Roses for Debra Blooms in Giant's Causeway
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Photo: Mathea Kelley
Roses for Debra defeats Love Reigns in the Giant's Causeway Stakes at Keeneland
Spring has sprung at Keeneland for Cheyenne Stable and John O'Meara's graded stakes-winning sprinter Roses for Debra . In her first start since November's Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T), Roses for Debra returned to the winner's circle in the April 13 $260,713 Giant's Causeway Stakes (G3T) for fillies and mares.
Racing in mid-pack behind fractions of :21.28 and :44.29 under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., Roses for Debra was angled into the clear turning for home and swept past her rivals late for a 1 1/4-length tally. Bet down as the 8-5 post-time favorite, Roses for Debra ($5.52) clocked the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:02.79 over a turf course upgraded to "good" after three days of rain.
"To do that (win today) off her layoff, it's amazing, she ran great today," said Christophe Lorieul, assistant for trainer Christophe Clement. "A touch rusty at the three-sixteenths pole and I got a bit worried, but then from the eighth pole on she overtook the leaders and won going away."
Stonestreet Stables' Love Reigns , another off a lengthy layoff, tried to kick with Roses for Debra down the straight but had to settle for second, one length clear of California shipper Elm Drive in third.
Roses for Debra, a 5-year-old Pennsylvania-bred daughter of Liam's Map , collected her fourth black-type score in the Giant's Causeway following wins in the 2023 Caress Stakes (G3T) and Smart N Fancy Stakes, and the 2022 Malvern Rose Stakes.