Tejano Twist, Marissa's Lady Take Stakes at Churchill
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Photo: Coady Photography
Tejano Twist prevails in the Lively Shively Stakes at Churchill Downs
Juveniles owned the day at Churchill Downs Nov. 27. While the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) and Golden Rod Stakes (G2) provided two-turn tests for 2-year-olds, the Lively Shively and Fern Creek Stakes offered a one-turn option for connections that favored the shorter trip. Both undercard races were conducted over 6 1/2 furlongs on the main track and carried rich purses.
After playing the bridesmaid twice against stakes competition, Tom Durant's homebred Tejano Twist finally landed his first black-type victory in the $200,000 Lively Shively Stakes. The son of Practical Joke had loomed wide turning for home and fought every inch of the way down the lane, prevailing over a tenacious Barber Road .
Tejano Twist was gelded after his first two starts, which trainer Bret Calhoun's assistant Dennis "Peaches" Geier attributes to the chestnut's continual improvement, and broke his maiden at Colonial Downs in his fourth try. Following his two stakes placings, the gelding was sent to Keeneland, where he aired a field that included Tremont Stakes victor Overbore by 7 1/4 lengths.
Away as the 6-5 favorite against a field of 6, Tejano Twist was taken back under jockey Joe Rocco Jr. early, racing relaxed just off the rail in fourth as the trio of Chattalot , Hoist the Gold , and Barber Road forced a swift opening pace up front. Clicking off fractions of :22.96 and :46:01, Chattalot held a narrow advantage over Barber Road at the top of the stretch. Tejano Twist, forced into the six-path around the bend from a floating Barber Road, dueled with that foe down the length of the stretch, edging Barber Road in the final strides by a half-length under the wire. Chattalot had given way at the sixteenth pole as Papa G Cool rallied to get up for third.
Tejano Twist ran the 6 1/2 furlongs on a fast main track in 1:16.82 and paid $4.40 for a $2 win bet. He improved his earnings to $260,670 from 8 career starts.
"(Tejano Twist has really figured things out this summer," said Rocco. "Today I was a little worried when I got floated wide into the turn but I had so much horse below me. Horses like him are really fun to ride. He's a very nice horse and keeps improving in each start."
"It took (Tejano Twist) a couple starts to break his maiden but started to figure things out quickly," said Geier. "He was very impressive today after going wide into the turn but had a lot left for the stretch run."
He is the second stakes winner produced from the graded stakes-placed Cuvee mare Haley's Lolipop , the dam of 2020 Clever Trevor Stakes winner Game Day Play (Violence ). Haley's Lolipop has a yearling colt by Kantharos .
Video: Lively Shively S. (BT)
Marissa's Lady wins the Fern Creek Stakes at Churchill Downs
Marissa's Lady Excels in Fern Creek
In the final race of the day under the Twin Spires, the William Morey-trained Marissa's Lady aced her stakes debut and improved to 2-for-2 in the $193,500 Fern Creek Stakes.
A homebred for Boone Family Trust and Tilemma Family Trust, Marissa's Lady entered the Fern Creek as the least experienced member of the seven-horse field. In her only other start, the Violence filly had surged late to just win the photo in her maiden victory Oct. 31 over the Churchill oval.
Ridden back by Rafael Bejarano, Marissa's Lady broke sharp but allowed Verylittlecents to skirt away to a brief lead following a quarter-mile in :22.18. Marissa's Lady soon engaged Verylittlecents as they ticked past a half-mile in :45.63 and around the turn Marissa's Lady forged clear of her opponent. Recent Myrtlewood Stakes winner Sweet Dani Girl made a menacing 3-wide bid around the turn, but Marissa's Lady repelled that filly down the lane and held on by a length over favored Matareya .
Godolphin's Matareya, a debut winner at Ellis Park over the summer who was fifth in the Oct. 8 Darley Alcibiades Stakes (G1), finished 2 1/2 lengths ahead of third-place Sweet Dani Girl.
Marissa's Lady was timed in 1:16.85 for the 6 1/2 furlongs. Off as the third choice, she paid $8 for a $2 win bet. She upped her earnings to $190,600 after the Fern Creek.
Morey was feeling optimistic about the filly's future following the race.
"Every horse we seemed to put her with training in the morning she'd beat in her works," said Morey. "We knew we had a nice filly but she kept getting better and better every work. We'll enjoy this win and figure things out in the future. I think she may be able to stretch out in the future but we'll take it one step at a time."
Marissa's Lady is out of the winning Cee's Tizzy mare Marissa's Joy , making her a half sister to millionaire and 2017 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) runner-up Richard's Boy (Idiot Proof ).