The Joe Hirsch Turf Classic was run for the first time in honor of the longtime dean of turf writers who retired earlier this year from his influential role at the Daily Racing Form. He presented the trophy to owner-breeders Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey.
Winning trainer Dale Romans said, "He was dominant today. He impresses me more and more every race. What amazed me about him is his turn of foot, acceleration and how kind he is during the race. When you ask him, he just turns it on. This is the best race he's run so far. I thought he would relish a mile and a half, and he showed that he did today."
Kitten's Joy became a millionaire with the $450,000 winner's check and is now 8-2-0 from 11 starts with career earnings of $1,305,911. Including victories in the Virginia Derby (Gr. 3) at Colonial Downs on July 10 and in the Secretariat (Gr. 1) at Arlington Park on Aug. 14, Kitten's Joy will take a three-race winning streak to the Breeders' Cup.
"We're going to train right into Lone Star" and the Breeders' Cup Turf, Romans said. "We're looking to go out there two weeks ahead of time with both horses. [Kitten's Joy and Whitney Handicap (Gr. 1) winner Roses in May, who will run in the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic, powered by Dodge]. I want them to get familiar with the surrounding and work over the track once."
Six 3-year-olds have won the Turf Classic before - Johnny D., April Run, Noble Fighter, Manila, Sunshine Forever and Tikkanen - and it has propelled two onto better things in their next start: Manila went on to win the 1986 Breeders' Cup Turf and Tikkanen won the 1994 Breeders' Cup Turf.
Maktub, an Italian-bred horse, set a moderate pace of :25, :50 4/5, 1:17 1/5 and 1:42 3/5. As the field straightened for home, Magistretti, who had closely stalked the frontrunner, spurted forward and briefly looked to be on his way to victory. That is when Velazquez asked Kitten's Joy for his best kick and subsequently pulled away for a 2 1/2-length victory. "When I hit him, he was like, 'Whoa!' and just took off," Velazquez said. "It was pretty easy. I wish every horse could be like him." Magistretti, under Edgar Prado, finished second. Tycoon (GR), a 3-year-old from Great Britain, closed to finish third under Jamie Spencer.
Biancone was not unhappy with Magistretti's performance but he was ambivalent about the immediate future. "It's too early to think about the Breeders' Cup," he said. "This was a good race for him. It was a much better field than the last time he ran. We know he'll run in the Breeders' Cup, but maybe not this year. My horse would need to improve a lot in the next three weeks if he wanted to beat the top one. If he does, we'll go. If he doesn't, we won't."
After the race, Romans started his own Eclipse Award campaign. "I think you can make a strong case for this horse [Kitten's Joy] to be three-year-old champion," he said. "He's beaten older horses, while Smarty Jones didn't. And Birdstone hasn't, unless he wins he Breeders' Cup Classic."
Result Chart race 9
On to the:
Jockey Club Gold Cup
Flower Bowl Invitational
Vosburgh Stakes
