Locust Grove winner Royal Spa will bypass Breeders' Cup Distaff

Royal Spa, the last-out winner of the Grade 2 Locust Grove at Churchill Downs, will bypass the Breeders' Cup Distaff. Instead, trainer Rodolphe Brisset plans to keep her in Kentucky for her next start.

Friday at Keeneland, after the second harrowing at 9 a.m. EDT, Breffni Farm’s Royal Spa worked a half-mile in 48.2 seconds in company with Group 3 winner Queen Azteca. Winner of the Locust Grove (G2) at Churchill Downs on Sept. 13, Royal Spa had been targeting the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) on Nov. 1 at Del Mar but will bypass the race in favor of another Churchill start.

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“We were playing with the idea of the Distaff,” Brisset said. “That is why she went to Del Mar (where she finished fourth in the Clement L. Hirsch (G1) on Aug. 2). It is a long trip to go out there, and she doesn’t owe us anything. And we know she likes Churchill.”

Royal Spa, owned by Breffni Farm, is now being considered for the Chilukki (G3) on Nov. 15 or the Falls City (G3) on Nov. 27. Both races are at Churchill Downs. Royal Spa has an 8: 4-2-0 record at Churchill Downs. In addition to her Locust Grove win in September she also won the Shawnee (G3) in May. She was second in the Fleur de Lis (G2) in June at Churchill and was also runner-up in last year’s Chilukki.