Turf Runners Shine for Kentucky Downs Opener

Successful Native gave a star performance Sept. 3, opening day at Kentucky Downs, powering gate to wire to take the Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint Stakes. 

The race was one of four $350,000 stakes opening day at the Franklin, Ky. track, which also included Secret Someone's last-to-first victory in the Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf, All Right's 44-1 maiden win in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Stakes, and favorite Lull's victory in the Exacta Systems Juvenile Fillies Stakes. 

A son of Successful Appeal   trained by Aubrey Maragh for Marco Bommarito, Successful Native was pursued all the way by runner-up Hogy before winning by a neck. He finished 6 1/2 furlongs under Robby Albarado in 1:17.51 on firm turf, recording his seventh win and fourth stakes victory from 18 career starts.

"He broke really well so I took advantage of the inside," Albarado said of Successful Native ($10.40). "He came home fast; he's a nice horse."

Almasty finished another 1 3/4 lengths back in third, a half-length in front of favored group I winner Undrafted.

Albarado also won aboard Mike Stidham-trained Secret Someone, who closed from last through the stretch for a 3 3/4-length victory over 7-5 favorite Cash Control in the Ladies Turf. Secret Someone finished the mile in 1:38 and paid $15.40 as the fourth choice. 

A homebred of Greg Goodman's Mt. Brilliant Stable, Secret Someone is by  A.P. Indy and out of Private Gift, a daughter of Unbridled who is a half sister to grade I winner Secret Status and grade III winner Alumni Hall.

Secret Someone has a 5-0-2 record from 18 starts and more than doubled her earnings to $405,951 while annexing her first stakes. 

In the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Stakes, All Right ($90.20) stalked two wide from second, cleared pacesetter Cold Snack Thirty in upper stretch, opening a two-length advantage. He held on under a drive as runner-up Parlor closed stoutly but missed by a neck. Hot Dad was third, another 4 1/2 lengths back. 

All Right, who became the first black-type winner for Spendthrift Farm freshman sire Dominus   while breaking his maiden in his second start, finished seven furlongs in 1:25.66. He is trained by Kellyn Gorder for owners William K. Helwig and Brent Gasaway.

"This horse is so well-balanced that I thought he really would handle the up and down of this course," Gorder said of the colt, who was second in his debut Aug. 14 at Ellis Park. "I galloped this horse about a month ago, and hadn't been back on him. I rode him three days ago. I came back into the barn and I don't usually tout horses. I said, 'It's going to be fun to win a maiden for $350,000.' "

Clairborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider's homebred War Front   filly Lull ($5.40) lived up to her favoritism in winning the Juvenile Fillies after stalking along the rail early, and then coming out near the three-sixteenths pole and closing past pacesetter Caroline Test to win by 1 1/4 lengths. Under Brian Hernandez Jr., she covered seven furlongs in 1:26.04 while posting her second win from three starts and first stakes victory for trainer Christophe Clement. Lady Hansen was third, three-quarters of a length behind Caroline Test. 

Lull's dam is the stakes-winning Quiet American mare Quiet Dance, a half sister to Horse of the Year Saint Liam and to grade II winner Quiet Giant, the dam of multiple graded winner Gun Runner.