Finley'sluckycharm Takes Thoroughbred Club of America

The consistent Finley'sluckycharm picked up another graded stakes victory Oct. 7, when she rolled past her competition in the Keeneland stretch to win the $250,000 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (G2).

Off slowly in the six-furlong event for fillies and mares and not assuming her typical frontrunning spot, Carl Moore Management's Twirling Candy  filly raced just off the pace and rallied in the stretch to win by 1 3/4 lengths. 

"It wasn't planned. Obviously I left it in Brian's hands," winning trainer Bret Calhoun said of jockey Brian Hernandez Jr.'s ride. "She's been a very consistent filly. In the mornings she's gotten where she turns off a little bit more as she's gotten older. Brian said she just didn't get away good today. Those horses got in front of her quick, and he just decided to try something different."

Chalon and True Romance broke sharp and led the field of seven through fractions of :23.05 and :46.03 for the first half-mile. Finley'sluckycharm raced wide in fourth and began her move around her competition in the turn, then fanned out five wide into the stretch. 

True Romance still held a one-length lead at the head of the stretch, but Finley'sluckycharm was gaining. Easily moving by True Romance and Chalon, Finley'sluckycharm hit the wire first in a final time of 1:10.01 on a track rated fast. 

Chalon finished second, three-quarters of a length ahead of True Romance in third. Bendable, I'm a Looker, Grace's Treasure, and Vertical Oak completed the order of finish. Ivy Bell was a late scratch. 

The winner returned $3.60, $2.80, and $2.20 across the board. 

"She changed our game plan on us today," Hernandez said. "She's a good filly and I guess you can do that with these good fillies. I was really proud of her that last eighth of a mile—how fast she came home.

"Today she just didn't break as sharp as she normally does, but with her works lately, she's been turning off and running home pretty good. So I never really panicked. I just trusted in her and she got us there."

With nine wins and two seconds from 12 starts, Finley'sluckycharm only has one blemish on her résumé, a seventh-place run in the Twinspires.com Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2) in February of 2016 at Fair Grounds. She entered Saturday's test off a neck loss to multiple grade 1 winner Paulassilverlining in the July 26 Honorable Miss Handicap (G2) at Saratoga Race Course. 

Bred by Lakland Farm in Kentucky, out of the stakes-placed Victory Gallop mare Day of Victory, she was purchased by her owner at the 2014 Keeneland September yearling sale for $77,000 out of the Burleson Farms consignment. She now has earnings of $593,368.

The Thoroughbred Club of America is a "Win and You're In" qualifying race for the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) Nov. 4 at Del Mar, a race Finley'sluckycharm has been targeting this season.