Ageless becomes stakes winner in Giant's Causeway

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Ageless rallied from well back under leading jockey Julien Leparoux to post her first stakes victory Saturday in the $100,000 Giant’s Causeway Stakes on the Keeneland turf.

Owned by the Lael Stables of Barbaro fame and trained by Arnaud Delacour, Ageless returned $18.40 after finishing the 5 1/2-furlong distance in 1:03.18 over a firm turf.

Free as a Bird finished second, three-quarters of a length behind the winner and another half-length before the defending champion, Sweet Cassiopeia, who was third. Point to the Wild was fourth in a field of 10 fillies and mares.

“She got a nice kick at the end, so I was just patient and let her finish,” said Leparoux, in search of his 10th Keeneland riding title, all since 2006.

Ageless, a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred mare by Successful Appeal, now has won half her 12 career starts. She trained at Tampa throughout the winter for Delacour.

The stakes victory was the first in Kentucky for Lael since Senada won the Dowager at Keeneland at the 2011 fall meet. Lael Stables is owned by Roy and Gretchen Jackson,

The $2 exacta (11-10) paid $122.20, the $1 trifecta (11-10-9) returned $423, and the 10-cent superfecta (11-10-9-3) was worth $339.66.