Beaumont winner Verity may return in Eight Belles

Verity did not hang around Keeneland long Sunday afternoon following her 5 1/4-length victory over a sloppy track in the Grade 2, $400,000 Beaumont on opening day of the spring meet.

“She returned to Turfway Park last night,” said Michael Banahan, director of bloodstock for Godolphin, the owner and breeder of Verity.

Trained by Eoin Harty and ridden by Vincent Cheminaud, Verity ran her winning streak to three with Sunday’s daylight victory. Her lone loss in her four-race career came in her debut Dec. 1 at Churchill Downs, which is where she could head next.

“We want to see how she recovers from yesterday and then decide, but the Eight Belles will certainly be discussed,” Banahan said of the $600,000, Grade 2 race going seven furlongs on the Kentucky Oaks undercard, May 2 at Churchill Downs. “Hopefully a long-term goal will be the Test (G1 this summer at Saratoga).”