Limari Tests Stakes Company in Mint Julep
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Photo: Keeneland/Coady Photography
Limari winning at Keeneland April 19
The well-heeled Limari seeks her fifth consecutive victory June 8 when she tests stakes company for the first time in the $125,000 Old Forester Mint Julep (G3T) for older fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on Churchill Downs' Matt Winn Turf Course.
Bred and raced by the Heller family's Don Alberto Stable, Limari is a 4-year-old filly by Medaglia d'Oro out of the Dansili mare Elbe. Don Alberto paid $601,047 for Juddmonte Farms-bred Elbe at the 2013 Tattersalls March sale.
Following a maiden voyage in October 2017 at Santa Anita Park for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, Limari found her way to Louisville-based trainer Brad Cox' barn. The dark bay filly has reeled off four straight victories dating back to a maiden win Nov. 29 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. Her latest win was an impressive score going a mile at Keeneland April 19. All of her six starts have come on turf. Jockey Florent Geroux is named to ride and they'll break from post seven in the expected field of 10.
Limari's half sister, a 2-year-old by Bernardini, topped the June 5 Fasig-Tipton Santa Anita 2-Year-Olds In Training Sale.
Among Limari's chief rivals in the Mint Julep is Carl Moore Management and Brad Grady's three-time stakes winner Mom's On Strike, who returns to the races following a seven-month layoff for trainer Joe Sharp. The Florida-bred daughter of First Dude won the 2018 Marie G. Kranz Memorial Stakes and Albert M. Stall Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds prior to her score in the 12-furlong Bewitch Stakes (G3T) at Keeneland. She's unraced since an eighth-place finish in last November's Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T) at 1 3/8 miles. For Saturday She drew post three and will be ridden by Adam Beschizza.
Also entered in the Mint Julep is Robert and Lawana Low's recent four-length allowance winner Smart Emma. Trained by Danny Peitz, Smart Emma returned to the turf in a May 16 allowance race following two unsuccessful efforts over the dirt this winter at Oaklawn. The 6-year-old daughter of Smart Strike will be ridden by Declan Cannon from post two.
Others include Surfside Stables' Phantom Opening, who has faced tougher foes in her past two outings; Michael Meeks' Vagabond Princess, who rallied in a pair of turf stakes to kick off 2019; and Hinkle Farms' Stave, a two-time winner over the local turf who is cross-entered in a $100,000 one-mile turf allowance race June 7.
The Mint Julep has been carded as Race 10 on Saturday's 11-race program with a post time of 5:26 p.m. EST. Churchill Downs' traditional early June stakes event serves as a prelude to a simulcast of the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1). Post time for Saturday's first race at Churchill Downs is 12:45 p.m
Churchill Downs, Saturday, June 08, 2019, Race 10Entries: Old Forester Mint Julep S. (G3T)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Coco Channel (KY)
Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.
120
Charles Lopresti
30/1
2
2Smart Emma (KY)
Declan Cannon
120
Daniel C. Peitz
8/1
3
3Mom's On Strike (FL)
Adam Beschizza
120
Joe Sharp
7/2
4
4She's Pretty Lucky (TX)
Miguel Mena
120
Eddie Kenneally
8/1
5
5Vagabond Princess (KY)
Chris Landeros
120
Kelsie Calvo
12/1
6
6Smart Shot (KY)
Edgar Morales
122
George R. Arnold, II
8/1
7
7Limari (KY)
Florent Geroux
120
Brad H. Cox
5/2
8
8Stave (KY)
Chantal Sutherland
120
J. Larry Jones
6/1
9
9Promise of Spring (KY)
Gabriel Saez
120
Steve Margolis
10/1
10
10Phantom Opening (KY)
James Graham
120
Jordan Blair
8/1
