Royal Spa becomes millionaire by winning Locust Grove
Royal Spa led every step of the way Saturday in the 41st running of the Grade 2, $400,000 Locust Grove Stakes for fillies and mares at Churchill Downs, defeating Alpine Princess by 1 1/4 lengths to become a millionaire.
Ridden by Tyler Gaffalione and trained by Rodophe Brisset, Royal Spa ran 1 1/16 miles over the fast main track in 1:42.53, just off Search Results’s 2023 record of 1:42.40.
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Starting from post 3 in the field of six, Royal Spa broke alertly and set a comfortable early pace of 24.48, 48.42 and 1:12.7 without much pressure from chasers Corningstone, Our Pretty Woman, Alpine Princess and Free Like a Girl. Regaled was the trailer.
Gaffalione asked Royal Spa for more around the second turn, and she responded to open by two lengths. Alpine Princess, who won the $100,000 Mari Hulman George Memorial at Horseshoe Indianapolis in July, tipped out three wide to challenge but could not catch front-running Royal Spa.
“The plan was to just play the break,” Gaffalione said. “She’s been breaking a lot more alertly lately. I saw not a whole lot of speed, so I just sent her to the lead and was able to do everything.”
The victory was worth $244,140 to Royal Spa and increased her earnings to $1,096,732 from a record of 16: 6-3-4. This was the third stakes win of her career, all coming during her 5-year-old season. She also won the Heavenly Cause at Laurel Park in January and this spring’s Shawnee (G3) at Churchill Downs.
In her last two starts Royal Spa ran second to reigning horse of the year Thorpedo Anna in the Fleur de Lis (G2) and was fourth in the Clement L. Hirsch (G1) at Del Mar on Aug. 2.
This was Royal Spa’s fourth win in eight starts at Churchill Downs with two seconds.
Royal Spa, a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Violence out of Mineshaft mare Bodacious Babe, returned $4.62, $2.86 and $2.12. Alpine Prince, ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., returned $2.86 and $2.40. Regaled with Joe Ramos up paid $2.92 to show. Our Pretty Woman was fourth and was followed by Corningstone and Free Like a Girl.
Royal Spa was bred by her owner Rhonda O’Rourke under the business name Breffni Farm.
“Rudy (Brisset) and his wife Brooke have done a great job with her to stretch out in distance,” O’Rourke said. “I’ve known her since she was a little dot on an ultrasound. This was a really special win.”