Kiss to Remember Takes Chilukki at Churchill

Myron Miller's Kiss to Remember stalked the early leaders, poked her head in front at the top of the stretch, and turned back a late challenge from even-money favorite Birdatthewire to win the Nov. 5 $200,000 Chilukki (gr. II) at Churchill Downs by a head.

Kiss to Remember, ridden by Joe Rocco Jr. and trained by Martin Wolfson, clocked one mile over a fast track in 1:35 4/5 to beat seven other fillies and mares. It was the 5-year-old filly's fourth stakes win of her career, but her first graded stakes triumph. 

"She'll be going through the (Fasig-Tipton) sale on Monday so we'll see what she brings in," Wolfson said. "This win definitely increased her value."

Mayla led the field in the one-turn mile through fractions of :23.27 and :46.58 with Athena tracking in second and Kiss to Remember on her hip to the outside in third. Kiss to Remember commenced her winning move, drew within a length of the leader on the turn, and grabbed the lead at the head of the stretch with a rallying Birdatthewire in close pursuit to her outside. Kiss to Remember inched clear of the runner-up and held her off in the final stages of the race.  

"When she takes the lead turning for home, she's usually very tough to beat," Rocco said. "I was very worried when the horse (Birdatthewire) came outside of her but I just kept on riding strong and she kept running strong and thank God she got to the wire first." 

Kiss to Remember banked the $120,280 first prize and rewarded her backers with $30.40, $8.40 and $6.60. Birdatthewire, ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, paid $3.20 and $2.40. Sweetgrass was another three lengths back in third under Chris Landeros and returned $4.40.

Kathballu, Mayla, Unbridledexplosion, Athena, and Engaginglee completed the order of finish. She's a Bootsy Too was scratched.

Prior to the Chilukki, Kiss to Remember had only one win in nine starts this year with four seconds. She entered Saturday's race off a fifth-place finish in the Panama City Stakes over one mile on the Gulfstream Park turf course, a race in which she clipped heels at the three-eighths pole and lost momentum. 

Overall, Kiss to Remember has won seven of 32 starts and $756,191. Her previous stakes scores came in the Battle of New Orleans and Pago Hop at Fair Grounds during her 3-year-old season and the Monroe Handicap at Gulfstream Park in 2015. 

Kiss to Remember is a chestnut daughter of 2008 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Big Brown   out of the Irish Open mare Taft Lil Queen. She was bred in Maryland by Big Brown Syndicate and Mr. and Mrs. Charles McGinnes.