Sally's Curlin Triumphs in Chilukki Stakes at Churchill
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Photo: Coady Photography
Sally's Curlin wins the Chilukki Stakes at Churchill Downs
CJ Thoroughbreds, Left Turn Racing and, Casner Racing's Sally's Curlin recorded her first stakes victory with a strong, late kick to take the $200,000 Chilukki Stakes (G3) Nov. 2 at Churchill Downs.
Ridden by leading rider Corey Lanerie and trained by Churchill Downs' all-time leading trainer Dale Romans, Sally's Curlin, a 3-year-old daughter of Curlin , was relegated 7 1/2 lengths off the early pacesetter Cairenn through a solid opening fractions of :23.39 and :46.47. While Cairenn was running solo on the lead, Mylady Curlin, Divine Queen and She's Pretty Lucky were chasing in second, third, and fourth, respectively.
At the head of the lane, Lanerie tipped Sally's Curlin four wide while Mylady Curlin overtook Cairenn, the eventual third-place finisher, for the lead. Then in the final eighth of a mile Lanerie was able to muscle past runner-up Mylady Curlin to win by three-quarters of a length.
"She's a fun horse to ride with her late-closing kick," Lanerie said. "She has a very long run. Most horses have a quicker turn of foot but this horse sustains a strong run for a quarter of a mile."
Sally's Curlin ($5.80) completed the one-mile Chilukki in 1:35.60. The victory marked Lanerie and Romans' third win in the race. Romans is now tied with Rusty Arnold for the most victories in the Chilukki by a trainer.
Mylady Curlin, Cairenn, She's Pretty Lucky, Chocolate Martini and Divine Queen completed the order of finish.
The Chilukki was the third consecutive win for Sally's Curlin. She improved her record to 4-0-3 in nine starts with earnings of $287,196.
Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings bred the filly in Kentucky out of the stakes-placed More Than Ready mare Cabo Queen. Sally's Curlin was Cabo Queen's first foal, and the mare foaled a Carpe Diem colt in April before being bred to Maclean's Music.
Romans purchased Sally's Curlin for $160,000 from Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency's 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale consignment.
Video: Chilukki S. (G3)
Two races later, Sagamore Farms' Recruiting Ready led gate-to-wire to win in the $123,375 Bet on Sunshine Overnight Stakes by 3 3/4 lengths. Ridden by Lanerie and trained by Stanley Hough, Recruiting Ready ($5.20) broke Junior College's stakes record by :0.01 by completing six furlongs in 1:08.81, defeating runner-up Do Share and third-place Wilbo.
"He just showed a ton of speed like usual and he was very impressive throughout," Lanerie said.
Recruiting Ready improved his career record to 9-3-5 in 25 and boasts earnings of $799,189. The 5-year-old was bred in Kentucky by Claiborne Farm. He is by Algorithms and out of the Strong Hope mare Need, who foaled a full brother to Recruting Ready in March and was bred back to Flatter.