Dundalk Dust splashes to Falls City score

Churchill Downs/ Reed Palmer Photography

Dundalk Dust, idle since winning the Falls City in November, has set her early-season sights on the Applie Blossom at Oaklawn Park.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Dundalk Dust, a 3-year-old Illinois-bred filly who was last of six down the backstretch, blew away her five older rivals with a sensational stretch run Thursday in a rain-soaked 95th running of the Grade 2, $161,250 Falls City Handicap at Churchill Downs.

With Shaun Bridgmohan riding for Chicago-based Chris Block, Dundalk Dust notched her first graded victory, finishing three lengths before front-running High Quail in the 1 1/8-mile Falls City. The winner returned $14.80 after finishing in 1:53.37 over sloppy going.

High Quail, with Garrett Gomez aboard, set all the pace with Distinctive Dixie, the slight 2-1 favorite, in closest pursuit. Approaching the quarter pole, Ravi’s Song made a looping move to become a threat, but as she began to sputter, it was a ferocious outside run by Dundalk Dust that got first money of $98,975.

“I had a real good trip,” said Bridgmohan. “She’s a pretty neat little filly to ride. At the half-mile pole, she really jumped into the bridle for me.”

Striking Dancer, the 2-1 second choice, finished third, another 1 1/2 lengths back, followed by Ravi’s Song, Third Dawn, and Distinctive Dixie.

Dundalk Dust, owned by the Dundalk 5 LLC of Tim Kindlon, had won 4 of 6 prior starts while finishing third and fourth in her two prior graded attempts, both against 3-year-olds at Arlington Park. She was coming off a sharp score over statebred fillies and mares in the Illinois Princess at Hawthorne in her first dirt attempt, a triumph that led Block to try open graded company when the Falls City came up with a short field. Dundalk Dust, by Military, now has earned $237,105.

“I felt like this filly would run real good,” said Block, who won his third graded handicap at Churchill this year, following the Louisville with Free Fighter and the Cardinal with Askbutdon’ttell. “Her last work over the track showed she was entering the race ready to go.”

The afternoon was so wet and dreary that the lights system was used throughout the 12-race card.