Keeneland: In Lingerie caps off Pletcher's huge weekend by taking Spinster

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Trainer Todd Pletcher capped off another sensational first weekend of October when In Lingerie, the lukewarm favorite in a field of 10 fillies and mares, stormed to a clear-cut victory Sunday in the Grade 1, $500,000 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes at Keeneland.

In Lingerie, one of three 3-year-olds in the field, stalked the pace in the 1 1/8-mile Polytrack race before surging to the lead leaving the furlong pole, quickly drawing clear to win by two lengths over Mystical Star. Upperline was third, with Starformer fourth and the defending Spinster champion, Aruna, checking in sixth.

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In Lingerie, owned by Gary Barber and the Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners of Aron Wellman, returned $6.80 after finishing in 1:49.42. A Kentucky-bred filly by Empire Maker, she became the first 3-year-old winner of the Spinster since Pletcher won in 2007 with Panty Raid.

Pletcher was in Sunday from Belmont Park in New York, where on Saturday he swept the Grade 1 stakes for 2-year-olds – the Champagne with Shanghai Bobby and the Frizette with Dreaming of Julia – while also taking over second place on the all-time earnings list among North American trainers with more than $228 million. Pletcher also won the Grade 3 Woodford Stakes on Saturday at Keeneland with Bridgetown.

Noting a preference that In Lingerie has shown for synthetic surfaces, Pletcher did not commit immediately afterward to running her back in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic, for which she automatically qualifies. The Spinster is a Win and You’re In event toward the Nov. 2 Ladies’ Classic, which goes at 1 1/8 miles on dirt at Santa Anita.

“We’ll have to talk about it, see how she comes out of this,” he said. “If we don’t run in the Breeders’ Cup, there are a couple of other races we could point to. We were pretty hopeful coming into this. She’d shown herself to be one of the best 3-year-old fillies in the country at Saratoga” when finishing second to Questing in the Grade 1 Alabama in her most recent start.

Before an ontrack crowd of 12,646, and with the sun peeking out for most of a chilly afternoon, 31-1 shot Juanita set the pace in fractions of 24.20 seconds, 47.97, and 1:12.41 before the others came calling. In Lingerie, always in a good tracking position in fourth, angled out for the drive and finally pushed past Starformer and Mystical Star when going on to her fourth victory in seven lifetime starts. Her two prior stakes victories came against 3-year-old fillies in the Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park and the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan at Pimlico.

“I thought we had a perfect trip,” said Velazquez. “I was a little worried about the horses in front of me because they hung around a little longer than I thought. Once I got her out, she responded right away. She’s getting better. She’s more mature now, more relaxed.”

After Starformer, the complete order was Tiz Miz Sue, Aruna, Kitty in a Tizzy, Karlovy Vary, Juanita, and Disposablepleasure. There were three early scratches: Summer Soiree, Nefertini, and Smart Sting.

With another FallStars Weekend in the books, the first five-day week of the 17-day Keeneland fall meet starts Wednesday, with first post for a nine-race card set for 1:05 p.m. Eastern.