Churchill Downs: Proctor Street finds room to win Cardinal

Proctor Street spurted through an opening with a furlong to run and finished with authority Thursday to defeat Awesome Czech by three-quarters of a length in the listed, $289,665 Cardinal Stakes at Churchill Downs.

A 4-year-old filly bred and owned by Patricia Moseley, Proctor Street ran 1 1/8 miles over firm turf in 1:49.65 to collect the first stakes win of her career. Tyler Gaffalione rode the winner for trainer Brendan Walsh.

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Breaking from post 9 in the field of 11 fillies and mares, Proctor Street raced in fifth up the backstretch along the inside as Stylish Sue led the way through splits of 24.33, 49.38 and 1:13.88.

Around the second turn Proctor Street was full of run. Gaffalione chose to remain behind cover and waited for a opening between tiring pacesetter Stylish Sue and 2-1 favorite Pin Up Betty, the winner of this year’s Grade 3 Mint Julep and Anchorage at Churchill. Proctor Street shot through the opening at the eighth pole and charged past rail-skimming Awesome Czech for her first stakes win.

“All the credit goes to Brendan and his team,” said Gaffalione, who worked with Walsh to win the 2019 Cardinal with Kallio. “They really had her ready to go today. I had a lot of horse underneath me, and when the hole opened in the stretch, she didn’t hesitate and went for it.”

The triumph was worth $175,700 and increased Proctor Street’s earnings to $451,910 from a record of 8: 5-1-1.

“I think she’s started to turn a corner,” Walsh said. “Who knows what she might do from here?”

Proctor Street returned $8.44, $5.20 and $4.04 as the 3-1 second betting choice. Awesome Czech, ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr. at odds of 10-1, paid $9.46 and $5.86. Third-place finisher Fleetingly, under Flavien Prat, was another head back and paid $5.38 to show at 10-1.

The order of finish was completed by Adrasteia, Pin Up Betty, Vive Veuve, defending Cardinal champion Duvet Day, Sabalenka, Lucky Speech, Miwa (GB) and Stylish Sue. She’s Lookin Lucky, Tap the Champagne and Weighted Average were scratched.

Before the Cardinal, Proctor Street won a third-level allowance on grass at Keeneland on Oct. 16.

Proctor Street, a daughter of 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense out of Ghostzapper mare Proctor’s Ledge, was bred in Kentucky.