Feathered Goes Wire to Wire in Edgewood
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Feathered seized control at the start and went wire to wire to win the Edgewood Stakes (gr. IIIT) Presented by Forcht Bank over 3-2 favorite Quality Rocks on the May 1 Longines Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) card at Churchill Downs .
Ridden by Javier Castellano for trainer Todd Pletcher, the 3-year-old daughter of Indian Charlie—Receipt, by Dynaformer, got off to a good start in her turf debut, leading through moderate fractions of :24.22 for the opening quarter-mile, :49.22 for the half-mile, and 1:13.48 for six furlongs, while being stalked by Lady Zuzu.
Favored Quality Rocks, coming off a victory in the Florida Oaks (gr. IIIT) for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, was racing third along the hedge until midstretch when jockey Jose Lezcano found running room in the middle of the track, but by then there was no catching Feathered, who won by two lengths.
The race lost the morning-line favorite and one of the other traditional front-runners when grade I winner Sunset Glow scratched.
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Feathered completed the 1 1/16 miles on turf in a final time of 1:42.05 on firm turf and paid $10.40, $4.20, and $3.00. Quality Rocks, the 123-pound topweight, paid $2.80 and $2.40. Lady Zuzu held third, 2 34 lengths back, at $3.20. It was another 1 1/2 lengths back to B Rockett, who was followed in order by My Year Is a Day, Sweet Swingin, and Flying Tipat.
"I know it was her first time on the turf, but I knew usually her best race is when she breaks well out of the gate," Castellano said. "I took the pace and she finished really, really well. She exploded because we were able to relax in the first part. When I asked her, she took off and she was really impressive the last part of the race."
"She has the size and shape of a filly that might get over the turf well," trainer Pletcher said. "And (with a) pedigree like that, it just made sense to run her here. Plan A was actually to try and lay off the pace, but when she broke sharp and several others did not, (jockey) Javier (Castellano) called an audible and it worked out well."
The victory was the second in eight starts for Feathered, who finished third in last year’s Frizette Stakes (gr. I) after breaking her maiden by 9 3/4 lengths at Saratoga Race Course in her second start, In the 14 Hands Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I), Feathered had a troubled trip to be fourth, only a length behind winner Take Charge Brandi.
In two 2015 starts, Feathered had finished fourth in an allowance and seventh in the Fantasy Stakes (gr. III) at Oaklawn Park.
Bred in Kentucky by Teresa Viola Racing Stable, Feathered was bought for $300,000 from the Crupi’s New Castle Farm consignment to the 2014 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s March sale of selected 2-year-olds in training.