Kimari Soars to Madison Victory

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 4-year-old filly trained by Wesley Ward ran seven furlongs on dirt in 1:21.53 under Joel Rosario. She was sent off as the 7-10 favorite and ran to her odds, finishing three-quarters of a length ahead of 50-1 shot Estilo Talentoso  and Bell's the One, who dead-heated for second.

As expected, Mundaye Call went to the front of the seven-horse field to set opening fractions of :22.90 and :45.58 while maintaining a one-length advantage over Kimari. Keen early on, the eventual winner settled for Rosario then made a bid near the quarter pole and continued three-wide into the lane to inch clear of her foes and hold sway in the final stages.

"She was a little bit rank," said Ward, who saddled the 4-year-old Munnings   filly 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 seasonal debut off a third-place finish 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. The Madison score improved her record to 6-2-1 from 10 starts, with earnings of $758,777.

"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." 

Kimari was bred in Kentucky by China Horse Club International out of the Cozzene mare Cozze Up Lady, and is the only winner from three starters for her dam, who produced a 2-year-old Quality Road   colt named Imola and a Constitution   colt Feb. 15. Kimari was a $152,000 purchase by Eaton Sales from Bluewater Sales' consignment to The July Sale, Fasig-Tipton's Kentucky yearling sale.

Video: Madison S. (G1)