Cambria Prevails in Kentucky Downs Juvenile Turf Sprint
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Photo: Coady Photography
Cambria (inside) wins the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Turf Stakes at Kentucky Downs
It was a stretch duel that became a battle of the sexes, and the lady prevailed.
Stonestreet Stables' Cambria made the move from the synthetic surface at Presque Isle Downs to the turf course at Kentucky Downs a winning one on Sept. 7 as she dug down held off a determined bid from Chimney Rock to capture the $454,750 Kentucky Downs Juvenile Turf Sprint Stakes.
The victory punched the 2-year-old filly's ticket to the Nov. 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Santa Anita Park, according to trainer Wesley Ward.
"I think she'll have a big, big chance at that race, making one run," he said. "If she was able to make one big run from behind and the speed collapses from behind, she'll be right there."
A homebred daughter of Speightstown , Cambria prevailed by a head in the 6 1/2-furlong turf stakes while improving her record to a perfect 3-for-3 for trainer Wesley Ward following her two wins at Presque Isle in maiden and allowance races.
Cambria ($18), the fifth choice in the wagering, was fourth under Tyler Gaffalione after the opening half-mile in :47.13, then had to steady briefly while moving up along the inside.
Chimney Rock, the 7-2 second choice, was also checked approaching the stretch, then shifted out and joined Cambria in the final sixteenth in a spirited duel to the wire that went to filly.
The final time was 1:17.40.
Cambria is out of Teen Pauline, a grade 2 winning daughter of Tapit . The mare foaled an Uncle Mo filly in 2018 and dropped an Into Mischief colt April 21.
"She's a very nice filly," Ward said of Cambria, who took her earnings to $331,700 with Saturday's win. "Early on, Barbara (Banke, owner of Stonestreet) gave me some horses to hopefully get to Royal Ascot. She's a little small, so we took our time and she just wasn't quite up to the others at this time. So I took her up to Presque Isle and she won. She's got a big heart."
Three Diamonds Farm's Chimney Rock, a son of Artie Schiller trained by Mike Maker, came into the Kentucky Downs stakes off a 1 3/4-length maiden victory at Saratoga Race Course in his third start. He had three lengths on Tracy Farmer's Prince of Thieves, who was third, a neck ahead of G. Watts Humphrey Jr.'s How Ironic, the second filly in the race.
Live Oak Plantation's Souper Dormy, the 5-2 favorite, was fifth in the field of 11.