Dundalk 5 LLC’s Dundalk Dust, the only 3-year-old in the field, rallied from last in a six-horse field to win the $161,250 Falls City Handicap (gr. II) (VIDEO) for fillies and mares by three lengths at Churchill Downs Nov. 25.
Trained by Chris Block and ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan, Dundalk Dust trailed the field as High Quail and Garrett Gomez led the group through fractions of :25.17, :49.38, and 1:13.89 on a sloppy track with favored Distinctive Dixie in closest pursuit.
Turning for home, front-running High Quail fought off a bid from Distinctive Dixie and then Ravi's Song while Dundalk Dust swung four-wide. Dundalk Dust drew clear to record her fifth victory in seven starts.
Dundalk Dust ran the 1 1/8 miles in 1:53.37. High Quail held for second, while Striking Dancer rallied for third.
“I felt like this filly would run real good until the rain came through, but she handles every surface we’ve given her,” Block said. “Her last work over the track (five furlongs in 1:00 Nov. 19) showed she was entering the race ready to go. I was a little concerned with her in the first turn because she dropped back and I thought she wasn’t handling the track, but you could see in the far turn she gathered momentum and I felt real good from that point on.”
“I had a nice trip,” Bridgmohan said. “She’s a neat filly to ride. She has got a big stride to her, and about the half-mile pole, she switched leads and jumped in the bridle a little bit. All I had to do was pick her a spot and once I did, she accelerated nicely.”
Dundalk Dust is an Illinois-bred daughter of Military out of the Beau Genius mare Plus Beau. The victory was worth $98,975 and increased Dundalk Dust’s earnings to $237,105.
Dundalk Dust, who carried 115 pounds, returned $14.80, $7.80, and $4.40.
