Kimari Soars to Madison Victory at Keeneland

Ten Broeck Farm's Kimari  earned her first top-level win in style April 3 in the $300,000 Madison Stakes (G1) at Keeneland, turning back pacesetter Mundaye Call  and holding off a grade 1 winner in Bell's the One .

The versatile Wesley Ward trainee ran seven furlongs on the dirt in 1:21.53 under Joel Rosario. She was sent off as the 3-5 favorite and ran to her odds, finishing three-quarters of a length ahead of longshot Estilo Talentoso  and Bell's the One, who dead-heated for second.

"She was a little bit rank," said Ward, who sent the 4-year-old Munnings   filly in off a victory in the Feb. 27 Spring Fever Stakes on the dirt at Oaklawn Park. "She broke better than she usually does, which put her right into the race. On paper, there really wasn't a lot of speed up front. Everything went our way. As soon as she turned for home, (Rosario) started riding her. I was a little worried the last part; I wasn't sure seven-eighths (of a mile) is really her game. But this is her track, and (Rosario) is on fire. So we had all the luck with us today."

Bell's the One was making her season debut off a third in the Nov. 7 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1), and will look to defend her title in the May 1 Derby City Distaff Stakes (G1) at Churchill Downs.

"(The winner) had a race on us this year. We were coming off the bench," trainer Neil Pessin said. "That and maybe if we could have bounced to the outside instead of being inside between horses. I think she's a little better if she's out. That being said, the winner ran a big race. Hopefully we can turn the tables on her over at Churchill."

Kimari landed her first graded score after capturing four black-type events, including the 2020 Purple Martin Stakes at Oaklawn, the 2019 Indian Summer Stakes at Keeneland, and the 2019 Bolton Landing Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. She is best-known for flying the U.S. flag with aplomb at Royal Ascot, where she ran second in the 2020 Commonwealth Cup (G1) and was the runner-up in the Queen Mary Stakes (G2) in 2019.

"She's run real well the last couple years at Ascot… but she has such an affinity as well for the dirt, and the Breeders' Cup being in California this year at Del Mar, I'll sit down with Ben McElroy who bought her, we'll go back and forth and figure out a plan," Ward said. "It may be that she just stays stateside." 

This story will be updated.