Spelling Again Sails Clear in Chilukki
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Photo: Reed Palmer Photography, Churchill Downs
Spelling Again leaves the competition behind in the Chilukki Stakes.
Sea Jay Racing's Spelling Again drew off to a powerful victory Nov. 7 in the $150,000 Chilukki Stakes (gr. II) at Churchill Downs.
Finishing 4 1/2 lengths clear at the wire under jockey Shaun Bridgmohan, the 4-year-old Awesome Again filly completed her first graded score after running fourth in the Oct. 3 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (gr. II) at Keeneland, returning to the track where she won the Sept. 12 Open Mind Stakes going six furlongs for trainer Brad Cox.
The Chilukki is the biggest win of 35-year-old Cox's career; he is a Louisville native and graduate of nearby Iroquois High School.
"No shocker that she won, but for her to kick away from those kind of fillies the way that she did was a little bit of a shock," Cox said. "Shaun rode her great... Shaun is just so quiet and sits quiet on her and lets her do her thing. When he asks her to go, she goes."
"She's a very gutsy horse," Bridgmohan said.
Bridgmohan had tons of horse from the start of the one-mile test, but was able to convince Spelling Again to rate off the pace set by Keen Pauline. That rival went a quarter in :23.42 and a half in :46.42 while opening a one-length lead, but Spelling Again was never far behind her and took over as three-quarters went in 1:11.44.
Although it looked as though any number of rivals in the seven-horse field could threaten turning for home, Spelling Again kicked clear down the lane. She ran seven-eighths in 1:23.45 and coasted home in 1:35.75 on a fast track.
Ahh Chocolate (7-1) closed to edge Gold Medal Dancer (5-2) in a photo for second, while 15-1 shot Serene Melody got fourth. Birdatthewire, the 7-5 favorite, was fifth, followed by Ambusher and Keen Pauline. Shanon Nicole was scratched.
"(Birdatthewire) came out of the (grade I Kentucky) Oaks a little body-sore and we gave her some time," trainer Dale Romans said of the beaten favorite. "We might have rushed her to get her here, but I think it'll set her up good for the (grade II, Nov. 26) Falls City. We got a race in here and we've got a lot of racing this winter. The Falls City is definitely our target. That was the thought process of entering her in here."
Spelling Again paid $8.60, $5, and $3.20 at odds of 3-1, while Ahh Chocolate brought $7.60 and $5 with Gold Medal Dancer bringing $2.80.
Bred in Pennsylvania by George Strawbridge out of the Alphabet Soup mare Spelling, Spelling Again improved her record to 5-3-2 from 15 starts for earnings of $301,426. She was a $40,000 claim from her breeder's Augustin Stable March 28 when picked up by trainer Eddie Truman for Roger Featherstone and Lynne and Tom Miller at Santa Anita Park, then was claimed for $50,000 there April 24 by Gary Barber and Peter Miller. May 30 she changed hands again when picked up by William Spawr for $40,000 at the Southern California oval, and she was given to Cox to train when her connections decided to move her back East.