Envoutante Rolls Against Older Mares in Falls City

Throughout the year, trainer Kenny McPeek has considered Envoutante to be a high-class 3-year-old filly, a talented player in a stable led by Preakness Stakes (G1) Swiss Skydiver. On Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26, that was apparent for all to see.

The Three Chimneys Farm and Walking L Thoroughbreds-owned Uncle Mo  filly led every step of the way in a powerful six-length win over 4-5 favorite Bonny South in Thursday's 105th running of the $200,000 Falls City Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs. She sped 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:49.11 under Brian Hernandez Jr.—the fastest Falls City since Silent Eskimo's stakes record of 1:48.85 in 1999.

Utilizing her inside post position in the field of eight fillies and mares, Envoutante went right to the front and dictated an easy pace of :24.25, :48.95 and 1:13.21 while maintaining a half-length advantage over Our Super Freak, who was followed early on by Market Rumor, Bonny South, Smooth With a Kick, Cash Out, Another Broad, and Over Thinking. Leaving the far turn, Envoutante was met by the pressers but she had plenty left and widened her advantage to easily draw away in the stretch. 

"It was my first time on her for a race but I've worked her and worked against her before, too, with Swiss Skydiver," said Hernandez, who also won the 2015 Falls City aboard Ahh Chocolate. "She really kicked away from the field today and was very dominant. At the three-eighths pole I got her into the bit again and she just kicked away."

Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) winner Bonny South, ridden by Florent Geroux, rallied for second after tracking the leaders along the inside, finishing 3 1/2 lengths in front of Another Broad in third.

Our Super Freak, Smooth Wick a Kick, Over Thinking, Market Rumor and Cash Out completed the order of finish. High Regard was a late scratch. 

Envoutante won the $100,000 Remington Park Oaks (G3) in her previous start Sept. 27 and placed third behind Speech and Venetian Harbor in the $400,000 Ashland (G1) in July. The Falls City was her first race against elders.

"She was 1-for-1 at Churchill coming into this race," said McPeek, who collected his first Falls City. "We were very confident by the way she was working in the mornings and hoping she was going to put it together in the afternoon. She's worked against Swiss Skydiver and has really done well in her training. She's done a lot of traveling this year and got her graded stakes win in the Remington Oaks so winning another one was very special."

With the Falls City win, Envoutante improved her record to 4-1-2 from nine starts. Thursday's $120,280 first prize jumped her earnings to $336,028. 

Envoutante is out of the stakes-placed Bluegrass Cat mare Enchante. Bred in Kentucky by Jumping Jack Racing, she is the lone winner from four foals from her dam, one of whom is an unnamed Classic Empire yearling colt.

She was purchased for $250,000 by McPeek as agent for her owners from Baccari Bloodstock's consignment to the 2018 September Yearling Sale at Keeneland.