Churchill Downs
—Burnham Square earned a career-best 113 Brisnet Speed Rating for his dominant 4¾-length victory in Saturday night’s Louisville Stakes (G3). His previous best was a 101 as a 3-year-old in the Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream Park.
–Sunday’s work tab included Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) winner Bentornato, who sizzled a half-mile in :46.80. Also on the work tab was Kentucky Derby 17th-place finisher Litmus Test, who breezed a half-mile in :50.80 on turf with jockey Florent Geroux aboard.–Churchill Downs Media Office
Irad Ortiz, Jr. gets Bentornato home in the Breeders’ Cup SprintNellie Carlson/Paulick Report
Gulfstream Park
–Glen Hill Farm’s homebred Unwritten Rule, a lightly raced 3-year-old son of Triple Crown winner Justify, drove by the speedy Monster in the final few strides to win Sunday’s $100,000 Roar Stakes.
Unwritten Rule, who now has two wins and two seconds in his four career starts, covered five furlongs on the Tapeta in :56.51 after the race was taken off the turf due to overnight and morning rain.
For jockey Edwin Gonzalez, it was his third win of the afternoon.
Although General Bradley broke on top, Arindel’s homebred Monster shot to the front and went the opening quarter in :20.97 and the half in :43.58 under jockey Samy Camacho while opening a five-length lead around the turn. But Gonzalez guided Unwritten Rule away from the inside and chased down Monster from the outside in the final few yards.
Unwritten Rule’s previous three races were at Tampa Bay Downs over the winter. Out of the Curlin mare Jewish Guilt, Unwritten Rule won his debut, finished second in his second start, and then was disqualified from first and placed second April 11 in an allowance optional claimer.
Unwritten Rule returned $10.–Gulfstream Park Media Office
Santa Anita
—El Potente and Sumter were among seven horses nominated to the three graded stakes set for Memorial Day that worked Sunday. Also continuing to work regularly for a potential return in the G2 Santa Margarita on May 30 was multiple Grade 1 winner Seismic Beauty.
G1 Shoemaker Mile candidates El Potente, Sumter, and Balladeer all worked. El Potente drilled five furlongs on the training track in 1:00.2 for trainer Dan Blacker. Sumter, trained by Richard Mandella, worked four furlongs on the training track in :49. Balladeer, trained by George Papaprodromou, worked five furlongs on the main track in 1:00.8.
Working towards potential starts in the G2 Hollywood Gold Cup were American Hope and Hey Jessie. American Hope worked four furlongs in :48.90. Trained by Brian Koriner, American Hope exits a 1 1/8-mile allowance win on turf on May 1 at Santa Anita.
Hey Jessie, a 4-year-old filly, worked four furlongs in :48.20. Trained by Sean McCarthy, Hey Jessie most recently won the Santa Barbara for fillies and mares at 1 ½ miles on turf May 3 at Santa Anita.
Mi Confesion, nominated to the G1 Gamely for fillies and mare at 1 1/8 miles on turf, worked five furlongs on the main track in 1:02.2. She is trained by Michael McCarthy for owner Repole Stable. Bred in Argentina, Mi Confesion on April 26 won an allowance at one mile on turf at Santa Anita when making her second U.S. start.
Seismic Beauty, off since being the beaten favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) Nov. 1, worked five furlongs in :59.60 seconds for trainer Bob Baffert. It was the second-fastest of 51 works at the distance.
Seismic Beauty and Juan Hernandez win the Clement L. HirschBenoit photo
–After earning her sixth stakes win in Saturday’s Mizdirection Stakes, Queen Maxima is headed for a vacation.
“She’s going to the farm,” trainer Jeff Mullins said Sunday morning. “I’ll get her back about halfway through the Del Mar meet and get her ready.”
Queen Maxima will be sent to Kingfisher Farms in Solvang, Calif. Set to join Queen Maxima for a break at Kingfisher is Grade 1-winning stablemate Intrepido, who finished 16th in the Kentucky Derby (G1) on May 2. Queen Maxima and Intrepido are both owned by Dutch Girl Holdings LLC and Irving Ventures LLC.
Queen Maxima won the Mizdirection on the hillside turf course by three-quarters of a length under Juan Hernandez. Earlier this year, she also won the G3 Las Cienegas on the hillside turf course. Queen Maxima, a 6-year-old mare by Bucchero, has a 9-2-1 record from 16 starts and $722,060 in earnings.
Intrepido prior to the Kentucky Derby was second in the G3 Robert B. Lewis and fourth in the G1 Santa Anita Derby. Last year, the colt by Maximus Mischief most notably won the G1 American Pharoah at Santa Anita and was fifth in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. He has a 2-1-0 record from seven starts and $342,800 in earnings.
While Queen Maxima and Intrepido are headed to Kingfisher, recently returning to the Mullins barn from Kingfisher after an about 30-day break was multiple stakes winner Man O Rose. A 5-year-old California-bred gelding by Stanford, Man O Rose most recently was third in the Sensational Star for state-breds on March 22. Prior to the Sensational Star, Man O Rose beat open company when winning the Palos Verdes Stakes in February at Santa Anita. He has a record of 12-3-1 from 20 starts and $644,965 in earnings for owner-breeder B and B Zeitz Stables Inc.
–Beginning this Friday, the Arcadia, Calif. track will host four consecutive days of racing over Memorial Day weekend. Highlighting the week ahead is California Gold Rush Day on Saturday featuring five stakes for California-breds, and a holiday Monday program that includes the G1 Shoemaker Mile, G1 Gamely, and G2 Hollywood Gold Cup.
The California Gold Rush program is being drawn on Sunday. The stakes lineup includes the Snow Chief Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles on turf; Melair Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on dirt; Thor’s Echo Stakes at six furlongs on dirt; Crystal Water at one mile on turf; and Fran’s Valentine for fillies and mares at one mile on turf.
As part of the Memorial Day weekend activities, visitors to Santa Anita will also be able enjoy such attractions as an Infield Carnival, trackside California Beer Festival, Smorgasburg BBQ Invitational, a variety of dining packages and more.
The Hollywood Gold Cup card on Memorial Day will be drawn on Tuesday. Among those possible for the Shoemaker Mile on turf is multiple Grade 1 winner Formidable Man. Trained by Michael McCarthy, Formidable Man has been off since finishing second in the Breeders’ Cup Mile on Nov. 1 at Del Mar.
The Gamely is for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on turf. Local candidates to run include multiple graded stakes winner Thought Process, recent winner of the G2 Buena Vista; and Take A Breath and May Day Ready, the one-two finishers in last month’s G3 Royal Heroine. Two potential eastern shippers are also possible for the Gamely, according to the racing office. Hang the Moon could come west for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., and Vronti could also make the trip for trainer Graham Motion. Joseph won last year’s Gamely with Be Your Best.
The Hollywood Gold Cup is at 1¼ miles on the main track. Leading the locals expected are G1 Santa Anita Handicap winner British Isles and Grade 1 winner Subsanador. Joseph may also send out Forged Steel to run in the Gold Cup. Last year, Joseph won the Gold Cup with Skippylongstocking.–Victor Ryan/Santa Anita
This story was originally published by Paulick Report on May 17, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Paulick Report as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
