Tom Pedulla offers takeaways from a racing weekend highlighted by a pair of Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series Races worth $2 million each at Kentucky Downs and big closing cards at Del Mar and Colonial Downs.

TLC from Tyler. (Eclipse Sportswire)

PERFECT TRIP: Not much had gone right for Todd Pletcher-trained Grand Sonata during a seven-race losing streak that included six graded-stakes races. Then, with Tyler Gaffalione aboard for the 1 ½-mile FanDuel TV Kentucky Turf Cup Stakes, it suddenly did. The 5-year-old son of Medaglia d’Oro enjoyed a dream trip in denying Highway Robber by a half-length in a course-record 2:24.93. Bred and owned by Mandy Pope’s Whisper Hill Farm, Grand Sonata was sent off at odds of 15.39-1, which did not faze Gaffalione. “He’s just a real cool horse,” the jockey said. “He’s just had a lot of bad luck and rough trips. But (Saturday) everything opened up when we needed it and he finished the job well.” Grand Sonata earned a fees-paid berth to the $5 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf Nov. 2 at Del Mar with the win.

SIZZLING PERFORMANCE: The Ainsworth Turf Sprint Stakes figured to have an overwhelming favorite in Cogburn. In his final prep for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, he took immediate command and dominated the six-furlong contest. Khaadem, his closest pursuer, was 3 ¼ lengths behind. The 5-year-old son of Not This Time stopped the teletimer in 1:07.68, not far from the track record of 1:07.41. He had already taken care of locking up a spot in the Turf Sprint by setting a North American record of 59.80 seconds in the June 8 Jaipur Stakes Presented by Resolute Racing at Saratoga. His latest tour de force gives him a 3-for-3 record this season heading into the World Championships. “For him to validate the form he has shown all year long in his turf sprints is very special,” said Steve Asmussen, his Hall of Fame trainer. “I loved how good the field was and everybody was here. He showed how unbelievably fast he is.”

Franco en fuego. (Coady Media)

HUGE AFTERNOON: Manny Franco is best known for his consistently solid performances on the New York circuit. He took his show on the road to Colonial Downs in New Kent, Va., on Saturday – with huge results. Franco piloted seven winners, five of them in stakes races. He credited his mental preparation. “Every time I come prepared with a good mind, which gives me a good chance to win races,” he said. His most significant victory came astride Deterministic, who got up by a neck in the $504,000 New Kent County Virginia Derby. It was the first victory in three starts since trainer Christophe Clement took the 3-year-old son of Liam’s Map off the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve trail and shifted him to the turf. 

DOUBLE THE FUN: Asmussen did not get the result he hoped for when Tiztastic debuted with a fifth-place finish on the dirt at Saratoga July 27, so he decided to try the Tiz the Law colt on grass at Kentucky Downs. The reward was almost surely greater than what he could have anticipated. Tiztastic eked out a narrow victory in the $1 million Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile Sunday for his second victory at the track in 10 days. Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. was impressed by what he felt underneath him in the Juvenile Mile. “He was moving so smooth and so nice,” he said. “I felt like I had horse every step of the way and I just bided my time.”

Gaming rolls. (BENOIT photo)

DEL MAR WRAP-UP: Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert secured his first Del Mal summer season training title since 2003 and he did it in style, wrapping up the crown when Gaming, under Flavien Prat’s heady ride, rallied to provide Baffert with his record 18^th Del Mar Futurity victory Sunday. In 76 starts, Baffert trainees finished in the money a remarkable 73 percent of the time. Juan Hernandez earned his third consecutive riding title while Hronis Racing was a runaway winner as leading owner with 12 victories, eight more than five other ownership groups. Wagering remained steady at $502,985,000 with an average daily handle of $16,225,000.