Blue Prize noses Champagne Problems in Locust Grove

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Blue Prize now has won three graded stakes at Churchill Downs in less than 10 months, and Ignacio Correas would love to tack on just one more before 2018 expires.

The third and most hard-fought of her local triumphs came Saturday when Blue Prize, always on the pace under Julien Leparoux, nosed out Champagne Problems in a thrilling 35th running of the Grade 3, $100,000 Locust Grove.

The Locust Grove triumph followed the Grade 2 Falls City last November and the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis in June. Her sterling record over the course sets up Blue Prize for a run in the Nov. 3 Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Churchill, with the Oct. 7 Spinster at Keeneland likely to come in the interim.

An Argentine-bred 5-year-old mare by Pure Prize, Blue Prize is not a full nominee to the Breeders’ Cup, but the supplementary fee demanded from her owner, Merribelle Stable, has been largely offset by the fact her sire is a nominee and the Fleur de Lis came with a Win and You’re In designation.

“Just say we’re in,” trainer Ignacio Correas said.

The 1 1/16-mile Locust Grove, contested by nine fillies and mares amid hot late-summer weather, unfolded with Blue Prize lapped outside of longshot Streamline on the lead and Champagne Problems saving ground just behind them.

“We were going pretty slow early and my horse was doing it easy,” Leparoux said. “When the other filly came to us, my horse dug in. Then we fight.”

Champagne Problems, the 7-2 second choice under Calvin Borel, got a favorable bob on the wire, but was still a few inches shy of victory.

“We just got outrun, y’know, babe,” Borel said. “She was trying to come back the last couple (jumps), but it was tough.”

After the top two, it was 6 1/4 lengths back to Mannerly in third, with Tiger Moth rallying mildly to be fourth. Pinch Hit, the 4-1 third choice, faded to last.

The winner paid $3.80 as the favorite after finishing in 1:43.69 over a fast track. Blue Prize now has six wins and seven seconds from 15 overall starts, with her earnings rising to $664,753.

The $2 exacta (3-2) paid $11.20, the $1 trifecta (3-2-6) returned $52.30, and the 10-cent superfecta (3-2-6-7) was worth $33.66.