Electric Forest uses 'another run' to win Keeneland's Doubledogdare

Stonestreet Stables’ Electric Forest took the lead shortly after the start and repelled a couple of surges from Go Google Yourself to win the Friday's 25th running of the Grade 3, $100,000 Hilliard Lyons-Baird Doubledogdare for fillies and mares by three-quarters of a length before a Keeneland crowd of 13,957.

Trained by Chad Brown and ridden by Jose Ortiz, Electric Forest covered the 1 1/16 miles on a sloppy track in 1:45.25. It was the third victory of the afternoon for Brown and Ortiz, who teamed to win the third race with First Row Partners’ Royal Charlotte and the seventh race with Three Chimneys Farm’s Guarana.

Electric Forest won the race to the first turn with Go Google Yourself in closest pursuit as they raced through fractions of :24.25 and :47.93 with Electric Forest holding a length advantage.

Approaching the far turn, Go Google Yourself drew almost on even terms with Electric Forest only to have the 4-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Curlin kick clear again. In the stretch, Electric Forest extended her lead to 1½ lengths and had enough left to hold off a final attempt from Go Google Yourself.

“She broke really sharp, and that helped me a lot out of the one hole," Ortiz said. "With the track being speed-favoring, I wasn’t afraid to go out there. She relaxed very good, but we picked it up pretty good. When we passed the sixteenth pole, she made the lead and stayed there. The filly gave me another run.”

The victory was worth $60,000 and increased the bankroll for Electric Forest, who is out of the Unbridled’s Song mare Forest Music, to $165,598 with a record of 5-3-1-0. It was her first stakes victory.

Electric Forest, who won at first asking here in April 2018, returned $6, $3.20 and $2.40. Go Google Yourself, ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., returned $4 and $2.40 and finished five lengths in front of Promise of Spring, who paid $2.40 to show under Corey Lanerie.

Favored Golden Award was another three-quarters of a length back in fourth and followed by Moonlit Garden.

Racing continues Saturday with a 10-race program headlined by the Dixiana Elkhorn (G2) for marathoners going 1½ miles on the grass. Keeneland is closed on Easter Sunday, April 21.