Obligatory Rolls to Late-Running Score in Chilukki
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Photo: Coady Photography
Obligatory rallies late to win the Chilukki Stakes at Churchill Downs
Obligatory showed her affinity for Churchill Downs with another late-running victory in the Nov. 20 $300,000 Chilukki Stakes (G3) for Juddmonte Farms. Immediately following the race, Juddmonte USA general manager Garrett O'Rourke indicated the filly would be returning to the races next year as a 4-year-old with an eye toward grade 1 glory.
Trained by Bill Mott, Obligatory attained her first graded stakes win with a powerful last-to-first performance in the Eight Belles Stakes Presented by Smithfield (G2) on Kentucky Oaks Day. The 3-year-old daughter of Curlin proved her upset win in the Eight Belles was no fluke with respectable runner-up finishes in the June 5 Acorn Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park and Sept. 25 Cotillion Stakes (G1) at Parx Racing. In her most recent effort, the gray lacked her customary late kick and was a well beaten sixth in Keeneland's Lexus Raven Run Stakes (G2) Oct. 23.
Back under the Twin Spires, where she has recorded her last three breezes, Obligatory was forgiven by bettors for her Raven Run effort and stepped into the gate as the 3-2 favorite. As the gates opened, 8-1 shot Princess Causeway veered sharply to the far outside from the outside gate and proceeded to hightail it to the lead under jockey Chris Landeros. Winging it wildly on the lead, Princess Causeway forced fast early fractions of :22.77 and :45.98. The quick pace worked perfectly in Obligatory's favor, who tracked five lengths off the first flight of horses until being given the green light from Joel Rosario around the turn. Princess Causeway threw in the towel after three-quarters in a sizzling 1:10.36 as Miss Bigly and Matera forged their way to the front at the top of the stretch. Obligatory, under little encouragement, continued to gain momentum down the middle of the lane and swept by Matera and Miss Bigly late for a 2 1/4-length tally.
"(Obligatory) gave me a really good effort today closing into the pace," said Rosario. "It was fun to be on her. Around the turn she started showing her best turn of foot and I could see the pace was pretty fast in front of me."
Facing older mares for the first time in the Chilukki, Obligatory stopped the clock in 1:34.80 for the mile on a fast main track and paid $5 for a $2 win bet. Matera got up for second by a neck over Miss Bigly.
"We were a little bit worried about the pace going into the race but we know she could be pretty versatile where she was in the race," O'Rourke said of the winner. "The pace ended up helping us today and she got a really good run on the outside. Joel got her into a lovely rhythm and always felt like he was in a good position with her. She's going to stay in training next year and the goal would be to get a grade 1 victory with her."
Obligatory increased her earnings to $711,514 with her Chilukki win. She has now captured three of her nine career starts.
A third generation homebred for Juddmonte Farms, Obligatory is out of the stakes-winning Macho Uno mare Uno Duo . A half sister to group 1 winner Etoile Montante (Miswaki), Uno Duo hails from the family of graded stakes performers Country Grammer , Starformer , Flavius , and Bonny South . She has an unraced 2-year-old filly by Arrogate named Swift Thinker, a yearling Arrogate colt, foaled a filly by Into Mischief this year, and was bred to Speightstown for 2022.