Odds-on choice Kitten's Dumplings took the overland route to victory for a confident Joel Rosario, winning the $113,900 Regret Stakes (gr. IIIT) going away on Stephen Foster Handicap night June 15 at Churchill Downs (VIDEO).
Rosario rode the daughter of Kitten's Joy to victory in the 1 1/8-mile turf test for 3-year-old fillies for owners/breeders Ken and Sarah Ramsey and trainer Michael Maker. Those red-hot connections enjoyed a record-breaking meet at Keeneland earlier this spring. The Ramseys have already won 23 races during the Churchill spring meet.
The final time was 1:48.41 over firm going for Kitten's Dumplings, who earned her first graded stakes score and fourth win from nine starts overall. The winning margin was 2 1/4 lengths.
Kitten's Dumplings was a sharp 3 3/4-length winner of the 1 1/16-mile Edgewood Stakes May 3 over the course. With two stakes wins to her credit coming in, she seemed a justified 3-5 favorite over a field of 10 other less accomplished fillies.
The late-running filly dropped back to 10th soon after the start as 17-1shot Eden Prairie struck the front and opened a one-length advantage over Miss Lucky Sevens and Oscar Party. Eden Prairie provided an honest pace of :23, :46.98, and 1:11.92 as Kitten's Dumplings began her advance for Rosario heading into the far turn.
Kitten's Dumplings was rolling six wide coming off the bend and charged home gamely to get the lead approaching mid-stretch as the pacesetters gave way. She would extend her advantage in deep stretch as Praia flew from seventh in the lane to get second under Alan Garcia. She was three-quarters of a length in front of Oscar Party, who stuck around for third with Norberto Arroyo Jr. aboard.
Broken Spell finished fourth, followed by Miss Squeal, Beverage Queen, Seaneen Girl, Abbey Street, Eden Prairie, Miss Lucky Sevens, and Intelyhente.
Now 2-for-2 over the Churchill grass, Kitten's Dumpling boosted her career bankroll to $313,262 for the Ramseys. Ken Ramsey said he "had no doubts" his filly, who is out of the Grand Slam mare Granny Fanny, would prevail.
"This looks like a Breeders' Cup filly down the road," Ramsey said. "She's a good one."
In addition to the Edgewood, she also captured the La Senorita Stakes on turf at Retama Park last November by three lengths and was second in the Florida Oaks (gr. IIT) on the Tampa Bay Downs lawn Feb. 2.
Under equal weights of 118 pounds, Kitten's Dumplings paid $3.40, $2.60, and $2.20 while topping a $24.20 exacta. Haras Old Friends' Praia was also runner-up in the Edgewood for trainer Ken McPeek. She paid $7.80 and $5.20. Recent Churchill allowance winner Oscar Party was $5.20 to show for trainer Wayne Catalano.
