Ky. Downs: Epic Ride, Stellify, Plensa, Shisospicy win stakes
Epic Ride took the lead shortly after the start and led at every call. He held off 7-5 favorite Lagynos by two lengths for a 14-1 upset in the Grade 3 Mint Millions Invitational, a $2.5 million mile Saturday at Kentucky Downs.
A four-time winner on synthetic tracks, the 4-year-old Blame gelding trained by John Ennis and ridden by Édgar Morales won for the first time in three turf tries.
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Maintaining his lead down the stretch, Epic Ride finished with a reported time of 1:32.42 on a course rated good. He paid $30.54, $10.38 and $7.58. Lagynos placed second and returned $3.34 and $2.86. Beach Gold was third and paid $7.66 to show. The three horses who hit the board started from the outermost posts in the field of 13 starters, ages 3 and up.
Owned by Welch Racing, Epic Ride was coming off a second-place finish Aug. 2 in the Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Mile at Ellis Park.
Early fractions were reported to be 22.41, 44.83, 1:08.32 and 1:20.05.
Shisospicy powers triumphantly in Music City
Bouncing back from a disappointing Royal Ascot performance in June, Shisospicy (3-1) stalked early before taking the lead midway through her win in the $2 million Music City (G2), a 6 1/2-furlong turf sprint for 12 3-year-old fillies.
Owned by Morplay Racing and Qatar Racing, the daughter of Mitole was ridden to her fifth career victory by Irad Ortiz. She won by three lengths over second-place long shot Cloe (25-1) with betting favorite Tabiti (5-2) closing from eighth to take third.
Shisospicy paid $8.42, $5.54 and $3.94; Cloe $20.02 and $11.30; and Tabiti $3.94. The winning time was reported to be 1:14.54 after early fractions of 21.83, 44.58 and 1:08.40.
Trained by José D’Angelo, Shisospicy went from a Mamzelle (G3) on May 10 at Churchill Downs to finish 15th of 21 in the Commonwealth (G1) on June 20 in England. This was her third stakes victory in six tries.
Stellify wheels back, wins Ladies Marathon
Other than cutting from 1 1/2 to 1 5/16 miles and stepping up in class, post-time favorite Stellify (2-1) looked as she did nine days earlier over the same course. She led the whole way again, this time winning her stakes debut in the $1.8 million Ladies Marathon (G3).
The 4-year-old Justify filly trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Florent Géroux wheeled back from winning an $80,000 allowance to dominate a field of 11 fillies and mares. Stellify drew away in the stretch to win by 2 3/4 lengths with a reported winning time of 2:06.84. She paid $6.22, $4.10 and $3.30 across the board.
Way to Be Marie (19-1) finished second and returned $15.92 and $9.46. Miwa took third and paid $4.20 to show.
Owned by Elements Racing, George Messina and Michael Lee, Stellify has won four consecutive races, all since May 1. She broke her maiden on third asking when she won at Churchill Downs. That was where the Kentucky-bred filly scored an allowance victory June 12 before coming back to win last week at Kentucky Downs.
Early fractions were said to be 26.10, 49.57, 1:13.00, 1:36.37 and 2:00.79.
Plensa (22-1) is upset winner in Gun Runner
Maiden winner Plensa (22-1) rallied to take the lead with a sixteenth of a mile to go and ran on to a one-length upset in the $2 million Gun Runner, a one-mile test for 3-year-olds.
Ridden by Géroux for trainer Rusty Arnold, the Caravaggio colt raced in the rear half of the field of 14 and still was eighth passing the quarter pole before he accelerated to his second win in six tries for owners Mill Ridge Farm and Frank Garrison.
Plensa paid $47.20, $18.32 and $10.50; Giocoso (5-1) $6.56 and $4.38; and Namaron (7-2) $4.02.
The final time was posted as 1:33.51 after early fractions of 22.72, 44.71, 1:08.10 and 1:20.59. They came from a newly installed timing system that has been subject to corrections throughout the short meet.