Merneith Rallies to Victory in Fort Springs Stakes
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Photo: Keeneland/Coady Photography
Merneith prevails in the Fort Springs Stakes at Keeneland
Grade 2-placed Merneith secured the first stakes win of her career Nov. 7 when she rallied in the center of the lane to edge Motivated Seller and win the $125,000 Qatar Fort Springs Stakes at Keeneland.
The Fort Springs was the final of three undercard stakes ahead of nine Breeders' Cup World Championships races Saturday at Keeneland.
Campaigned by Prince Sultan Bin Mishal Al Saud, Merneith placed in her stakes debut in June when she held third in the Santa Anita Oaks (G2). The daughter of American Pharoah entered Saturday's six-furlong test for 3-year-old fillies off a 3 1/4-length allowance level win Oct. 11 at Santa Anita Park.
With Luis Saez up, Merneith completed Saturday's race in 1:09.35 on a fast track. She finished a neck ahead of Motivated Seller while longshot early leader Rising Seas held third.
Merneith was in the headlines in late October because the status of her runner-up finish July 25 in an allowance-level race at Del Mar is in question as the California Horse Racing Board has filed a complaint against trainer Bob Baffert after Mernieth tested positive for dextrorphan. A hearing for that complaint is scheduled Nov. 12.
Bred in Kentucky by China Horse Club, Merneith is out of the stakes-winning Flatter mare Flattermewithroses, who has produced two winners from as many starters. She was a $600,000 purchase from De Meric Sales' consignment to the 2019 Ocala Breeders' Sales March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.