: 6-3-1-1, $68,600