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Dateline: 04/30/2004
It was a dreary day at Churchill Downs on Friday after early morning rainstorms left the track a sloppy mess and the turf course yielding, although the sun did manage to come out by the Oaks. There were five additional stakes on the Kentucky Oaks undercard with the second biggest of the day being the $300,000 Louisville Breeders' Cup Handicap (G2) for the older fillies and mares. Here are the results for all five in the order they were run. Kentucky Oaks results are here.
The Edgewood Stakes - 1 1/16 miles on the turf for 3-year-old fillies
William A. Carl's Galloping Gal overhauled Gingham and Lace nearing the wire to win the $116,700 Edgewood Stakes today at Churchill Downs. With Edgar Prado in the saddle, 7-1 shot Galloping Gal rallied powerfully from last place to get up in the final strides and win by a neck over Gingham and Lace, well-fancied at 4-1 in a field of 11 three-year-old fillies. Dynaville was third with Vous, lukewarm 7-2 betting choice, fourth. Galloping Girl ran the mile and one-sixteenth over a yielding turf course in 1:43 flat and paid $17.20 to her supporters in a large crowd on Kentucky Oaks day. The winner, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Victor Gallop, earned $72,354 with her fourth win in eight career starts.
Full results chart from Equibase
The Alysheba Stakes - 1 1/16 miles for 3-year-olds and up
Congrats, a son of A.P. Indy owned by Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm, led from start to finish under smart rating by jockey John Velazquez to win the inaugural $113,600 Alysheba Stakes over a sloppy track today at Churchill Downs. Congrats, conditioned by Shug McGaughey, stubbornly resisted the stretch challenge of even-money favored Perfect Drift to win by almost two lengths in 1:44.31 for the mile and one-sixteenth. Kodema finished third and Sarava fourth in the field of eight older Thoroughbreds. Scratched from the field were Ask the Lord, M B Sea and New York Hero. Congrats was scoring his sixth victory in 11 lifetime races and first money of $70,432 increased his lifetime earnings to $324,890. He returned $9.60 to win.
Full results chart from Equibase
The Aegon Turf Sprint - 5 furlongs on the turf for 3-year-olds and up
Darley Stables' Kentucky-bred Lydgate and jockey Pat Day collaborated to win the $114,700 Aegon Turf Sprint (Grade III) in come-from-behind style today at Churchill Downs. Outrun in the early stages of the five-furlong dash over a yielding grass course, Lydgate closed resolutely once straightened away in the stretch to overhaul 3-1 favorite Mighty Beau inside the final sixteenth. He drew out to win by a length. Third in the field of 11 sprinters was Banned in Boston, with Cat Singer fourth. Lydgate, a regally-bred son of Pulpit trained by Eoin Harty, stepped the distance in :56.56 and returned $17.40 to his backers on the day of the Kentucky Oaks. The four-year-old was rewarded for his effort with a prize of $71,114. It was his second win in 10 career starts.
Full results chart from Equibase
The Louisville Breeders' Cup Handicap - 1 1/16 miles for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up
Longshot Lead Story rallied from last place to take command in the upper stretch and then held off the late challenge of Yell to win the $327,000 Louisville Breeders' Cup Handicap for older fillies and mares today. With Calvin Borel in the saddle, Lead Story reached the wire almost a length in front of the hard-charging Yell, with Cat Fighter third. Sightseek and Jerry Bailey, the 2-5 favorites in the mile and one-sixteenth event, faltered in the stretch to be fourth over the sloppy Churchill Downs main track. Lead Story, a daughter of Editor's Note who won the Fall City Handicap last November, ran the distance in 1:44.37 and returned $22 for her eighth victory in 32 career outings. First money of $202,740 increased her total earnings to $842,031. Lead Story, a five-year-old chestnut mare, is owned by A. Stevens Miles, Jr. and trained by Carl Nafzger.
Full results chart from Equibase
The Crown Royal American Turf - 1 1/16 miles turf for 3-year-olds
Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey's Kitten's Joy, the even-money favorite under jockey Jerry Bailey, scored an impressive victory in the $113,800 Crown Royal American Turf for three-year-olds today at Churchill Downs. Kitten's Joy burst to the front in midstretch and wasn't seriously threatened by the late challenge of second choice, Prince Arch, winning by 2 ½ lengths. Capo was third and Knox fourth in the line-up of nine sophomores. Kitten's Joy, a son of El Prado conditioned by Dale Romans, accomplished the mile and one-sixteenth over a yielding grass surface in 1:43.31. He paid $4.20 and earned $70,556 with his fifth triumph in seven starts. All of his wins have been on grass.
Full results chart from Equibase
Photos courtesy of Tina Hines.
