Rail Draw Suits Choisya in First Lady Stakes

If the Keeneland turf course plays anything like it did in the spring, speed will reign supreme over the fall meet, which could play right into the hands of the returning Choisya  in the $800,000 First Lady Stakes (G1T) Oct. 4.

Arguably at her best over the 1-1 1/16-mile trip, Rabbah Bloodstock's Choisya began 2025 undefeated in three starts, taking her overseas Dubai success into the Keeneland winner's circle with a glittering victory in the April 12 Jenny Wiley Stakes (G1T). The Night of Thunder  filly returned to the United States for a summer campaign, resulting in two disappointing efforts at Saratoga Race Course. She faded to finish seventh in the Just a Game Stakes (G1T), in which weekend torrential showers left the turf course boggy and yielding on Belmont Stakes day. While Choisya struggled over the heavy going, fellow First Lady contender Dynamic Pricing  shined, scoring her first grade 1 win for Klaravich Stables.

Choisya next failed to stay 1 1/8 miles after dictating the early pace last time out in the July 12 Diana Stakes (G1T) and was just edged by Dynamic Pricing under the wire for third.

John Clarke, the assistant trainer for Simon Crisford, reported that Choisya shipped back to the United Kingdom for a brief respite following her Saratoga efforts. 

"She had a little break back home. I think it did her a world of good," Clarke said. "We have her in a very good place at the moment. She seems to like the traveling, this (recent) trip has been good for her; she's very happy and relaxed. If we get a good trek around (in the First Lady), we should be right there (at the wire).

"She had a blow (Thursday) morning on the training track just to stretch her legs. She felt great. All the work is done and really it was done before we left the U.K. We just wanted to give her one chance to stretch her legs and then just look after her the rest of the week."

Breaking from the rail slot with Frankie Dettori aboard in the field of 12 older fillies and mares, the inside draw could bode favorably for the Choisya if she breaks as sharply as she did in the Diana. Her main opposition for the lead could come directly to her outside from the Todd Pletcher-trained Raqiya  in post 2. 

“(The rail draw) will suit her," Clarke said. "She’ll go forward, I think. And having Frankie (Dettori), there’s nobody better. I think when he’s in front turning for home, he’s very dangerous. He’s a master from the front, so he’ll be handy."

There are several runners in the field hoping to overcome the lack of early speed, Dynamic Pricing, Ozara , and Simply in Front  among them. 

The latter has never won in two tries over the Keeneland lawn but enters the First Lady off a superb runner-up finish to Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T)-bound Ag Bullet  in the 6 1/2-furlong Ladies Turf Sprint Stakes (G2T) Aug. 30 at Kentucky Downs. A consistent closer for trainer Eddie Kenneally, Simply in Front should relish stretching back out to a mile. The 4-year-old daughter of Summer Front , another one who prefers some tightness in the ground, rallied to capture the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes (G2T) on Kentucky Derby Day over the opposing Pin Up Betty , a multiple graded stakes winner for trainer Mike Maker. 

Irish-breds Dynamic Pricing and Ozara ship down to Kentucky from their respective New York-based conditioners, Chad Brown and Miguel Clement. The former, a late-closing victress of the one-mile Perfect Sting Stakes at Saratoga Aug. 29, would give Brown his unprecedented ninth winner, and his eighth straight, in the First Lady. In addition to Dynamic Pricing, Brown will also saddle Juddmonte homebred Segesta , a narrow runner-up in Kentucky Downs' Ladies Turf Stakes (G3T) Aug. 30.

Cheyenne Stables' Ozara, a stakes winner under the care of Christophe Clement, has put together back-to-back career-best performances for the late trainer's son, Miguel Clement. The improving daughter of Lope de Vega   rolled to the first graded stakes win of her career in her most recent outing in Saratoga's Ballston Spa Stakes (G2T) Aug. 8.