Behave Virginia, Double Thunder take juvenile jaunts
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A pair of 2-year-old races that often provide a valuable early look into their respective divisions were part of the huge Stephen Foster undercard at Churchill Downs.
The $150,000 Debutante Stakes was run some 30 minutes prior to its male counterpart, the Grade 3, $150,000 Bashford Manor. Both six-furlong races were held for the 120th time and over a fast track on a sultry Saturday afternoon, with 4-1 shots prevailing with rallies from off the pace.
Behave Virginia wins Debutante
As good as Behave Virginia was in remaining unbeaten in two starts by winning the Debutante, trainer Kenny McPeek believes the filly will be even better as her races get longer.
“She’s dying for more distance,” McPeek said after Behave Virginia tripped out perfectly under Brian Hernandez Jr.
Away sharply in a field of eight, Behave Virginia settled behind a trio of leaders approaching the quarter pole, where Hernandez deftly guided her between rivals en route to a one-length score over Ontheonesandtwos, the 7-5 favorite. Wicked Halo, who led most of the way, was third, another half-length back when giving way grudgingly.
Behave Virginia, from the first crop of Unified, returned $10.20 after finishing in 1:09.83. She was among six yearlings McPeek bought last year for the Lucky Seven Stable, the nom de course of the Mackin family of Louisville. Virginia “Ginny” Mackin was the family matriarch prior to her 2018 death.
McPeek said he may wait until the Pocahontas is run in September at Churchill to run the filly again. “I definitely think she’s a Breeders’ Cup horse,” he said.
The $2 exacta (7-8) paid $29.20, the $1 trifecta (7-8-1) returned $51.40, and the 10-cent superfecta (7-8-1-3) was worth $10.64.
Double Thunder takes Bashford Manor
As the pace melted down ahead of him, John Velazquez began feeling ever more confident as Double Thunder was making up ground approaching the quarter pole. The gray colt had trailed in a field of 10 after getting away sluggishly.
“He just kind of hopped out of the gate,” Velazquez said. “Once I got to the quarter pole, I knew he was going forwardly."
Still fifth nearing the eighth pole after cutting the corner into the stretch, Double Thunder was angled outside by Velazquez, and there they went. The Super Saver colt quickly swept past the tiring leaders to prevail by a widening 4 3/4 lengths over Vodka N Water, who edged Glacial by a head for second. Red Run, the 5-2 favorite, was never a threat when fifth.
Double Thunder paid $10.20 after finishing in 1:11.17, which was a considerably slower clocking than in the Debutante.
The victory coincided with the 54th birthday of trainer Todd Pletcher, the Hall of Fame electee who watched from his New York base. One of Pletcher’s two Kentucky Derby victories came with Super Saver in 2010.
Double Thunder also was a winner of his lone prior start, a June 5 maiden-special sprint at Monmouth Park. He is owned by the Phoenix Thoroughbreds of Aamer Abdul-Aziz Ahmed.
The $2 exacta (8-1) paid $79.80, the $1 trifecta (8-1-4) returned $179.40, and the 10-cent superfecta (8-1-4-6) was worth $249.91.