Limousine Liberal Repeats in Churchill Downs Stakes
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Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
Trainer Ben Colebrook (right) and jockey Jose Ortiz pump their fists after Limousine Liberal wins the Churchill Downs Stakes
One year ago, the Ball family's Limousine Liberal caught a wet-fast (sealed) track in the Churchill Downs Stakes presented by Twinspires.com (G2) and won by a head. This year, he found a sloppy surface under the Twin Spires and got the job done again, scoring a head victory over Warrior's Club in the seven-furlong race.
With Jose Ortiz up again for trainer Ben Colebrook, the 6-year-old Successful Appeal gelding got the trip in 1:22.73. Warrior's Club was a game second while closing from the outside. Between those two, another head back in the photo finish, was Awesome Slew—who was second last year.
Despite Warrior's Club being owned by Churchill Downs Racing Club, Limousine Liberal is the "house horse" and now sports a 6-1-0 mark over the track in eight starts.
"This has been his best year," said a soggy Colebrook in the winner's circle. "He's trained better than ever this year. His last race at Keeneland was good, he was just a little unlucky."
Limousine Liberal was a neck shy of Warrior's Club in the April 7 Commonwealth Stakes (G3) at Keeneland in his 2018 debut.
"These were ideal conditions for him, maybe. He loves the wet racetrack, and he's a fighter," Colebrook said. "He just wasn't going to get beat today. He was a little closer (to the pace) than we probably had planned, but they didn't go as fast as it kind of looked like. He was able to kind of sneak away there a little bit, and then he fought back after they passed him. And just a phenomenal ride by Jose and blessed, really, to have a horse like this."
Colebrook was also quick to point out the Breeders' Cup World Championships will be held at Churchill Downs this fall. Limousine Liberal ran fourth in the 2016 TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) and was 11th in the race in 2015.
Imperial Hint, runner up in last year's Breeders' Cup Sprint and the race favorite, broke on top in the Churchill Downs, and Javier Castellano let him cruise to an open lead through an opening quarter in a brisk :22.10. Limousine Liberal was sitting in the second slot while being chased by Chief Cicatriz on the rail and Unbridled Outlaw on the outside.
Ortiz let off the gas for a bit as Imperial Hint was chased by Unbridled Outlaw after a half-mile in a brisk :44.57. Turning for home, Imperial Hint began to weaken as Limousine Liberal fought a fresh batch of closers in deep stretch. He drifted out inside the eighth pole (six furlongs in 1:09.76) but was able to prevail.
Limousine Liberal, who has also won the Aristides Stakes (G3) and two other added-money races under the Twin Spires, paid $10.80, $5.40, and $3.40. Warrior's Club returned $15.80 and $6.80, and Awesome Slew paid $3.20. The $2 exacta, 7-8, returned $252.60.
Out of the In Excess mare Gift of Gab, Limousine Liberal was bred by Mike and Katherine Ball and has earned $1,333,261 off an 8-6-3 mark in 21 starts. Successful Appeal's dam is inbred to 1965 Kentucky Derby winner Lucky Debonair. The Ball's Donamire Farm purchased the California-bred Gift of Gab for $110,000 at the 2006 Keeneland September yearling sale. Trained by Katherine Ball and Greg Foley, she was winless in eight tries.