Blue Prize repeats in Spinster to earn a berth in BC Distaff

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Blue Prize won the Spinster last year, but it didn’t necessarily win her many additional fans. Perhaps to prove a point, Blue Prize went out and did it again Sunday at Keeneland in the 64th running of the Grade 1, $500,000 race.

Ridden by Joe Bravo, Blue Prize trailed most of the way in the 1 1/8-mile Spinster before closing stoutly to defeat the 7-10 favorite, Elate, by a half-length. She finished in 1:50.30 over a fast track, returning $17.20 as a distant third choice in a field of five fillies and mares.

“She means a lot to me,” said a jubilant Ignacio Correas, who trains Blue Prize for the Merriebelle Stable of John Moores and Charles Noell. “To tell you that I was going to beat Elate, I would be lying, but I did think our mare was sitting on a big race.”

Blue Prize, a 6-year-old Argentine-bred mare by Pure Prize, earned a Win and You’re In berth to the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Nov. 2 at Santa Anita. She finished a close fourth in the Distaff last year at Churchill Downs.

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On a misty afternoon, and before an ontrack crowd of 10,303, She’s a Julie set fractions of 24.25 seconds, 48.63 and 1:13.12 as the two favorites, Elate and Dunbar Road (19-10), lay in wait. Leaving the far turn, Elate poked her head in front from the outside while Dunbar Road loomed a danger along the rail.

Down the stretch, however, Blue Prize and Bravo had all the momentum. Just like last October in the Spinster, they had bided their time from a few lengths back before unleashing the winning run when farthest outside. Elate, ridden by Jose Ortiz, held second by another three-quarters of a length over Dunbar Road, the only 3-year-old in the lineup. She’s a Julie and Vexatious rounded out the order.

“There were some really good horses in there, but she was able to get a stalking trip and watch them” up front, said Bravo. “We’ve always said she runs great at a target. She listens to me. I really didn’t have to do much. It’s fun to be part of a good horse.”

Blue Prize now has earned $1,592,253 with nine wins from 22 starts. She became the fifth filly or mare to win the Spinster a second time, and the fourth to win back-to-back renewals. With the BC Distaff sure to be her final career start, the mare is entered to be sold at auction at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky early next month.

Meanwhile, trainer Bill Mott said a decision will have to made as to whether Elate will make her final career start in the BC Distaff or BC Classic the same day.

“That’s a conversation we’ll have to have this week,” said Mott, referring to the 5-year-old mare’s ownership partners, Adele Dilschneider and the Hancock family of Claiborne Farm. “I wouldn’t rule out the Classic, though.”

Mott said Ortiz “basically said [Elate] wasn’t in love with this track, although we certainly don’t intend that as an excuse. It’s just that she’s gotten over other tracks like Saratoga and Delaware so well. You could say she didn’t run her best race today.”

The $2 exacta (2-5) paid $34.80 and the $1 trifecta (2-5-1) returned $33.40.