On Saturday, the Keeneland Race Course offered a high-class action packed card during which also turf specialists had their say. At first, sprinters lined up for the 2022 Woodford Stakes, where Golden Pal made it all and won the race for the second time in a row. In Italian then denied her stable-mate Regal Glory and scored the G1 First Lady Stakes.
2022 Woodford Stakes
The purse of $350,000 attracted a field of nine three-year-old and older sprinters who clashed over the distance of five and a half furlongs.
On the turf surface, Golden Pal (4-11) was expected to become a back-to-back winner of this G2 race, and he managed to do so under Irad Ortiz.
The Wesley Ward bound four-year-old colt had a great start, settled at the front, and drew clear from his rivals at the beginning of the final stretch.
He idled there a bit and allowed Oceanic (135-10) and Artemus Citylimits (29-4) to close on him; however, Golden Pal held on to the front until the wire that he crossed it in 1:01.39.
He left Oceanic in the second by one and ½ of a length, with Artemus Citylimits running short of grabbing the second place just by a nose.
By Saturday’s success, Golden Pal recorded his seventh Graded victory, including four G2s. Besides the last year’s Woodford Stakes and Shakertown Stakes, the son of Uncle Mo also achieved the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint in 2020.
In 2021, he scored the G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, where he should show up in the ongoing season, vying for another big triumph after he stretched his legs on Saturday. Oceanic and Artemus Citylimits delivered solid finishes, yet they never threatened the favorite and had to settle for second and third place, respectively.
2022 Woodford Stakes Horse Race Video
@horseracingtote Golden Pal dominates in the 2022 Woodford Stakes #Horseracing #Horseracingtips #Horses #Horsesoftiktok #Horse #FYP #Sports
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First Lady Stakes
Chad Brown had a really strong hand in this G1 race over a mile.
The purse of $750,000 was up for grabs here, and a field of six three-year-old and older fillies and mares faced off on the turf surface; while preferred Regal Glory (21-20) had to settle for second place because another Chad Brown trained filly, In Italian (20-7), bettered her.
The four-year-old chestnut seized the front shortly after the start, led the pack throughout the whole race, and in the final stretch, she quite easily resisted Regal Glory’s finish.
Under Joel Rosario, In Italian crossed the wire in 1:33.22. Regal Glory was defeated by a length when running in second, with Princess Grace (101-10) taking third place.
The victorious daughter of Dubawi has already scored three Graded races in 2022. In May, she delivered in the G3 Honey Bee Stakes, then placed at the G2 and G1 scene, upon which she achieved her premiere success among the elite in the G1 Diane Stakes.
Apparently, In Italian kept her superb form until Saturday; still, Regal Glory just didn’t have the best trip in the First Lady Stakes.
She probably galloped too far from the front, and once she tried to close on In Italian from the outside, she succeeded in improving her position but couldn’t get to the leader in time. Princess Grace took third in the last stride before Technical Analysis (47-20).
First Lady Stakes Horse Race Video
@horseracingtote In Italian upsets Regal Glory in the First Lady Stakes #Horseracing #Horseracingtips #Horses #Horse #FYP #Sports #Horsesoftiktok
♬ original sound – horseracingtote
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