Positano Sunset Upsets Madison Stakes 

Trainer Ian Wilkes always thought Positano Sunset  might have a grade 1 win in her, and his patience paid off April 8 in the $623,338 Madison Stakes (G1) at Keeneland.

The 5-year-old Goldencents   mare had a single stakes win—the 2023 Audubon Oaks at Ellis Park—coming into the Madison, but she had run some big races. In 2023 she defeated subsequent grade 1 winner Vahva  in an allowance race at Keeneland exactly two years and a day ago. 

Positano Sunset's 2023 campaign was cut short after the discovery of a hairline condylar fracture, and she was winless in seven starts in 2024, but Wilkes and her ownership group of Six Column Stables, Randall Bloch, John Seiler, and David Hall kept the faith, bringing her back to race at age 5.

A March 9 victory in a $42,000 overnight handicap at Tampa Bay Downs gave Wilkes confidence to try for grade 1 glory.

"My filly was doing fantastic. I thought that race at Tampa was a really big step forward this year, and she trained good since that," Wilkes said. "Last year we were coming back off a condylar fracture, and so it just took her a long time. She ran well, but we couldn't get her over the hump to where we had her early on as a 3-year-old. But with a little freshening, she matured to 5, and I just feel she's a bigger, stronger filly now. "

The original Madison field of eight was cut to six by the scratches of longshot Harbor Springs  and 8-5 morning-line favorite Scylla . Stonestreet Stables' Emery , winner of the 2024 Raven Run Stakes (G2) at Keeneland, was bet to favoritism with Scylla out.

The early pace battle was a rematch from the Jan. 25 Inside Information Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park that saw Mystic Lake  defeat Emery by a neck. Those two dueled again Tuesday through early fractions of :22.68 and :45.65.

Positano Sunset broke well from the rail without urging under Julien Leparoux. Stalking from fifth place early on the inside but never more than three lengths back, she and Leparoux got off the rail as the field approached the stretch and found a seam just outside leaders.

Emery and Mystic Lake stayed on top through six furlongs in 1:10.34, but Positano Sunset and My Mane Squeeze  were bearing down on them.

Positano Sunset bumped with and fended off the physically larger My Mane Squeeze, who was rallying on her outside while drifting inward, then got the best of a stubborn Emery to win by a length. My Mane Squeeze finished third.

The winner paid $30.62 to win for a $2 wager. Final time for seven furlongs on a fast main track was 1:23.39.

"She dug in a lot (in the last quarter-mile)," Leparoux said. "We expected the two horses (Emery and Mystic Lake) to go to the front, so I was hoping to save ground and then get out. There was a little hole, and she went in there and fought back.

"She loves this track. She's a nice filly. Very happy for all the connections for the win."

Wilkes said the winner will be pointed to the May 3 Derby City Distaff Stakes (G1) at Churchill Downs. Goldencents, the sire of 2024 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mystik Dan , stands at Spendthrift Farm near Lexington for a fee of $10,000.