Aruna rolls to Mrs. Revere victory
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Graham Motion added a little icing to the proverbial cake when Aruna proved clearly best as the favorite Saturday for the English-born trainer in the 20th running of the Grade 2, $199,675 Mrs. Revere Stakes at Churchill Downs.
Motion already had sent Shared Account to Churchill from Maryland for a narrow victory in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf earlier in the meet. This triumph was less dramatic, and more decisive, as Aruna, with Ramon Dominguez aboard, pulled away in the final 100 yards to capture the 1 1/16-mile turf race by 1 3/4 lengths.
Wild Mia, who got a perfect stalking trip under Freddie Lenclud to make the lead after straightening away, was unable to withstand the winner while holding second by a neck over Fugitive Angel, with Snow Top Mountain another half-length back in fourth in a field of 10 3-year-old fillies.
Aruna, a Kentucky-bred by Mr. Greeley, is now unbeaten in three North American starts since being sent to Motion this summer by her owner-breeders, Flaxman Holdings Ltd., following five races in France. She returned $5.40 after finishing in 1:46.02 over a turf course rated good.
Motion watched from his base at the Fair Hill training center in Maryland. “We won’t be in a hurry to run her back any time soon,” he said, adding that Aruna will run as a 4-year-old.
As expected, Dade Babe, chased by Ice Mist, set a hot pace, but by the quarter pole, those two longshots were spent, with Wild Mia taking over. Dominguez, in from New York for the day, always had Aruna in striking range, and when he gave the filly three whacks of a left-handed whip, then three with the right, she sped off to prevail.
Another East Coast shipper, Gitchee Goomie, threw a fit in the starting gate at the scheduled post time and was a late scratch, leading to a seven-minute delay.
La Cloche, who faded to ninth, was loaded into the horse ambulance following the race with injuries of unknown severity.
Rosemary Homeister Jr. picked up the mount on Snow Top Mountain from Garrett Gomez, who still hasn’t ridden since winning the Nov. 6 Breeders’ Cup Classic aboard Blame because of a shoulder injury. Gomez is expected to return to action no later than Wednesday, according to his agent, Ron Anderson.