Kitten's Dumplings, eye-catching winner of the Edgewood Stakes in her first start over the Churchill Downs turf, returns to the Louisville track as the likely favorite in the $100,000 Regret Stakes (gr. IIIT) June 15.
The 1 1/8-mile Regret, which attracted a field of 11 3-year-old fillies, is part of a strong stakes lineup on the Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I) evening card at Churchill. The grass event is race 9 with a scheduled post time of 10:11 p.m. EDT.
Ken and Sarah Ramsey's homebred Kitten's Dumplings is trained by Mike Maker and will be reunited with Joel Rosario, who rode the Kitten's Joy filly for the first time in the 1 1/16-mile Edgewood. Kitten's Dumplings, who drew post 3, is out of the winning Grand Slam mare Granny Franny.
Eighth on the far turn in the May 3 Edgewood, the bay filly rallied six wide into the stretch and quickly drew clear in the closing stages after catching the leaders approaching the furlong pole. She tallied by nearly four lengths in a time of 1:41.24.
It was the second stakes win for Kitten's Dumplings and her third victory overall from eight starts. In search of her first graded score, she has earned $246,881 so far.
Also coming out of the Edgewood are Praia, the runner-up at odds of 45-1, and third-place finisher Broken Spell, who was blocked and steadied at mid-stretch.
Haras Old Friends' Praia, a daughter of Distorted Humor , was making her stakes debut for trainer Ken McPeek in the Edgewood after graduating a month earlier on the Keeneland lawn. Like the winner, she came from well off the pace to get second in the Edgewood. Calumet Farm's Broken Spell, a Broken Vow filly trained by D. Wayne Lukas, was also driving when she encountered traffic trouble in the Edgewood and finished half a length behind Praia.
McPeek also entered Beverage Queen, third in a first-level allowance over the Churchill turf May 25.
Trainer Wayne Catalano has a pair in the Regret, Oscar Party and Miss Lucky Sevens.
James Covello's Oscar Party, a daughter of Dixie Union, comes off a 2 3/4-length victory in the same 1 1/16-mile allowance race that drew Beverage Queen. It was her first start since she was last of 14 in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (gr. IT) Nov. 2 at Santa Anita Park.
Miss Lucky Sevens, a Big Brown filly owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, was fourth in the 1 1/16-mile Hilltop Stakes at Pimlico Race Course after pressing the pace and weakening May 17.
Lothenbach Stables' front-running Eden Prairie nearly stole the one-mile Appalachian Stakes (gr. IIIT) at 13-1 in her most recent start April 18 at Keeneland for trainer Neil Pessin. She finished third, beaten a half-length by Unbelievable Dream.
$100,000 Regret Stakes (gr. IIIT, Race 9, 10:11 p.m.), 3YO Fillies, 1 1/8 Miles (Turf)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Trainer
1. Praia (KY), A Garcia, K G McPeek
2. Abbey Street (KY), M Mena, E Gray
3. Kitten's Dumplings (KY), J Rosario, M J Maker
4. Beverage Queen (KY), J R Leparoux, K G McPeek
5. Oscar Party (KY), N Arroyo Jr., W M Catalano
6. Miss Lucky Sevens (KY), R Napravnik, W M Catalano
7. Eden Prairie (KY), B J Hernandez Jr., N L Pessin
8. Broken Spell (KY), R Albarado, D W Lukas
9. Seaneen Girl (KY), S Bridgmohan, B S Flint
10. Intelyhente (KY), C J Lanerie, E Kenneally
11. Miss Squeal (KY), J Rocco Jr., G R Arnold II
All carry 118 pounds.
Kitten's Dumplings in the Edgewood Stakes.
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