Well-Related Constitution Filly Graduates at Keeneland

This column highlights the performances of 3-year-old maidens who have made no more than five starts and who either sold for more than $500,000 at public auction, have siblings that are graded/group winners, or have dams that are graded/group winners. BloodHorse research shows maiden winners, in particular, who meet these criteria are more likely to go on to be graded stakes winners.

Keeneland

When a bout of thunderstorms curtailed Keeneland's traditional opening weekend, the Lexington oval opened its spring season April 6, two days later than originally planned. With racing off the turf course, the entire card was contested over the 1 1/8-mile dirt main track, slick with slop after being pounded with five days' worth of rain. Racing over a muddy track reminiscent of the one her broodmare sire Empire Maker won over in the 2003 Belmont Stakes (G1), Heavenly Sunset splashed home to become the next Maiden Watch star in the making for owner Qatar Racing and trainer Brad Cox.

With Sunday's maiden-breaking score, achieved in career start number 2 after finishing fourth sprinting six furlongs in her debut, Heavenly Sunset became just the latest member of her illustrious family to grace the Keeneland winner's circle. The Constitution   filly's half sibling, Valiance , rolled to a top-level score in the 2020 Spinster Stakes (G1) at Keeneland before running second to Monomoy Girl  in that year's Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1). Also a late bloomer, breaking her maiden as a 3-year-old for trainer Todd Pletcher, Valiance sold to Japan's JS Company for $3 million at the Fasig-Tipton's The November Sale in 2021 upon her retirement.

Valiance, however, isn't the only family member laying claim to a Keeneland grade 1 glory. Heavenly Sunset's dam, Last Full Measure , closed the curtain on her career with a powerful last-to-first rally to land the Madison Stakes (G1) during the 2013 Keeneland spring meet. The daughter of Empire Maker was purchased by Heavenly Sunset's breeder, China Horse Club, for $1.5 million at the following year's Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.

Fergus Galvin went to $850,000 to secure Heavenly Sunset for Qatar Racing at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Heavenly Sunset returned that investment with her sparkling 4 1/2-length win on opening day. Breaking best of 10 sophomore fillies in the 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight, Heavenly Sunset skipped over the slop through brisk early fractions of :23.25 and :46.23. Briefly challenged by Salted , herself a daughter of grade 1 winner Salty , in midstretch, Heavenly Sunset repelled her more experienced rival down the lane, despite racing on her wrong lead.

Defeating a formidable field that included five fillies that were either siblings to grade 1 winners or produced from grade-1 winning race mares, Heavenly Sunset stopped the clock in 1:44.55. She netted a 99 Equibase Speed Figure for her gate-to-wire victory.