Bonny South, Envoutante Rematch in Falls City

The connections of Bonny South  will have multiple things to be thankful for come Thanksgiving Day: one, for a main contender in the $500,000 Falls City Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs, and two, that she isn't facing likely champion Letruska  in the race.

Juddmonte's homebred Bonny South finished third in the Juddmonte Spinster (G1) last month at Keeneland and was a closing second, beaten half a length, in the Personal Ensign Stakes Presented by Lia Infiniti (G1) in August at Saratoga Race Course. Both races were won by Letruska, who in her final start of the season faded out of the picture in the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) after getting caught up in a speed duel. Bonny South was also second to Letruska in the Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1) in June at Belmont Park. 

A 4-year-old daughter of Munnings   trained by Brad Cox, Bonny South's lone victory in five starts this season came in the Baird Doubledogdare Stakes (G3) during the Keeneland spring meet. Her only off-the-board effort was in the Delaware Handicap (G2) in July.

"We kept her here at Churchill since the summer and pointed her to this race after the Spinster," Cox said. "She ran well last time at Keeneland against Letruska who went gate-to-wire. I think this is a good spot for her to cap off this year's campaign." 

Bonny South will break from post 6 in the seven-horse field for the 1 1/8-mile event for fillies and mares. She finished second in the 2020 Falls City behind Envoutante , who seeks to defend her six-length win from a year ago. 

Envoutante, trained by Kenny McPeek for Three Chimneys Farm and Walking L Thoroughbreds, has never finished out of the money in six starts at the Louisville, Ky., track. She was a 4 1/4-length winner of the Shawnee Stakes over the course in late May, in between a runner-up effort in the La Troienne Stakes Presented by Twinspires.com (G1) and a third-place finish in the Fleur de Lis Stakes (G2). She was also third in the Locust Grove Stakes (G3) in September before heading down I-64 to Keeneland for the Spinster, in which she faded from second to fifth. Brian Hernandez Jr. has the mount on the 4-year-old Uncle Mo   filly from post 4.

Three Diamonds Farm's Army Wife  comes off third-place finishes in the Cotillion Stakes (G1) at Parx Racing and the Alabama Stakes (G1) at Saratoga. Earlier in the year, the Mike Maker-trained 3-year-old daughter of Declaration of War  picked up graded wins in the George E. Mitchell Black Eyed-Susan Stakes (G2) and Iowa Oaks (G3). She'll break from post 5 under Joel Rosario.

WinStar Stablemates Racing's Crystal Ball  seeks her first graded win. The 4-year-old Malibu Moon   filly was second in the 2020 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) before winning her first black-type event in the Lady Jacqueline Stakes at Thistledown this past June. She then placed in the Shuvee Stakes (G3) at Saratoga and the Locust Grove locally before a fourth-place run in the Spinster. Tyler Gaffalione will ride the Rodolphe Brisset trainee from the rail.

Cheetara , a Chilean group 2 winner who took the Seeking the Pearl Stakes at Colonial Downs in August; grade 2-placed High Regard , third in the Groupie Doll Stakes at Ellis Park this year; and Audrey's Time , a seven-length allowance level winner racing 1 1/4 miles at Churchill Downs Nov. 5, complete the field.

Entries: Falls City S. (G2)

Churchill Downs, Thursday, November 25, 2021, Race 11

• Grade II
• 1 1/8m
• Dirt
• $500,000
• 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 4:22 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Crystal Ball (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	121	Rodolphe Brisset	7/2
2	2Cheetara (CHI)	Julien R. Leparoux	121	Ignacio Correas, IV	15/1
3	3High Regard (KY)	Rafael Bejarano	121	Victoria H. Oliver	15/1
4	4Envoutante (KY)	Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.	121	Kenneth G. McPeek	7/2
5	5Army Wife (KY)	Joel Rosario	120	Michael J. Maker	5/2
6	6Bonny South (KY)	Florent Geroux	121	Brad H. Cox	9/5
7	7Audrey's Time (KY)	Corey J. Lanerie	121	Neil L. Pessin	15/1