Liora Upsets Restless Rider in Golden Rod
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Photo: Coady Photography
Liora (inside) turns back Restless Rider (outside) in the Golden Rod Stakes at Churchill Downs
The $200,000 Golden Rod Stakes (G2) set up as many expected Nov. 24 at Churchill Downs, with 3-5 favorite Restless Rider ready to strike as the field turned for home—but Liora was poised to prove pundits wrong.
Sent off as the longest shot in a field of eight at odds of 27-1, the Candy Ride filly dug deep inside the final furlong of the 1 1/16-mile test, and had enough left after setting the pace to turn back her more experienced rival.
While Darley Alcibiades (G1) winner Restless Rider had to settle for second again off a runner-up finish in the Nov. 2 Tito's Handmade Vodka Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), Coffepot Stables' Liora jumped from maiden winner to graded stakes winner in her first try in such company for trainer Wayne Catalano. She also picked up 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks.
"That's why we're here," Catalano said. "We thought this filly had a lot of talent."
Prior to the Golden Rod, Liora broke her maiden in her third start on Churchill's Oct. 28 "Stars of Tomorrow I" card with a nine-length romp as the 5-2 second choice. Saturday, she took the lead from the start under Channing Hill and led seven rivals on their way from the inside path, while the Chad Brown-trained second choice Break Curfew took up a stalking position after getting bothered by Princess Causeway at the start. Restless Rider and jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. found an ideal spot in third on the outside, just off opening fractions of :24.81 and :49.68.
"I couldn't believe nobody really went with us," Hill said.
Hitting the far turn through three-quarters in 1:14.70, Liora had Restless Rider breathing down her neck. Those two separated themselves from the field to battle down the stretch as a mile went in 1:39.76, but Liora would not be denied. The brave filly won the bob by a nose.
"She's an awesome filly," Hill remarked. "I kept giving her little taps late in the stretch, and she kept finding more. She galloped out really well, too."
The final time was 1:46.25 on a sloppy, sealed track. It was 2 1/2 lengths back to High Regard, who completed the trifecta.
"Brian thought that (Break Curfew) would show a little bit more pace up front and pressure (Liora)," assistant Greg Geier said of the Ken McPeek-trained Restless Rider. "(Liora) went really slow up there and controlled her own destiny. We just couldn't get to her down the stretch after going that slow."
Bred in Kentucky by Dell Ridge Farm out of the Virginia-bred Giant's Causeway mare Giant Mover, Liora is a half sister to the Smart Strike mare Family Tree, who won the Indiana Oaks (G2), Iowa Oaks (G3), and Zia Park Oaks in 2016 and ran third in the Alabama Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course. Catalano trained Family Tree for Gary and Mary West for the bulk of her career.
Liora improved her record to two wins and a third from four starts, with earnings of $176,580. She paid $56.80, $12.60, and $6.80.
Two years ago Coffepot owners Bob Cummings and Annette Bacola teamed up with Catalano and Hill to win the Golden Rod with multiple graded stakes winner Farrell. Catalano also won the race in 2014 with West Coast Belle.
"On paper it was a really tough race," Catalano said of the 2018 edition. "This filly showed a lot, training for this race. She's been full circle. We ran her at Saratoga and that didn't really work out. Then we tried her on the grass and she ran OK, but when she broke her maiden, she showed her talent. We decided to take the Farrell route, and now she's on the Kentucky Oaks trail."