Bonny South prevails in three-horse battle to wire in Doubledogdare

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Three horses making their first starts of the year made for a tight photo Friday in the Grade 3, $100,000 Doubledogdare Stakes at Keeneland, with Bonny South battling back between her opponents to eke out a hard-fought triumph.

Bonny South, a 4-year-old Juddmonte Farms homebred, emerged narrowly best after looping into contention with about a half-mile remaining in the 1 1/16-mile Doubledogdare, then fended off a sustained outside run from Royal Flag in a torrid drive.

“She broke good and put me into the race,” said Florent Geroux, who was aboard Bonny South for trainer Brad Cox. “When I asked her turning for home, she gave me a nice kick.”

The winning margin was a head, while Graceful Princess, who led most of the way and nearly matched the top pair stride-for-stride while racing closest to the rail, was just another head back in third.

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Bonny South, by Munnings out of Touch the Star, by Tapit, returned $9.40 after finishing in 1:43.46 over a fast track. It was her first start since finishing second in her last three starts as a 3-year-old, those being the Alabama in August, the Black-Eyed Susan in October, and the Falls City in late November. In all, she now has four wins and three seconds from nine career starts, with her most important prior win coming in the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks last March.

Royal Flag, ridden by Joel Rosario for Chad Brown, was making her first start since early November, while Graceful Princess, trained by Todd Pletcher, was making her first start since early December.

Speech, the 3-2 favorite in a field of six, was eased down the stretch by jockey Javier Castellano after tracking Graceful Princess to the far turn. Trainer Michael McCarthy said afterward from California he was unsure whether the filly had bled internally. Lasix is no longer permitted in any Keeneland stakes.

On a pleasant and mostly sunny afternoon, Graceful Princess and the meet’s leading jockey, Luis Saez, led through fractions of 24.11 seconds and 48.02 before Bonny South came to call leaving the far turn. Those two went head-to-head from there, with Royal Flag joining them with a menacing outside run to make it a three-way go under the wire.

Bonny South “had kind of been touting herself” in her morning training, Cox said. “Florent did a good job. There wasn’t a lot of pace on, and the filly really dug in late.”

Cox, who was on hand before leaving Saturday for Oaklawn Park, said he hopes the 2021 campaign for Bonny South will consist of “a lot of Grade 1s,” with the Juddmonte Spinster at Keeneland and the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Del Mar being year-end goals.

After the top three, the order was Eres Tu, High Regard, and Speech. Bajan Girl was an early scratch.

The $2 exacta (5-1) paid $26.60, the $1 trifecta (5-1-3) returned $93, and the 10-cent superfecta (5-1-3-4) was worth $38.90.