Photo:
Tim Sudduth / Eclipse Sportswire
May Day Ready split horses in mid-stretch and got up in the
final jump to nip Totally Justified by a nose to win the Grade 2, $350,000 Jessamine Stakes on Friday at Keeneland. Favored Destino d’Oro was another nose back in
third.
Trained by Joe Lee and ridden by Frankie Dettori, May Day
Ready completed the 1 1/16 miles over the firm turf course in 1:44.10. The
victory was Lee’s first at Keeneland and qualified her for the Breeders’ Cup
Juvenile Fillies Turf on Nov. 1 at Del Mar.
Click here for Keeneland entries and results.
Shezafunkydrummer led the field of 11 through fractions of 23.06,
48.41 and 1:13.11 with Totally Justified in closest pursuit. At the head of the
stretch Totally Justified took over and opened a daylight margin that carried
into deep stretch.
#8 MAY DAY READY ($10.80) gets her nose down on the wire first in a thrilling edition of the $350,000 Jessamine Stakes (G2) at @Keeneland. She is in the @BreedersCup Juvenile Fillies Turf!
The Tapit (@Gainesway) filly was ridden by @FrankieDettori for trainer Joseph Lee. pic.twitter.com/zNKoFPYzVM
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) October 4, 2024
May Day Ready got clear running at the eighth pole and
closed on the outside of Totally Justified. Destino d’Oro was rallying widest
of all after being squeezed at the start and racing near the back of the pack
until the top of the stretch.
The victory, the third in three starts for May Day Ready,
was worth $200,725 and increased her earnings to $844,025. May Day Ready is a
Kentucky-bred daughter of Tapit out of the More Than Ready mare Nemoralia.
May Day Ready returned $10.80, $5.56 and $2.96. Totally
Justified, ridden by Manny Franco, returned $6.26 and $3.82 with Destino d’Oro
returning $2.62 to show under Flavien Prat.
It was another 2 1/2 lengths back to Mechaya who was
followed in order by Italian Soiree, Shezafunkydrummer, Sashay Away, Ballerina
d’Oro, Somethinabouther, Miss Lonelle and Give Life.
Mechaya’s rider Francisco Arrieta made an unsuccesful foul
claim against Totally Justified, saying he was interfered with in mid-stretch. Stewards
did not change the order of the finish.
Federal Judge runs away in Phoenix
Federal Judge took command at the start and then hit another
gear at the top of the stretch to post an emphatic, 5 1/2-length victory Friday
in the Phoenix (G2) sprint for 3-year-olds and up. The race was a win-and-you’re-in
for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint on Nov. 2 at Del Mar.
The margin of victory was the largest in the race since
Golden Gear won by 7 1/2 lengths in 1995.
Watch the full replay as FEDERAL JUDGE flies to the win in the @skofirm Phoenix (G2), earning a spot in the @BreedersCup Sprint starting gate! pic.twitter.com/qxRDyhEmLk
— Keeneland Racing (@keenelandracing) October 4, 2024
Trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Flavien Prat, Federal
Judge completed the 6 furlongs in 1:08.20, the fastest clocking for the Phoenix
since 2000, when Five Star Day won in 1:07.8 with the race timed in fifths of a
second.
In winning for the fourth time in six starts, Federal Judge
led the field of seven through opening fractions of 21.62 and 43.97 seconds with
Comedy Town in closest pursuit.
At the head of the lane, Federal Judge began to widen his
margin and coasted to victory with favored Nakatomi rallying for second.
Federal Judge is a 4-year-old Florida-bred son of Army Mule
out of the Congaree mare Congarette. The victory was worth $181,350 and
increased Federal Judge’s earnings to $402,960.
Sent off as the second choice, Federal Judge rewarded his
backers with payoffs of $5.48, $2.90 and $2.44. Nakatomi, ridden by Tyler
Gaffalione, returned $2.80 and $2.16 with Comedy Town finishing another
half-length back in third under Drayden Van Dyke and paying $3.18 to show.
Here Mi Song was another 1 1/4 lengths back in fourth and
was followed in order by My Buddy B, Manny Wah and Swirvin.
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