From the Churchill Downs Media Team / Darren Rogers:

WOLFIE’S DYNAGHOST STEALS GRADE III, $300,000 RIVER CITY

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025) – Woodslane Farm’s 7-year-old homebred gelding Wolfie’s Dynaghost won his first start under the care of trainer Brian Lynch when he led every step of the way under Luis Saez in Saturday’s 46th running of the $300,000 River City (Grade III) at Churchill Downs to win by 2 ¾ lengths over Taking Candy in stakes record time.

          Wolfie’s Dynaghost clocked 1 1/8 miles on “firm” turf with the rails 12-feet out in 1:45.58. The final time shattered Dr. Kashnikow’s 2001 stakes record of 1:47.90 and came within .07 of She Feels Pretty’s course mark of 1:45.51 set earlier this year.

“He’s an old professional and knows what it’s all about,” Lynch said. “We’ve been lucky enough to watch him strive here in Kentucky and his last few works were really good. Luis gave him a great ride.”

Wolfie’s Dynaghost, who had been campaigned in the east with trainer Jonathan Thomas, went right to the front in the field of 11 older horses and rattled off sizzling splits of :22.79, :46.22, 1:09.59 and 1:33.39 with Corruption tracking in second anywhere from a length to 1 ½ lengths behind. Around the final turn, Wolfie’s Dynaghost opened up to a 3 ½-length lead as 2025 stakes winners Taking Candy,Lagynos and Mercante began to close, but the front-runner never weakened and powered home for the win.

“I could tell out of the gate how sharp he was,” Saez said. “I just wanted to let him run and not take him out of his game. I knew he was going fast but that’s what he likes to do. He ran a big race for me today.”

          Wolfie’s Dynaghost returned mutuels of $27.68, $14.44 and $7.76 as the 12-1 sixth betting choice. Taking Candy, also at 12-1 under Axel Concepcion, paid $10.66 and $5.56. It was another 1 ½ lengths back to Mercante under Joe Ramos and Lagynos with Corey Lanerie aboard, who dead-heated for third and paid $4.54 and $3.22, respectively.

          Corruption, Quatrocento, 2-1 favorite Chasing the Crown, Tapit Shoes, Encino, Mount Rundle and English Chunnel completed the order of finish. Epic Ride, who ran in a Friday allowance, was scratched.

          The victory for Wolfie’s Dynaghost was worth $175,700 and increased his earnings to $1,230,347. He sports a record of 13-3-5 in 31 starts.

This was Wolfie’s Dynaghost’s sixth stakes win. As a 4-year-old, he won the $121,000 Bert Allen at Colonial Downs and then took down the $300,000 Kentucky Cup Classic at Turfway Park; $129,618 Autumn (Grade II) at Woodbine; and $120,199 Prairie Bayou back at Turfway during his 5-year-old season in 2023. He only raced once in 2024 but returned to win $125,000 Prince George’s County at Laurel Park in June, his second start off the layoff.

Wolfie’s Dynaghost is a son of 2004 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Ghostzapper out of the Dynaformer mare Dynaire and was bred in Kentucky by Woodslane Farm of Rene Woolcott.

“He ran a little bit like his father Ghostzapper,” Lynch said. “He’s been a very well managed horse throughout his career and he still has plenty of fight left in him.”

The upset win by Wolfie’s Dynaghost helped trigger a single winning ticket payoff of the Derby City 6 Jackpot of a healthy $354,833.

RIVER CITY QUOTES

Luis Saez, Jockey, Wolfie’s Dynaghost (winner): “I could tell out of the gate how sharp he was. I just wanted to let him run and not take him out of his game. I knew he was going fast but that’s what he likes to do. He ran a big race for me today.”

Brian Lynch, Trainer, Wolfie’s Dynaghost (winner): “He’s an old professional and knows what it’s all about. We’ve been lucky enough to watch him strive here in Kentucky and his last few works were really good. Luis gave him a great ride. He ran a little bit like his father Ghostzapper. He’s been a very well managed horse throughout his career and he still has plenty of fight left in him.”