Successful weekend for Kordenbrock Racing

Those W.B. Smudge folks are at it again.

Matt Kordenbrock's Racing sent out two winners over the weekend at Churchill Downs. On Saturday, they saddled DISTORTED RANSOM in the 3rd race and the 4 yr.old claimer found the wire first in a seven furlong claiming $16,000 race under the steady hands of rider Brian Hernandez, Jr.

"We needed all of those seven furlongs" trainer Matt Kordenbrock joked after the win. Distorted Ransom unleashed a furious stretch drive to catch and pass DOCTOR LEE at the wire at odds of 8-1. It was Kordenbrock's first win of the meet at Churchill and a thrilling one to watch for owners Gary and Olivia Johnson...plus the assembled Kordenbrock friends and staff that assembled in the winner's circle to celebrate the victory.

Matt wasn't on hand to catch Sunday's win for the stable...having to take a horse to Cleveland for racing Monday at Thistledown Race Course. With Connie, his wife, and others associated with the barn and friends on hand, though...FANCY MAN sprinted to an early lead and then barely held off ARCH REVENGE by head to win Churchill's 7th Race...a claiming $10,000 affair. Up and coming rider Edgar Morales held the reigns for this win...Hernandez being committed to ride the third place finisher ARCHIE. It was a great ride by "the kid" who found enough to get Fancy Man to the wire first.

A recent claim for the Kordenbrock barn and owners Robert O' Hara and Gwynet  Gower...this horse had shown skills at Tampa Bay Downs in longer races in his last four attempts and the conditions proved to be the right fit yesterday. Barely. FANCY MAN is a 5 year old gelding who has nine wins and 16 "in the money" finishes in 30 attempts. He was a recent claim as well for Kordenbrock Racing back in late March after a fourth place finish at Tampa Bay

Connie called Matt right after the race and they rejoiced in the win. Also overheard was a humorous shout in the background:

"Matt...could you win something by 2 or 3 lengths next time? You're giving us heart attacks here!" 

The Kordenbrock stable also had an entry in Churchill's ninth race, SHARP ART, who got off to a slow start and couldn't make up enough ground in the stretch to hit the board. The 6 year old was claimed three races back out of the Tom Amoss barn but came up short in two allowance tries and may need softer company after not collecting the cash in Sunday's $50,000 claiming race.

A great weekend for Matt Kordenbrock Racing and I wouldn't discount their Monday entry at Thistledown...LEMON LOVER...in the fourth race today in Ohio. With a morning line at 6-1, this runners comes in from Belterra Park and Laurel Race Track, where he picked up a couple of second place efforts. Kordenbrock has assigned the ride to Luis Rivera, who has four wins in 18 rides at "Thistle".

Churchill has drawn pretty good crowds in the days after the Derby, but...in typical Churchill fashion...they've confused the populace and attendees with their new and (we hope temporary) parking schematics and plan they've come up with. They've closed the Longfield lot, which leaves patrons jammed in trying to park in the limited lot spaces off Central avenue.

And, in the jockey's parking area, they actually have over 20 Handicapping spots! Which were empty, virtually...on Saturday and Sunday. It boggles the mind, but...as one of the lot attendants lamely tried to explain to me...those are reserved for handicapped members of jockey families. These "attendants" have also been seen (and filmed) accepting bribes in the form of cash payouts from car drivers to obtain and access reserve parking that areas that are clearly marked "reserved" for people with track-issued permits to park there.

The hypocrisy and schemes continue at Churchill.  I felt very badly for the elderly lady I walked in with Sunday...she had a Handicapped placard in her vehicle, was denied admission to handicapped parking areas and was having a very hard time walking the quarter-mile from her spot to the general admission gate. In 90 degree heat. She would not give me her name, nor let me record her...for fear of retaliation. All she wanted was to spend a couple of hours with her great-grand-kids at "Family Adventure and Fun Day" over in the grandstands area. Too proud for wheelchair assistance and seemingly oblivious to the guys in golf carts speeding by.

In other Sunday racing at Churchill, it might be time for a change in strategy for New Direction Racing's VIOLENT STORM. Impressive in winning his third race of his career, a maiden $60,000 contest at Churchill last fall, the three-year-old gelding hasn't shown much since. On the turf yesterday in Churchill's 8th race, VIOLENT STORM was nowhere neat the top three in the Allowance $55,000 conditions. Even with superb turf rider Brian Hernandez, Jr aboard, the son of VIOLENCE appeared to be more of a tropical depression than a storm. It might be time for trainer Brendan Walsh to place this three-year old $75,000 purchase price gelding from the 2016 Keeneland September sale into the claiming or optional claiming ranks.


paulie
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