White Rose and Angel Terrace each won divisions of the Kentucky Downs Ladies Marathon Stakes on closing day for the five-day 2014 meet at the unique Franklin, Ky. track Sept. 24.
In the final stakes of Wednesday's 10-race card, Dimension rallied to score a narrow victory in the Kentucky Downs Turf Dash.
The track reported that it established new records for wagering handle and starters per race during the short season. A total of $15,880,755 was wagered on the Kentucky Downs races during the 2014 meeting, shattering the previous record of $12,814,967 in 2013 by 23.9%. Field size was an impressive 10.2 starters per race.
"We are extremely gratified with the success of this year's live meet," said Kentucky Downs President Corey Johnsen. "We had tremendous support from horsemen and racing fans and are proud of the quality of live racing that we were able to offer. Many of the nation's top trainers raced horses with us this year, and our jockey colony was second to none."
Kentucky Downs decided to split the Ladies Marathon after receiving 23 entrants for the 1 5/16-mile test over the undulating turf course.
In the $190,000 first division, Shaun Bridgmohan guided White Rose to a 1 3/4-length triumph. In a tight photo for the minor placings, 29-1 shot La Malaguena nosed out 32-1 outsider Angegreen for second. Street of Gold was a head back in fourth and 9-5 favorite Cat's Claw finished another head back in fifth (VIDEO).
White Rose, bidding on the outside at odds of 9-2, seized the lead in deep stretch from pacesetter La Malaguena and drove clear to finish in 2:13.76 over a firm course.
It was the fourth win in 16 lifetime starts for the 4-year-old daughter of Tapit , who ran 13th as the favorite in the Modesty Handicap (gr. IIIT) in her most recent start July 12 at Arlington International Race Course.
Owned by Jake Ballis and National Basketball Association player Rashard Lewis, the gray filly is trained by Bill Mott, who was winless in 27 previous starts over the past five years at Kentucky Downs. White Rose was bred in Kentucky by J. S. McDonald out of the El Prado mare Garden Dance and sold for $225,000 at Keeneland in April 2012.
Carrying 121 pounds, White Rose extended her career earnings to $317,899 and paid $11.80, $6.80, and $3.40. She topped a $330.60 exacta with La Malaguena, who returned $27.60 and $11. Italian-bred Angegreen paid $13.20 to show and completed a $1 trifecta worth $1,995.70.
In the $109,600 second division of the Ladies Marathon (purses were augmented by $100,000 from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund), Pennsylvania-bred Angel Terrace popped up with a 6-1 upset from well off the pace (VIDEO).
With Florent Geroux aboard, Angel Terrace rallied from ninth on the far turn, swinging six paths wide and coming on strong to sweep past pacesetting I O Ireland in the final furlong.
The 5-year-old daughter of Ghostzapper cleared the field for a 1 1/2-length triumph in 2:12.34. Tabreed, the 5-2 favorite in the field of 10 following two scratches, finished third, three lengths behind the winner.
George Strawbridge bred and owns the winning chestnut mare who runs for Strawbridge's Augustin Stable and trainer Jonathan Sheppard. Angel Terrace, out of the Gone West mare Another Storm, produced her fourth win from 17 lifetime starts and boosted her career bankroll to $294,415.
She previously won a division of the Pin Oak Valley View Stakes (gr. IIIT) over the Keeneland turf in October 2102. She had lost nine in a row since that victory and was coming off a fifth in the listed Waya Stakes over the Saratoga Race Course inner turf going 12 furlongs Aug. 3.
Angel Terrace carried 121 pounds to victory and paid $14.40, $8.60, and $4.40. Team Block's I O Ireland returned $7.40 and $4.80 while completing an $84.40 exacta. The Great Britain-bred Tabreed paid $2.80 to show.
One race later in the $136,200 Turf Dash, Dimension overcame a slow start from his rail post to get up by a neck over Something Extra, with 17-10 favorite Undrafted another neck back in third (VIDEO).
With Chris Landeros astride, the British-bred Dimension rallied strongly while four wide in the stretch to get past pacesetter Stormy Going and Something Extra just in time while clocking 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:17.16.
Stormy Going, who finished a nose farther back in fourth, engaged Something Extra through opening fractions of :23.86 and :46.44.
Conor Murphy owns and trains Dimension for Riverside Bloodstock. The 6-year-old Medicean gelding was bed by Cheveley Park Stud out of the Green Desert mar Palatial. The dark bay was was coming off a third in the Play the King Stakes (Can-IIT) at Woodbine Aug. 6, a race he won in 2013.
Dimension, who posted his fifth lifetime victory in 25 starts with earnings of $369,577, paid $12.40, $5.20, and $3.40 while toting 121 pounds. Something Extra, virtually even in the win wagering with Undrafted, returned $2.60 and $2.10, while Wes Welker's Undrafted paid $2.60 to show. The exacta was worth $44.60, while the $1 trifecta involving the top three betting choices came back $56.80.
Rosie Napravnik and Julien Leparoux tied for the leading jockey title with seven victories apiece. Wesley Ward earned his third leading trainer title at Kentucky Downs, saddling seven winners during the meet, including two victories on closing day. Ken and Sarah Ramsey were the leading owners for the second straight year. The Ramseys had four wins and three second-place finishes, and earnings of over $264,000.
