Dominant Performances in Bashford Manor, Debutante

Closing day of Churchill Downs' spring meet June 30 produced commanding performances in the day's high-profile juvenile races—the $100,000 Bashford Manor Stakes (G3) and the $100,000 listed Debutante Stakes for fillies.

The Bashford Manor attracted several colts sporting impressive speed ratings, including post-time favorite Sir Truebadour, who is a full brother to grade 1 winner Regally Ready. Steve Asmussen trains Sir Truebadour (More Than Ready  out of Kivi, by King of Kings) and also trained Regally Ready for owner/breeder Vinery. 

Sir Truebadour broke sharply and quickly gained the lead, taking the field through a scorching :21.35 opening quarter. Jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. then eased on the accelerator and guided the colt through fractions of :45.63 and :58.54. The Song of John kept within a half a length of the leader through the first half of the six-furlong contest but gave way at the top of the stretch, when Sir Truebadour opened up a 2 1/2-length lead. Various contenders attempted to challenge, but only the late closer Mr Chocolate Chip came close at the wire, two lengths back at odds of 103-1. The final time was 1:12.77.

"We aimed to this race since he broke his maiden," Asmussen said. "It's great to win a graded stakes race. He got a little tired late, but it was a great win."

Bred in Kentucky by Two Stamp Stables, Sir Truebadour was acquired by Whispering Oaks Farm owner Carrol Castille for $300,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale out of Gainesway's consignment. The colt won his debut at Churchill by four lengths May 17 on a sloppy main track. Sir Truebadour was sent next to Belmont Park to try the Tremont Stakes, where he finished fourth but still earned an 82 Equibase Speed Figure—one of the top four highest last-out figures among the Bashford Manor entrants.

"Steve and his team did a great job with this horse," Santana said. "It was a great win today. He is very fast early and got the lead nicely out of the gate. He got a little tired late but held on nicely to win."

Asmussen, who is the spring meet's leading trainer for a record-extending 19th time with 30 wins, previously won the Bashford Manor with Lunarpal (2004), Kodiak Kowboy (2007), Kantharos (2010), and Cinco Charlie (2014), and his victory equaled fellow Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas' win record for the race.

Sir Truebadour returned $5, $3.80 and $3. Mr Chocolate Chip paid $52 and $17 and finished 1 1/4 lengths in front of Overanalyzer, who paid $13.60 to show under Andreas Ulloa at 99-1. A $2 exacta paid $305.20, and a 50-cent trifecta paid $2,153.65.

Video: Bashford Manor S. (G3)

Also on the card, Restless Rider earned a spot among the nation's top juvenile fillies at Churchill Downs when the daughter of Distorted Humor  destroyed a field of seven challengers by 11 1/4 lengths in the Debutante Stakes.

Bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, the gray or roan filly races for Three Chimneys Farm and Paul Fireman's Fern Circle Stables. She is trained by Ken McPeek and was ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., the leading rider of Churchill's spring meet.

Restless Rider came into the six-furlong Debutante off an impressive 2 3/4-length debut victory June 8 at the Louisville track. Her potential did not go unnoticed, and she was sent off as the even-money favorite.

Soon after the break, Hernandez took Restless Rider to the rail where she sat in fourth down the backstretch, but she was only a head and a neck from the second- and third-placed runners. She was positioned directly behind the pacesetter Payntermaniac, who led the field through an opening quarter in :21.41. Then tragedy struck, and jockey Carlos Villasana had to immediately pull up Payntermaniac, which forced Hernandez to check Restless Rider abruptly and swing to the outside. 

Restless Rider re-rallied with gusto through the turn. Racing six wide, she took command of the race at the top of the stretch and widened her margin of victory with every stride. The winner stopped the timer in 1:10.62.

Restless Rider paid $4.20, $2.60 and $2.10. Shanghai Rain, the 5-2 second choice ridden by Gabriel Saez, returned $3 and $2.20. Beach Getaway, with Joe Rocco Jr. up, was 2 1/4 lengths back of the runner-up and paid $4.20.

"That was super impressive," Hernandez said. "The filly on the inside of us (Payntermaniac) got into trouble and forced us to change our position. You don't really see young horses like this recover as she did. She switched leads nicely in the stretch and was powerful. It really leaves you speechless."

Payntermaniac shattered a knee during the race and had to be euthanized, according to trainer John Ennis. 

"It was a freak accident," Ennis said. "The vet advised us that there was nothing else to do."

McPeek, who won the Debutante last year with Sunny Skies, was not at Churchill because he had Vettori Kin entered in the United Nations Stakes (G1T) at Monmouth Park. His assistant trainer, Greg Geier, said he was very impressed by Restless Rider's effort.

"You don't see horses get completely stopped and come back to win by (11 1/4 lengths), let alone young horses," Geier said. "We were confident with her training coming into the race and thought she'd run a big effort. In her first race, she got into a lot of trouble behind the starting gate, but we worked with her in the mornings to get her better at the gate. She was really professional today."

Video: Debutante S. (BT)