UPDATE: Whisjkey Ticket wins IL Derby

Jon
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UPDATE: Whisjkey Ticket wins IL Derby Apr 16, 2015 23:33:33 GMT -5

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Post by Jon on Apr 16, 2015 23:33:33 GMT -5

Has this race lost importance because of no points. I say - without a doubt. Did Churchill drop if off the map because they own Arlington?

Race 9 Illinois Derby (Grade III) POST Time - 5:40 PM
Entries Plus (Free) PPs & Selections

$1 Exacta / 20 Cent Trifecta / 20 Cent Superfecta / $1 Daily Double

Hawthorne STAKES
Purse $400,000. For Three-Year-Olds. One And One Eighth Miles.

1 Kantune (FL) 3/C L C A Emigh 123 M E Casse 6/1

2 Verraco (KY) 3/C L E Trujillo 123 J M Cassidy 5/1

3 Cross the Line (KY) 3/C L F Geroux 123 J Hollendorfer 3/1

4 A. Rod Again (KY) 3/C L M Mena 123 M J Maker 10/1

5 Conquest Curlinate (ON) 3/C L S Bridgmohan 123 M E Casse 8/1

6 Whiskey Ticket (KY) 3/C L M A Pedroza 123 B Baffert 7/2

7 Lewys Vaporizer (IL) 3/G1 L S Sanjur 123 L Rivelli 15/1

8 Phenomenal Phoenix (KY) 3/G L L S Quinonez 123 D K Von Hemel 6/1

9 Private Prospect (KY) 3/C L E Esquivel 123 M B Campbell 12/1

First Start Since Reported as Gelding: 7 - Lewys Vaporizer

Owners: 1 - Gary Barber; 2 - D. P. Racing (Dearon Pearson); 3 - Hollendorfer, Todaro, Live Your Dream Racing Stable, Sigband et al.; 4 - J. Armando Rodriguez Racing Stable, Inc. (J. Armando Rodriguez); 5 - Conquest Stables, LLC (Ernie Semersky & Dory Newell); 6 - Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman; 7 - Richard Ravin & Patricia's Hope LLC (Vince Foglia); 8 - Wayne Sanders & Larry Hirsch; 9 - Mellon Patch, Inc. (George Mellon)

Breeders: 1 - Susan Kahn; 2 - Sarawin Stable & Joe Mroz; 3 - Lynn B. Schiff; 4 - Sarah Lyn Stables; 5 - Charles Hayden; 6 - Springland Farm, Inc. & Adena Springs; 7 - Jean White & Larry Rivelli; 8 - Fred W. Hertrich III & John D. Fielding; 9 - Randal Family Trust, R David & Marylyn ARandal Trustees

Equipment Changes: 4 - A. Rod Again - Blinkers On

Last Edit: Apr 19, 2015 2:23:46 GMT -5 by Jon

Jon
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Posts: 4,669

UPDATE: Whisjkey Ticket wins IL Derby Apr 17, 2015 0:06:19 GMT -5

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Post by Jon on Apr 17, 2015 0:06:19 GMT -5

Whiskey Ticket, Cross the Line top Illinois Derby field
Brisnet

Bob Baffert famously trained the most accomplished Illinois Derby (G3) winner in history, but has not yet won the race himself. That could change Saturday when he sends out debut winner Whiskey Ticket (Ghostzapper) in the $400,000, 1 1/8-mile feature of the Hawthorne spring meet.

War Emblem captured the 2002 Illinois Derby, then a Grade 2 event at now-defunct Sportsman's Park, and was privately acquired by the Thoroughbred Corp. and Baffert prior to his wins in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness (G1). Baffert's most recent flirtation with the Illinois Derby came last year, when his Midnight Hawk (Midnight Lute) lost in a tight photo.

Whiskey Ticket came out on the right side of a photo in a March 19 maiden event at Santa Anita over a mile after a prolonged stretch duel, a strong effort given he set quick splits of :22 3/5, :46 1/5 and 1:10 2/5, and relinquished the lead briefly at the eighth pole.

Also likely to attract significant support is Cross the Line (Line of David), who captured the California Derby at Golden Gate Fields in January and then ran second in the El Camino Real Derby (G3) over the same track the following month. Last time, he finished fifth in a six-horse Santa Anita Derby (G1) while making his dirt debut.

Hoping to move forward off recent allowance wins are Phenomenal Phoenix (Summer Bird), who won by a neck in the Oaklawn mud last month, and Verraco (Old Fashioned), who rallied from off the pace to win by a neck over the Santa Anita strip in late February. Exiting third-place finishes in allowance company at Oaklawn are Kantune (Kantharos) and Conquest Curlinate (Curlin), who are trained by last year's Illinois Derby-winning conditioner Mark Casse.

Lewys Vaporizer (Lewis Michael) goes for the upset after romping by 11 3/4 lengths against maiden foes at Hawthorne March 27. Stakes winner Private Prospect (Discreet Cat) has finished out of the money in four starts dating to November, while A. Rod Again (Awesome Again) adds blinkers following an allowance fourth at Fair Grounds.

The $150,000 Sixty Sails H. (G3), over 1 1/8 miles, has attracted a modest field of five fillies and mares. Multiple stakes winner Awesome Flower (Flower Alley) and Delta Downs stakes scorers Parc Monceau (Giant's Causeway) and Yahilwa (Medaglia d'Oro) are the main contenders.

Jon
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UPDATE: Whisjkey Ticket wins IL Derby Apr 19, 2015 2:25:56 GMT -5

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Post by Jon on Apr 19, 2015 2:25:56 GMT -5

Whiskey Ticket Just Holds On For Illinois Derby Triumph
PR

Whiskey Ticket, making just his second start, held off a late charge by Conquest Curlinate to win the Grade 3, $400,000 Illinois Derby at Hawthorne Racecourse Saturday.

Taking the lead on the far turn with jockey Martin Pedroza aboard, Whiskey Ticket separated from his rivals in the stretch and had just enough to hold off Conquest Curlinate at the wire. Phenomenal Phoenix was third. Final time for the nine furlongs was 1:50.82.

Trained by Bob Baffert, Whiskey Ticket won on debut March 19 at Santa Anita, winning a maiden special weight by a head.

Whiskey Ticket is owned by Karl Watson, Mike Pegram, and Paul Weitman, who finished second in last year’s Illinois Derby with Midnight Hawk.

Bred in Kentucky by Springland Farm and Adena Springs, Whiskey Ticket was consigned to the 2013 Keeneland September Yearling Sale and sold for $200,000. He is by Ghostzapper out of Honey Grove, by Gilded Time.