Flying Circle, ridden by Eddie Castro, rallied through the stretch and seized command in the final eighth to post a 2 ¼-length victory over pacesetting Angel Trumpet in Saturday's $111,000 Open Mind Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on the grass at Churchill Downs. Coming off a victory in the Snurb Stakes on the dirt at Florida's Calder Race Course, Flying Circle won for the fourth time in five starts this year as she sped the five furlongs in :56.97 and paid $9.00, $5.00 and $4.60. Angel Trumpet, with Brian J. Hernandez, Jr. aboard, held a 1 ½-length advantage entering the turn, but could not hold off the winner and paid $10.20 and $6.80. Harmonic Miss, a 33-1 outsider with Willie Martinez up, finished 4 ½ lengths back and returned $10.80. Owned by Walter New and trained by David Fawkes, Flying Circle surpassed her previous career earnings as she collected $68,820 to push her lifetime total to $132,605. Flying Circle failed to win her only start as a 2-year-old, but has never been worse than second in her five attempts this year. The turf win was her second in three attempts. Hernandez broke Angel Trumpet on top in the field of nine and drew out to a three-length advantage nearing the turn as Flying Circle stalked in second. As the field moved into the stretch turn, Castro moved Flying Circle to the outside to begin his winning drive. Favored Little Hussy finished fifth.
(Chart, Equibase)