Jockey Luis Saez turned a juvenile stakes double at Ellis Park on Sunday, riding The Wine Steward to victory in the $208,000 Bashford Manor S. and Brightwork in the $216,500 Debutante S. Both were toppling favorites in their respective events. Brightwork gamely held off odds-on V V’s Dream, and The Wine Steward served up an emphatic decision over Wilson Q.
Saez would later make it a stakes triple, and a total of four wins on the day, with Fast as Flight in the Anchorage Overnight S.
Bashford Manor S.
A well-named son of freshman sire Vino Rosso, The Wine Steward became that Curlin stallion’s first stakes winner with a rousing rally. Trained by Michael Maker for Paradise Farms and David Staudacher, the New York-bred had employed the same tactics in his unveiling at Belmont Park. The Wine Steward rolled by six lengths from just off the pace versus state-breds on May 28, and he followed up in open company here.
“I was looking at his replay last time, and he was able to break and be behind horses,” Saez said. “I think with some more distance he’ll really like it. I really loved the way he came home. The plan was always to be behind the speed. We knew he’d have a big turn of foot, and he did.”
Wilson Q was dispatched as the 1.35-1 favorite on the strength of his debut win at Churchill Downs, a hot maiden that’s produced Tremont S. romper Gold Sweep. But Wilson Q didn’t get away that quickly on the rail at Ellis. Instead of being on the engine as he was first time out, he found himself behind the leaders, and pocketed by the 2.22-1 The Wine Steward.
Getting a flyer out of the gate was Go Otto Go, who blasted to the front attended by Call Me Andy. Go Otto Go held the advantage through splits of :22.20 and :45.24, but Call Me Andy was giving him all he could handle turning for home.
By that point, The Wine Steward was just picking up from his outside stalking spot. Collaring the leaders upon straightening, he hit his stride the further they went and widened his margin to 2 3/4 lengths.
Wilson Q angled out after the winner had already flown, and stayed on well to finish easily best of the rest in a strung-out field. Call Me Andy came next in third, followed by Go Otto Go; Magical Mark, who failed to muster the speed he’d shown at Lone Star Park; and the outpaced Unified Point. Lou’s Legacy was scratched.
Now 2-for-2, The Wine Steward has bankrolled $164,010. The bay was bred in the Empire State by Sequel Thoroughbreds, Lakland Farm, and Spendthrift’s Mark Toothaker. Initially sold for $70,000 at Fasig-Tipton’s New York Bred Yearlings Sale, he commanded $340,000 as an OBS March juvenile.
The Wine Steward is the first foal from Call to Service, a To Honor and Serve half-sister to Grade 2 winner Isotherm and fellow Grade 1-placers Giant Game and Gio Game.
Debutante S.
WSS Racing’s Brightwork has now beaten high-profile rivals in both of her starts. When scampering three lengths clear in her Keeneland debut on April 26, the John Ortiz filly left Crimson Advocate behind in third. Crimson Advocate has since sped to a pair of stakes wins on turf, taking the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies to earn her trip to Royal Ascot, where she just prevailed in the Queen Mary (G2).
Brightwork again made good use of her early foot on the step up to six furlongs in the Debutante. Breaking on top with Saez, the 2.28-1 second choice reeled off fractions of :22.56 and :45.50 under pressure from City Ghost.
Meanwhile, V V’s Dream appeared to be cruising in third, and she loomed ominously swinging into the stretch. But Brightwork had another gear. Not only putting away early gadfly City Ghost, Brightwork also spurted away from V V’s Dream at the top of the lane. That little burst proved decisive. Although the 1-3 favorite steadily gained, she could not quite peg back Brightwork.
Still a half-length in front at the wire, Brightwork clocked six furlongs in 1:09.79, faster than The Wine Steward’s 1:10.06. She’s earned $169,051 from her 2-for-2 mark.
“Right now we’re going to continue with the program for this year,” Ortiz said. “We mapped out her races and could either stay here at Ellis Park or go to Saratoga.
“The last two months we prepared her for today. She showed her skills today. I was surprised when she won on debut because I wasn’t sure how ready she was to run. Today, she was really ready to go.”
The top two pulled well clear of the rest. Easy Red reported home another 4 3/4 lengths back in third, and City Ghost rounded out the quartet. Hibernacle and George’s Honey were scratched.
Brightwork was bred by Wynnstay Inc. and H. Allen Poindexter in Kentucky. The $95,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November weanling is out of the Malibu Moon mare Clarendon Fancy, who is also responsible for the stakes-placed Quiet Company.
More notably, Clarendon Fancy is a full sister to the prolific broodmare Catch the Moon. Thus Brightwork is a “cousin” of Catch the Moon’s four graded winners – 2017 Haskell (G1) star Girvin and Midnight Bourbon, both millionaires, along with Grade 3 scorers Cocked and Loaded and Pirate’s Punch. Catch the Moon and Clarendon Fancy are themselves half-siblings to stakes winners Dubini and What a Catch, all descending from Louisiana-bred queen Monique Rene.
