Judy the Beauty Tops Competitive Winning Colors

Joao Moreira, a native of Brazil and three-time champion jockey in Singapore, is scheduled to ride Judy the Beauty on Monday. Moreira, who also has ridden in Australia, Sweden, Germany, South Africa, Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, France and Dubai, would be making his U.S. debut in the Winning Colors. “He’s a phenomenal rider and he is on a plane (from Singapore on Friday night),” Ward said. “He is going to ride at Arlington on Saturday and he’ll be here (at Churchill Downs) to ride on Sunday and Monday. He wants to be in the United States and hopefully this weekend will open the eyes of other owners and trainers.” The main rivals for Judy the Beauty include Funnys Approval, winner of the Barbara Fritchie Handicap (GII) at Laurel Park in February, Blueeyesintherein, winner of last year’s Debutante (GIII) at Churchill Downs and most recently fifth in the Eight Belles (GIII), and Burban, runner-up to Aubby K in the Humana Distaff (GI) on the Kentucky Derby Day undercard.  Other competitors are multiple stakes winner Beat the Blues, stakes winner Vuitton and Holiday Soiree, third in the Humana Distaff in her most recent start. Six of the seven runners in the field are stakes winners. The lone non-stakes winner, Holiday Soiree, is Grade-I placed. In celebration of Memorial Day, all active and retired members of the United States armed forces will be admitted free of charge with proof of identification. Also, Churchill Downs’ bugler Steve Buttleman will perform patriotic melodies following the “Call to the Post” for each race. Admission gates open at 11:30 a.m. and post time for the first race is 12:45 p.m. The field for the Winning Colors, from the rail out, with jockey: Funnys Approval (Marcelino Pedroza Jr.), Vuitton (Alan Garcia), Beat the Blues (Miguel Mena), Judy the Beauty (Moreira), Holiday Soiree (Corey Lanerie), Blueeyesintherein (Leandro Goncalves) and Burban (Shaun Bridgmohan).