Rushing Fall Aims For Fifth Keeneland Win in First Lady
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Photo: Keeneland Photo/Photos by Z
Rushing Fall wins the Jenny Wiley at Keeneland
Rushing Fall is perfect in four starts on the Keeneland turf course—all in graded stakes—making her among the winningest stakes horses in track history. But such is the lure of racing at Keeneland that those managing her rivals are not running scared. Instead, a capacity field awaits Rushing Fall Oct. 5 in the $400,000 First Lady Stakes (G1T).
The quality matches the quantity. All 14 entrants are stakes winners—10 at the graded level—and besides Rushing Fall, the race includes two others that have already scored in grade 1s: Uni and Vasilika.
Still, Rushing Fall is a deserving favorite in the mile grass test that serves as a "Win and You're In" prep for the Nov. 2 Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1T) at Santa Anita Park. A winner of eight of 10 starts and $1,993,000, she tops the field in earnings and accomplishments. Locally, she won the 2017 JPMorgan Chase Jessamine Stakes (G3T) as a 2-year-old, followed a year later by the Appalachian Stakes Presented by Japan Racing Association (G2T) and the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes Presented by Lane's End (G1T) at 3. This year, she won the Coolmore Jenny Wiley Stakes (G1T) at 4.
In taking the latter race, she joined select Keeneland company, becoming just the third horse in the track's history to win as many as four stakes. Two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan holds the record with seven victories, followed by Take Charge Lady and Rushing Fall with four.
Even her two career defeats, runner-up finishes at Churchill Downs and Saratoga Race Course, did little to diminish her reputation. She was edged a neck in the Edgewood Stakes Presented by Forcht Bank (G3T) in May 2018 at Churchill, and then was outkicked, beaten 1 3/4 lengths by stablemate and champion Sistercharlie in the Diana Stakes (G1T) this summer at Saratoga.
Video: Diana S. (G1T)
Her connections hoped to follow that race with another try at Saratoga in the Aug. 24 Woodford Reserve Ballston Spa Stakes (G2T), though a lackluster work Aug. 17 and a short spell of dehydration forced her to miss the race.
"I'm still not exactly sure of what triggered it, but it took her a couple of days to bounce out of it," trainer Chad Brown said. "Something internally wasn't right with her, but she did come out of it, thankfully, and she's training just as well as you could want now."
Javier Castellano, aboard for every one of her starts, returns aboard the daughter of More Than Ready owned by Bob Edwards' e Five Racing Thoroughbreds.
A barnmate could prove her chief threat. Uni, winner of last year's Matriarch Stakes (G1T), has a win and a third in two starts this year, taking the ungraded Perfect Sting Stakes at Belmont Park before rallying to finish behind Got Stormy and Raging Bull Aug. 10 in the Fourstardave Handicap (G1T).
Video: Fourstardave H. (G1T)
She finished fourth in her only appearance on the Keeneland grass in the Queen Elizabeth II a couple of years ago as a 3-year-old.
"So maybe I'm concerned with her liking the turf course, but she was a much younger horse then, and I'm hoping she handles it better this time around," Brown said.
Vasilika heads the contingent of Western invaders. She defeated fellow First Lady competitor Juliet Foxtrot in the John C. Mabee Stakes (G2T) at Del Mar. Third with an eighth of a mile remaining, she closed resolutely to beat Juliet Foxtrot by a nose.
Video: John C. Mabee S. (G2T)
Vasilika is a two-time grade 1 winner, taking the Gamely Stakes (G1T) this year and the Rodeo Drive Stakes (G1T) last fall.
Positioned as the first of three consecutive grade 1 races Saturday at Keeneland, post time for the First Lady, the eighth race on an 11-race card, is 5:04 p.m. ET.
Additional reporting by Bob Ehalt
Keeneland, Saturday, October 05, 2019, Race 8Entries: First Lady S. (G1T)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Conquest Hardcandy (NY)
James Graham
124
Michelle Nihei
50/1
2
2Awesometank (GB)
James Doyle
124
William J. Haggas
15/1
3
3Juliet Foxtrot (GB)
Florent Geroux
124
Brad H. Cox
8/1
4
4Uni (GB)
Joel Rosario
124
Chad C. Brown
4/1
5
5Marina's Legacy (IN)
Jesus Lopez Castanon
124
Aaron M. West
50/1
6
6Vasilika (KY)
Flavien Prat
124
Jerry Hollendorfer
5/1
7
7Indian Blessing (GB)
Jamie P. Spencer
124
Ed Walker
12/1
8
8Mitchell Road (KY)
Julien R. Leparoux
124
William I. Mott
12/1
9
9Simply Breathless (GB)
Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.
124
Neil D. Drysdale
20/1
10
10Storm the Hill (KY)
Adam Beschizza
124
Philip D'Amato
20/1
11
11Rushing Fall (KY)
Javier Castellano
124
Chad C. Brown
9/5
12
12Ms Bad Behavior (ON)
Jose L. Ortiz
124
Richard Baltas
15/1
13
13Just Wonderful (KY)
Wayne Lordan
121
Aidan P. O'Brien
12/1
14
14Hanalei Moon (KY)
Tyler Gaffalione
124
Mark E. Casse
30/1
