Third Time the Charm for Raging Bull (FR) in Maker’s Mark Mile

Peter Brant’s Raging Bull (FR) made a powerful move on the far turn and cruised to a 2-length victory to win the 33^rd running of the $300,000 Maker’s Mark Mile (G1) for 4-year-olds and up in his third start in Keeneland’s prestigious Spring Meet stakes. 

Trained by Chad Brown and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., Raging Bull covered the mile on a turf course rated as good in 1:33.86. Raging Bull, who was making his first start in five months, finished third in the 2020 running of the race and fourth in 2019. It is the first victory in the race for Brown and Ortiz. 

Get Smokin and Somelikeithotbrown rocketed through early fractions of :22.47 and :45.65 with Raging Bull racing along the rail in midpack. On the far turn, Raging Bull quickly gained momentum, swung to the outside of the dueling leaders and drew on even terms at the head of the stretch. 

By the three-sixteenths pole, Raging Bull had established a daylight margin and was not threatened in the run to the finish line. 

The victory was worth $180,000 and increased Raging Bull’s earnings to $1,496,750 with a record of 18-7-3-3 that now includes three Grade 1 victories. 

Raging Bull is a 6-year-old son of Dark Angel out of the Mr. Greeley mare Rosa Bonheur. 

Sent off as the second choice in the field of nine, Raging Bull returned $9, $4.20 and $3.40. Ride a Comet, ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, returned $8.40 and $4.80 and finished a half-length ahead of Sacred Life (FR), who paid $3.60 to show under Javier Castellano. 

Brown also trains Sacred Life.

It was another half-length back to Field Pass, who was followed in order by favored Hit the Road, Darain (GB), Somelikeithotbrown, Get Smokin and Flying Scotsman. 

Tobys Heart Gets up in Time to Win TVG Limestone Turf Sprint

Two races earlier on the card, Terry Hamilton, trainer Brian Lynch and Gary Barber’s Tobys Heart rallied five wide in the stretch and caught Goin’ Good less than 50 yards from the finish to win the second running of the $100,000 TVG Limestone Turf Sprint for 3-year-old fillies by a half-length. 

Ridden by Javier Castellano, Tobys Heart covered the 5½ furlongs over a turf course rated as good in 1:02.29. 

Phantom Vision and Navratilova dueled for the early lead through fractions of :22.35 and :45.39 with Goin’ Good and New Boss tracking right behind and Tobys Heart in fifth. 

At the top of the stretch, Castellano swung Tobys Heart to the outside, drew even with the leaders who were four abreast at the sixteenth pole and pulled away late from Goin’ Good for the victory. 

The victory, the third for Tobys Heart in four starts, was worth $60,000 and increased the filly’s earnings to $153,150. Tobys Heart is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Jack Milton out of the Lil’s Lad mare Pick of the Pack. 

Favored in the field of eight, Tobys Heart returned $6.40, $3.40 and $2.80. Goin’ Good, ridden by Florent Geroux, returned $3.80 and $3.40 and finished 1¾ lengths in front of Navratilova, who paid $5.80 to show under Julien Leparoux. 

Phantom Vision finished another neck back in fourth and was followed in order by Salvaje, Alda, New Boss and Inajiffy. 

Racing resumes Saturday at 1:05 p.m. with an 11-race program that features four stakes headlined by the $300,000 Coolmore Jenny Wiley (G1) for fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles on the grass.