G. Watts Humphrey, Jr.'s favored Final Round came from off the pace with jockey Jerry Bailey to score a one-length victory Thursday in the the La Troienne Stakes (gr. III) at Churchill Downs.
The winner, a daughter of Storm Cat, raced the seven furlongs of the grade III test for 3-year-old fillies in 1:22.13. She earned a winner's share of $69,316 from the gross purse of $111,800.
Bailey picked up the mount on Final Round when Pat Day was unable to ride a Churchill Downs for the third consecutive day due to a back injury. It was Bailey's third winner of the afternoon. The Kentucky-bred bay is trained by George Arnold. Final Round raced last in the six-horse field into the turn, but circled the field while staying clear of a rough stretch run. Finishing second in the dash was Roger Devenport's Lovely Sage and jockey Calvin Borel, 1 1/4-length in front of Stonerside Stable's Fast Cookie and Cornelio Velasquez. "It set up just like we thought it would with plenty of speed up front," Bailey said. "The only question was if we could run down the speed, but I have won three today coming from off the pace."
It was the third victory and first graded stakes win for Final Round. She was coming off of a second-place finish in the Forward Gal (gr. III) at Gulfstream Park. The bay miss now has banked $207,036 in seven lifetime starts.
Final Round, who was bred by Dinwiddle Farm Limited Partnership, paid $4.40 for the win.
(Chart, Equibase)
