Leigh Court Earns Ticket to Breeders' Cup
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Melnyk Racing Stables' Leigh Court punched her ticket to the Breeders' Cup World Championships by outrunning the competition to win the Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (gr. II) at Keeneland Race Course Oct. 4 .
Making only her third career start on dirt after a career in which most of her success was on Polytrack and turf, Leigh Court was positioned in fourth on the rail in the six-furlong main track test, not far off the pace set by R Free Roll and even-money favorite Stonetastic through an opening quarter in :21.84.
Shuffled to the center of the track by Gary Boulanger as the field entered the turn, with a half-mile completed in a swift :44.51, Leigh Court made a bold move to challenge the front-runners and found herself in front entering the stretch, with five furlongs timed in :56.49.
Leigh Court, coming off a 2 1/2-length winner of the Seaway Stakes (Can-III) at Woodbine, continued on tenaciously to draw off for a three-length triumph in a final time of 1:09.46 over the fast track.
Trained by Josie Carroll, Leigh Court paid $13.60, $6.20, and $3.80. Southern Honey, trained by Keeneland-based Rusty Arnold, quickened in deep stretch to get second, returning $5.20 and $2.60. Stonetastic, made the TCA favorite off a powerful 8 1/2-length victory in the $300,000 Prioress Stakes (gr. II) at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 30, held third at $2.40.
With Anahauc and Northern Passion scratched, the order was completed by Speedinthruthecity, R Free Roll, and Janis's Joy.
A 4-year-old Grand Slam filly, Leigh Court broke her maiden at six furlongs on dirt in her career debut and then finished second at that distance in allowance company in her second start, both at Fair Grounds.
The TCA was the seventh win in 11 starts for Leigh Court, who improved her bankroll to $537,673. In addition to the TCA and Seaway, the filly has won three additional stakes, including the Ontario Colleen Stakes (Can-IIIT), all at Woodbine.
The TCA is a "Win and You're In" challenge race for the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (gr. I). Groupie Doll, the now retired superstar, used the TCA as a springboard to F&M Sprint success, winning Keeneland's prep race in 2012 and finishing third last year.
Trainer Carroll said Leigh Court was sent to the Keeneland race because owner-breeder Eugene Melnyk was looking for a horse to compete in the World Championships at Santa Anita Park Oct. 31-Nov. 1.
"Mr. Melnyk was hoping for a horse for the Breeders' Cup and when we sat down and talked about it, he felt this was the best direction to take to get there. It worked out just fine."
"It's the first time she's ever been covered up on me," Boulanger said of the filly whose best running style is on the lead. "She's always been kinda' on the lead and doing it easy. Today the dirt broke a little bit away from her, in her face, but it didn't bother her. She just cruised on up the inside, then I got outside the pocket. She had her ears half-cocked, and I said, 'Well, I have a ton here.'
"She's just a super nice filly," the jockey continued. "It's hard to get a line on her 'cause I hadn't ridden her on the dirt and didn't know what to expect, but I've been telling Josie she's as good as I've ever sat on and she showed it today. She's just a tremendous filly."