Finley'sluckycharm Seeks Graded Glory in Winning Colors

Carl Moore Management's sprinter Finley'sluckycharm will put her unbeaten record at Churchill Downs on the line May 27 as she attempts to land her first graded stakes in the $100,000 Winning Colors Stakes (G3) against seven other fillies and mares.

The six-furlong Winning Colors, which honors the Hall of Fame filly that prevailed against colts in the 1988 Kentucky Derby (G1), is an annual Memorial Day weekend fixture and one of two stakes events on Saturday's 11-race program.

Conditioned by three-time Winning Colors-winning trainer Bret Calhoun, Finley'sluckycharm is a perfect 4-for-4 at Churchill and has a record of 6-1-0 from eight starts.

Following a narrow half-length loss to Constellation in the grade 1 La Brea Stakes at Santa Anita Park Dec. 26, Finley'sluckycharm made her first start of the year at Churchill with a three-quarter length win over Athena in the Roxelana Overnight Stakes April 29.

"She's been doing really well," Calhoun said. "We were just a little bit short in her training (Kentucky) Derby week and that's why we ran her in the Roxelana and not any of the graded stakes."

Prior to the La Brea, the Kentucky-bred daughter of Twirling Candy   won the Dream Supreme Overnight Stakes at Churchill Nov. 25 by 8 1/2 lengths while clocking six furlongs in 1:08.58—a stakes record.

Calhoun also entered Mayla in the Winning Colors. The 5-year-old mare, who finished fifth in the Roxelana three lengths behind her stablemate, is also owned by Moore in partnership with Brad Grady.

Calhoun boasts a 3-2-1 record from nine starts in the Winning Colors since his first starter in 2009. His previous success in the race came with champion female sprinter Dubai Majesty (2009-10) and Beat the Blues (2013).

"The Winning Colors is the perfect setup after the Roxelana," Calhoun said. "With the Chicago Handicap moving to Churchill, that could be a great steppingstone if she runs well to keep her at home."

The $100,000 Chicago Handicap (G3) will run at Churchill June 24. Previously, the seven-furlong race was held at Churchill's sister track, Arlington International near Chicago. 

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Chief among Finley'sluckycharm's rivals are Mary Grum's Roxelana runner-up Athena for trainer Helen Pitts-Blasi. The top money-earner in the field won the Jan. 28 American Beauty Stakes at Oaklawn Park two starts back.

The Ian Wilkes-trained Sweetgrass, fourth in the $300,000 Humana Distaff Stakes (G1) over seven furlongs and sloppy going May 6 for owners Six Column Stables, Randy Bloch, John Seiler, and Fred Merritt.