Walkabout, Some in Tieme Win Churchill Stakes

Janis Whitham homebred Walkabout secured her first stakes win when she rallied from ninth place and 15 1/2 lengths back under jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. to secure a neck victory in the $100,000 Matron Stakes (G3) May 20 at Churchill Downs. 

A 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares 3-and-older, the Matron was relocated from Arlington International Racecourse to Churchill this year.

A 4-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Stroll, Walkabout is a half sister to 2012 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner Fort Larned  . 

Trained by Ian Wilkes, Walkabout earned her first stakes-placing in her final start last year, finishing third in the Falls City Handicap (G3) in November at Churchill. She opened this season with a neck victory in an allowance-optional claiming race April 12 at Keeneland. That season debut set her up for Saturday's late-running heroics at the same distance. 

"It took us this last year to figure her out," Wilkes said. "She originally ran closer to the pace but she made us understand to be patient. She was always traveling well and when I saw the horses bunch together on the front end, I wasn't worried at all. Brian rode her great going around all of the speed horses and not getting her stopped."

G. Watts Humphrey Jr.'s Improv led the field through a half-mile in :47.03 and in midstretch the 5-year-old Distorted Humor   mare opened a two-length advantage as she eyed her first stakes win. But Walkabout rallied eight wide in the turn and, other than drifting in a bit midstretch, she steadily rallied to secure the narrow win.

Walkabout returned $12, $5.40, and $4 across the board while Improve paid $20 to place and $10.60 to show. Divine Elegance returned $8.80 to show. Curlin's Approval, the 4-5 favorite, came up empty in the stretch and finished seventh.

Besides producing Fort Larned, Walkabout's dam Arlucea, by Broad Brush, also delivered grade 1-placed Izarra and stakes-placed Moonport. 

In the Louisville Handicap (G3T), Some in Tieme rallied from last of 12 to earn his first North American stakes win in the $100,000 Louisville Handicap (G3T) in the final race of the day Saturday.

A champion and two-time group 1 winner in Brazil, Some in Tieme entered Saturday's 1 1/2-mile turf test off a close second in an April 19 allowance-optional claiming race at Keeneland. 

In Saturday's test, Some in Tieme, owned by Some in Time, raced last as Reporting Star posted a half-mile in :50.11. Reporting Star and Joe Rocco carried their advantage into the stretch, up a half-length in midstretch. But Some in Tieme, under jockey Manoel Cruz, would soon catch the frontrunner after rallying eight wide through the far turn and wider in the stretch.

Trained by Ken McPeek, Some in Tieme completed the 1 1/2-mile test in 2:27.25 on firm turf. He returned $26.20, $12.80, and $7.40 across the board. It marks the fourth Louisville Handicap win for McPeek.

Reporting Star held second and paid $8.40 and $5.40. Defending champ Bullards Alley, ridden by Marcelino Pedroza, was another 2 1/4 lengths back in third and paid $10.

Assistant trainer Alan Shell credited Cruz with a patient ride and noted that after making his first two North American starts in Southern California, Some in Tieme has settled into his top form in Kentucky.