Backyard Heaven tops Always Dreaming in Churchill's Alysheba Stakes
Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Backyard Heaven disposed of 2017 Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming on the far turn and drew off to win the 15th running of the $400,000 Alysheba Stakes presented by Sentient Jet (Grade II) for 3-year-olds and up by 4 ½ lengths over Hawaakom.
Trained by Chad Brown and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., Backyard Heaven covered the 1 1/16 miles on a fast main track in 1:41.73.
“He did everything easy, winning rider Irad Ortiz Jr. said. "He broke and put me in a good position to go from there. Past the half- mile pole I started to let him do his thing. He picked it up and when I asked him he took off. He’s a nice horse.”
Always Dreaming, making his first start at Churchill Downs since winning the Derby last year, set the pace in the field of seven with fractions of :23.86 and :46.79 with Backyard Heaven lurking just to his outside.
On the far turn, Backyard Heaven surged to the lead and quickly opened a daylight margin on the field and never was threatened in winning his stakes debut.
Backyard Heaven is 4-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Tizway out of the Grand Slam are Cappagh Strand. The victory was worth $243,040 and increased Backyard Heaven’s earnings to $334,240 with a record of 4-3-1-0.
“He was training very, very well," Chad Brown stated. "I have to give my assistant Whit Beckman credit, as he's had him all winter up there. He's done a fabulous job with this horse. We momentarily thought about running him at Charles Town for a lot more money, but we thought he would need just a little more time and I really wanted the opportunity to bring a horse down here for the Ramseys. They've been so helpful to my career. My very first winner was here at Churchill Downs for them."
Backyard Heaven returned $6.40, $4 and $3. Hawaakom, ridden by Corey Lanerie, returned $13.20 and $5.20 and finished three-quarters of a length in front of Good Samaritan, who paid $2.80 to show under Joel Rosario.
It was another 1 ¾ lengths back to Hoppertunity, who was followed in order by Always Dreaming, Giuseppe the Great and Hence.