Thank You Marylou Coasts Clear in Dogwood

Ken and Sarah Ramsey's Thank You Marylou took charge at the quarter pole and romped away to her first graded stakes victory in the $112,000 Dogwood Stakes (gr. III) Sept. 20 at Churchill Downs . 

 

Ridden for the first time by Miguel Mena, the 3-year-old Birdstone   filly scored by 6 1/2 lengths from 24-1 longshot Henny Jenney, with 3-1 second-choice Milam a half-length back in third. Three-time stakes winner Fiftyshadesofgold, the 4-5 favorite, saw her perfect Churchill Downs record halted in a fifth-place finish.

 

Breaking from the outside post in the eight-horse field, Mizzen Miss spurted out to lead as Platinum Lady, Fiftyshadeofgold, and Enjoy the Family closely pursued. Mena settled Thank You Marylou, who broke from post 6, into an easy tempo in fifth, then third, as Mizzen Miss clipped of fractions of  :22.83 and :45.79 through a half-mile. Thank You Marylou engaged the front-runner in early stretch as six furlongs went in 1:10.30, and shook clear for the easy win. 

 

Final time for seven furlongs was 1:23.19 on a fast track.

 

"I had a perfect trip on the outside and I called on her a little bit turning for home and she went pretty easy," Mena said of 9-2 third-choice Thank You Marylou, who wore blinkers for the first time. "I had never been on her before but my guess is the blinkers made a big difference. She ran great."

 

Thank You Marylou has a 3-1-1 record from eight career starts for trainer Mike Maker. The $67,357 winner's share of the purse bumped her lifetime bankroll to $275,457. The Ramseys enjoyed a record-extending 396th victory at the Louisville track.

 

Thank You Marylou won the Any Limit Stakes March 9 at Gulfstream Park in her season debut and first start since a runner-up finish to Designer Legs in a roughly run edition of the Adirondack Stakes (gr. II) in August 2013 at Saratoga Race Course. She was subsequently third in the Central Bank Ashland Stakes (gr. I) in April at Keeneland but then went unplaced in three following outings, most recently checking in sixth behind Sweet Reason in the Aug. 2 Test Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga.

 

Asked if the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (gr. I) at the Dogwood distance at Santa Anita Park this fall might be on the radar for Thank You Marylou, Maker said Ken Ramsey might be game to go with the talented filly. 

 

"I don't think I'd have to twist his arm too hard; you never know," he said. 

 

Thank You Marylou, toting 118 pounds, paid $11.80, $6, and $6.80 while Henny Jenney, the 120-pound co-topweight with Fiftyshadesofgold, returned $17.40 and $17.40. Milam, also at 118, paid $6.40.

 

Bird Maker finished fourth, followed by Fiftyshadesofgold, Mizzen Miss, Enjoy the Family, and Platinum Lady to complete the order of finish. Honey's Ryan and Kiss to Remember were scratched.

 

Thank You Marylou was bred in Virginia by Mr. and Mrs. C.W. McNeeley III. The Ramseys bought her as a weanling for $47,000 from the Gainesway, agent, consignment at the 2011 Keeneland November breeding stock sale. Her dam is the stakes-winning Menifee mare Menifeeque.