Sconsin Scoots Past Favorites in Eight Belles
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Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
Sconsin wins the Eight Belles Stakes at Churchill Downs
Lloyd Madison Farms IV's homebred Sconsin rolled past the top two betting choices, Four Graces and Mundaye Call, in midstretch and drew clear to win the Sept. 4 Eight Belles Stakes Presented by Twinspires.com (G2) by 2 1/4 lengths. The $300,000 race for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs was the first stakes on Kentucky Oaks Day at Churchill Downs.
The final time was 1:21.30 on a fast track. Four Graces, the 9-10 favorite, was second, 1 3/4 lengths ahead of a rallying Never Forget.
In her previous outing, the Greg Foley-trained Sconsin was third, 7 3/4 lengths behind Mundaye Call, in the Audubon Oaks at Ellis Park. Before that, she was second behind Four Graces in the Beaumont Stakes Presented by Keeneland Select (G3) at Keeneland. On the big stage, without patrons under the Twin Spires, she was able to turn the tables.
Rigney Racing's Purrfectly Claire and Brereton Jones' Perfect Happiness were scratched, leaving a field of five. Mundaye Call, who went off at even money, broke sharply from the rail and was quickly joined by Four Graces. The two sped through a :22.11 opening quarter and a half-mile in a brisk :44.14. There was a sizable gap back to Extra Effort, Never Forget, and Sconsin, who was last with three furlongs to go.
"The two favorites were both speed horses," Foley said. "So all you can do is hope they hook up and kill one another off. I don't think they killed one another off, but I think my filly was happier today. They had pace pressure on each other today, and we just finished it off better than they did."
Jockey James Graham had Sconsin in gear on the turn, and they came off the bend and took aim on a tiring duo on the lead after six furlongs in a demanding 1:08.52. Mundaye Call weakened first while along the rail, eventually fading to fourth. Four Graces held second, and Never Forget rallied for third.
Sconsin paid $16.40 and combined with the favorite for a $2 exacta (5-7) worth $30.
"She's a good filly," Foley said. "The race set up perfect for us with the other two fillies going out. Her last couple of races have been over speed-favoring tracks, galloping on the lead, and you know, she had too much to do. This filly won over here in June, winning her (one) 'other-than.' It was almost as nice a race as the one today against a lot lesser company.
"She's a beautiful filly. We were 10 (lengths) out of it going to the half-mile pole. I was like, 'Let's pick it up.' They went fast in front of her, and she picked them off. I can't ask for any more than that; the setup was perfect."
Sconsin's connections enjoy the Eight Belles trophy presentation
Sconsin now sports a 3-2-1 mark in eight starts and has earned $301,512. She is by Airdrie Stud's Include out of the Tiznow mare Sconnie, a $90,000 purchase by Foley out of Gainesway's consignment at the 2008 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Sconnie made three starts for Lloyd Madison Farms IV and Foley, winning once. Sconsin is her third foal. She has a weanling filly by Paynter and was bred back to Include for 2021.