First Lady Stakes (Group 1)

THERE was no luck for Aidan O’Brien with his three Grade 1 raiders in the US last weekend. Empress Josephine fared best with a third place in Keeneland’s First Lady Stakes but Japan and Order Of Australia made no show in their respective contests.

Chad Brown’s Blowout went all the way in the Grade 1 First Lady Stakes presented by UK HealthCare over a mile turf. Brown was winning the First Lady for the fourth year in a row.

With Flavien Prat riding, the five-year-old Dansili mare make the most of a favourable trip to hang on to win by half a length. The daughter of the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (French 1000 Guineas) winner Beauty Parlour cost €450,000 as a foal at Goffs November Sale in 2016.

Regal Glory was second, giving trainer Chad Brown and owner Peter Brant a one-two finish. Empress Josephine and Godolphin’s hope Althiqa, already the winner of two US Grade 1s this season, were third and fourth.

Blowout had won the Grade 2 Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes at Churchill Downs. Before that, she had suffered four consecutive narrow losses at graded level including the Matriarch by a nose last September.

“In the stretch, she was brave. She fought really hard down the lane because she lost the lead for a little bit. But she dug in and fought back and really made a great stretch run,” Prat said.

The Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf is three furlongs farther, likely against even tougher international rivals, which might be beyond Blowout’s limits.

Althiqa went off favourite in the First Lady after winning her first two US wins but in both of those Grade 1 wins she came from well off the pace – and here she found herself in traffic trouble when jockey Jamie Spencer tried to make his move.

“We were tight into the first turn. In the stretch, we couldn’t get out. We just needed a little more racing luck,” Spencer said

Irish 1000 Guineas winner Empress Josephine raced in mid-field with John Velazquez and was making up ground through the final furlong, beaten a length in the end.

Lobo is In Love with the Mile

Keeneland Turf Mile (Grade 1)

TRAINER Paulo Lobo has another Breeders’ Cup Mile contender when Brazilian-bred In Love charged to a length-and-a half victory over Tell Your Daddy in the Grade 1 Keeneland Turf Mile. Lobo had won the race with Ivar last season.

Order Of Australia finished 12th and last as the short-priced favourite.

“We got a great post position. Going to the first turn we had a great spot, but he didn’t show up,” his jockey John Velazquez said.

It was a first graded stakes win for the Agnes Gold gelding. “He had been improving,” Lobo said about the five year-old who started his career in Argentina, “and I had been telling people, be careful of a confident horse.

“I think the big key was we went to Arlington and tried an easier spot, and he won the race, and then we put blinkers on him and he improved a lot.”

In Love and jockey Alex Achard were seventh in the field of 12 after a half-mile. They swung wide in the stretch and had clear sailing on the outside to move past Somelikeithotbrown leaving the furlong marker and complete the mile in 1m 34.84secs on good turf.

In Love gave Achard his first Grade 1 win. “Feels great. He’s like a good wine. Every race he shows up and he’s even better every time,” he said.

Also on the card, Grade 1 winner Bell’s The One and Corey Lanerie made it three wins in a row this season in the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes.

The jockey said: “She gives everything she’s got every time. She’s got the fastest turn of foot of any horse I’ve ridden. If she gives me her kick, I know I’m going to catch them.”

Back-to-back victories at the Breeders’ Cup is next on the agenda for Wesley Ward’s Golden Pal following his return to winning ways at Keeneland on Saturday.

The trainer was left scratching his head after Golden Pal could finish only a lacklustre seventh in the Nunthorpe at York, but he showed his true colours back on home soil at Keeneland to set up a tilt at the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar.

Ward was pleased to see him show a different side to his game in the Grade 2 Woodford Stakes.

“We’re looking forward to the Breeders’ Cup. I think he’s going to love Del Mar. His weapon is his speed and when you get a fast or firm course, he’s going to be a bear!”