Idiomatic cruises to Spinster win; Breeders’ Cup is next
Eclipse Award-winning mare Idiomatic strutted her stuff Sunday. She opened an early lead, let challengers come to her in the second turn and then responded with a burst of speed through the homestretch on the way to a 6 1/2-length victory in the Grade 1, $600,000 Spinster Stakes at Keeneland.
It was her second straight time the 5-year-old Curlin mare trained by Brad Cox won the 1 1/8-mile race. She used the Spinster last year as a final tune-up for her championship-clinching triumph in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Idiomatic’s connections led by breeder-owner Juddmonte will be looking for history to repeat itself.
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The Spinster came with an automatic berth for the Distaff on Nov. 2 at Del Mar.
Despite Grade 1 losses this year in the Ogden Phipps and Personal Ensign, each by a head, Cox said he felt Idiomatic has not lost a step.
“Her figures say she’s just as good this year as she was last year,” Cox said. “She’s training every bit as good this year as last year. This year she’s had a little bit of a target on her back. She’s been pressed in some races where maybe last year she kind of had things her own way. She doesn’t always have to be on the lead. Overall it’s been a great year. She’s two heads from being undefeated.”
“It’s very unfortunate that we lost two races this year,” Idiomatic’s jockey Florent Géroux said. “I thought we would not, and it was probably my fault, and thanks to (Juddmonte) for sticking with me and giving me another chance on her. It paid off.”
Carrying Géroux and odds of 1-5 from post 1, Idiomatic put up honest early fractions of 23.53 and 47.01 seconds, leading 2023 Alcibiades (G1) winner Candied by about three lengths moving toward the second turn.
That was where jockey Luis Sáez urged Candied to make her move, but that also was the first time Géroux asked for more from the eventual winner. Through three-quarters of a mile in 1:11.10, Idiomatic responded positively to a left-handed strike of the crop, and she opened her lead through a mile in 1:36.33 and a final time of 1:49.04 on the fast track.
Occult (13-1) rallied to place second by three-quarters of a length, Candied faded to third, Loved (15-1) took fourth, Honor D Lady (10-1) came in fifth, and Bow Draw (54-1) finished last.
Now a five-time Grade 1 winner, Idiomatic added $367,350 in first-place money to run her career earnings total to $3,944,190. Her record is 17: 12-3-2.
Idiomatic paid $2.64, $2.16 and $2.10; Occult $5.86 and $3.16; and Candied $2.36.