Keeneland: Verity overtakes favored Stunner in Beaumont

Godolphin’s Verity collared favored Stunner in mid-stretch and drew off to score a 5 1/4-length victory in the 40th running of the Grade 2, $400,000 Beaumont Stakes for 3-year-olds fillies Sunday afternoon to highlight the opening day of the weather-delayed 15-day spring meet at Keeneland.

Trained by Eoin Harty and ridden by Vincent Cheminaud, Verity completed the seven furlongs and 184 feet in 1:27.18 over a sloppy track. She gave Cheminaud his first Keeneland stakes victory.

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Stunner led the field of five through fractions of 22.22 and 44.89 seconds with Verity in closest pursuit. Verity closed the gap approaching the top of the stretch, gradually moved alongside and then kicked clear from the eighth pole.

“I was confident about the distance and the track, to be honest,” Cheminaud said. “She’s a nice filly. I’d won twice with her, and she was good every time. I was very confident. She broke better than I thought from the gate. My filly was traveling very well next to (Stunner) on the lead. She gave me a good effort.”

A homebred daughter of Nyquist out of the Bernardini mare Moiety, Verity has won her last three races, all with Cheminaud aboard. The victory was worth $248,000 and boosted her earnings to $368,044 after four outings.

Verity returned $14.26, $5.02 and $3.98. Stunner with Flavien Prat aboard returned $2.86 and $2.26 and finished 4 3/4 lengths in front of Volleyballprincess, who paid $3.92 to show under Eliseo Ruiz.

G W’s Girl and Continuity completed the finish in that order.