Nashville sets Keeneland record in Perryville

In the first race of Championship Saturday of the 37th Breeders’ Cup World Championships being held at Keeneland, CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm’s highly touted sprinter Nashville remained undefeated with a dominant 3 1/2-length victory in the $125,000 Perryville while breaking the 6-furlong track record with a final time of 1:07.89. (Click here for a replay of the race.)

Nashville, trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen and ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., led every step of the way in the Perryville for his third win. Following an opening quarter-mile clocking of :21.54, Santana and Nashville opened up 6 lengths on the field of 3-year-old sprinters around the far turn. Nashville cruised through the finish while in hand the entire journey.

Wild Wes, Little Menace, Bango, Fore Left, Cajun Brother and Relentless Dancer completed the running order.

Nashville, the overwhelming 1-5 favorite, returned $2.20, $2.10 and $2.10. Wild Wes, with Mitchell Murrill in the saddle, paid $8.60 and $5. Little Menace, with Tyler Gaffalione up, returned $4.60.

Keeneland’s previous 6-furlong track record was 1:08.43 set by A.P. Indian in the Phoenix (G3) on Oct. 7, 2016.

A 3-year-old colt by Speightstown out of the Mizzen Mast mare Veronique, Nashville was purchased at Keeneland’s 2018 September Yearling Sale for $460,000.

Veronique, who is in foal to Collected, is cataloged as Hip 244D in Keeneland’s November Breeding Stock Sale and scheduled to sell during the premier Book 1 on Monday’s opening day of the auction. Nashville’s weanling half-sister by Mastery also is cataloged to the sale as Hip 885.

The November Sale runs through Nov. 18.