ELLIS PARK RECAP: Ivy’s College Fund Wins First ‘Baby’ Race

Prime Time Man Takes Grass Allowance

 Ellis Park expects its 2-year-old racing to be a hallmark of the 2016 summer meet. And Sunday’s first “baby” race of the season didn’t disappoint. However, it was a case where experience ruled.

Five of the 2-year-old fillies – from the powerful stables of Churchill Downs leading trainer Mark Casse, Mike Maker, Brad Cox, Bernie Flint and 1992 Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Lynn Whiting— were running for the first time in the five-furlong event. Another in the field of seven, trained by Ellis-based John Hancock, had raced once. But it was Ivy’s College Fund, making her fourth start, who romped by 11 3/4 lengths over the Flint-trained She’s Super Cool. Ivy’s College Fund, a daughter of Albertus Maximus, is trained at The Thoroughbred Center in Lexington with trainer and co-owner Guillermo Rangel.

Ivy’s College Fund was third in her first two starts at Churchill Downs before struggling home ninth on the turf at Indiana Grand.

“There were some nice babies in there who had never started but showed good works in the morning,” jockey Leandro Goncalves, aboard Ivy’s College Fund for the first time, said of Sunday’s sixth race. “She’s a very fast filly. I rode against her last time on the grass, and I don’t think she liked it. But I tell you, she left there today like a quarter horse.”

Speaking of good works, Ivy’s College Fund’s works at The Thoroughbred Center have been blazing, including out of the gate in the mud in 35 1/5 seconds for three-eighths of a mile.

“If you go 36 there, it’s very good,” Goncalves said. “Normally they go 38 or 37, because I work horses there. When I saw the works, I said, ‘Geez, I hope that’s true.’ And she showed that today.

“I rode for Guillermo the other day at Belterra, too, and we won. So we’re 2 for 2, and I ride one for him Monday. He said, ‘Just ride your race. If she breaks good, you go. She’s very fast.”

She’s Super Cool, ridden by James Graham, held off the Casse-trained Royal Asscher and jockey Robby Albarado by a half-length, with the Cox-trained Whatsyoursign another half-length back in fourth. Lady Hansen, the Maker-trained 4-5 favorite off her own very fast works, hesitated at the start and wound up fifth.

In the $39,000 eighth-race allowance feature, Zayat Stable’s Prime Time Man shot through the stretch under Albarado to prevail by head over Ft David and Miguel Mena in a three-horse surge to the wire. Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, the 3-year-old Prime Time Man closed from last to cover the mile on turf in 1:34.04 and paid $13.60 to win as he defeated older horses. Knight of Valor finished another neck back in third in the field of nine. Heavy favorite Dream Seeker battled for the lead with second choice Derby Champagne and faded to eighth. Derby Champagne finished sixth.

“I got squeezed back leaving there, so I was committed to staying back there and make a late run,” Albarado said. “I went wider than I wanted to, but I had enough horse and he actually got me there.”

FOOTNOTE:  Racing resumes at 12:50 p.m. ET Monday with a special July 4 card, with Ellis then going to its Friday-Sunday schedule.