Adventuring notches stakes-debut victory in Bourbonette Oaks

Adventuring continued a huge day for the international Godolphin operation with a victory in the $150,000 Bourbonette Oaks on Saturday at Turfway Park.

The lightly raced Adventuring, by the late classic sire Pioneerof the Nile and out of champion Questing, was making her stakes debut in her fourth career start for trainer Brad Cox. She came in off a maiden victory at Fair Grounds.

The filly could now catapult farther into the limelight, as she earned 50 points toward a spot in the Kentucky Oaks with her victory. She was not an early nominee to the April 30 filly classic, but could take advantage of her points if she is made a late nominee by April 10, or a supplemental nominee for a hefty fee at entry time.

Adventuring ($7.20), seventh at the halfway point of the one-mile race under Florent Geroux, made a strong three-wide move around the far turn to move up into second at the quarter pole, two lengths behind leader Spritz. She poked a head in front and was ridden out as she pulled clear to win by two lengths. She finished the mile on Tapeta in 1:37.31, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 82.

:: Bet horse racing on DRF Bets. Double Your First Deposit Up to $250. Join Now.

“She showed a lot of class today getting black type,” Geroux said. “She seems to be moving in the right direction with this level of competition. She’s won on the dirt at Fair Grounds and now on the Tapeta. I think she could run well on the turf, probably, too.”

Spritz held second, 1 1/2 lengths clear of Candace O. Next in the order of finish were Oliviaofthedesert and Wait for Nairobi, the only two previous stakes winners in the field.