Churchill: Utah Beach wins turf marathon marred by spill
Utah Beach won the 88th running of the Grade 3, $250,000 Louisville Stakes at Churchill Downs by 1 1/2 lengths over Verstappen in 2:26.70 for the 1 1/2-mile turf marathon Saturday night.
Ridden by Vincent Cheminaud, Utah Beach had one horse beaten in the early stages as pacesetter Idratherbeblessed led the field of nine older horses through early fractions of 48.84, 1:13.64 and 1:39.12.
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Verstappen, who tracked in second, took over midway around the final turn as Utah Beach commenced his wide rally. Utah Beach caught Verstappen with an eighth of a mile to run and drew clear in the final yards. The final time over firm turf was just 0.20 seconds off 1994 Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Tikkanen’s course record of 2:26.50.
Nacho Correas trains the winner for Jeffrey Amling and Charles Noell’s Merribelle Stable. The victory was worth $151,520 and improved Utah Beach’s career earnings to $687,785 with a record of 15: 5-5-1.
It was his second straight stakes victory after capturing the $400,000 Elkhorn (G2) at Keeneland on April 19. Utah Beach returned $8.44, $4.52 and $2.72 as the 3-1 second betting choice. Verstappen, under Frankie Dettori, paid $7.00 and $4.04 at odds of 7-1. Missed the Cut, ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr. as the mild 3-1 favorite, was another three lengths back in third and paid $3.90 to show. Defending winner Sugoi was fourth and was followed by Rock’n a Halo, Accredit and Idratherbeblessed.
Rebel Red appeared to clip heels with Missed the Cut, who veered out when Idratherbeblessed began to fade, and dropped rider Declan Cannon. Tapit Shoes was unable to avoid the fallen horse and rider and dropped jockey Rafael Bejarano. Both horses went back to their barns. Bejarano returned to the jockey’s quarters. Cannon, who was alert and conscious, complained of back pain and was transported to University of Louisville Hospital for further evaluation.
Utah Beach is a 5-year-old gelded son of English Channel out of Lasting Approval mare My Own Story and was bred in Kentucky by his owners.