Bourbon Resolution draws off to win Ben Ali
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The owners of Bourbon Resolution are concerned that their star 3-year-old, Bourbon War, might not make the 20-horse cutoff for the Kentucky Derby. But even if they’re excluded, the Bourbon Lane Stable partners still could be having a big time on Derby weekend at Churchill Downs.
That’s because Bourbon Resolution, a romping winner Saturday in the Grade 3, $200,000 Ben Ali at Keeneland, has stamped himself as a contender for the Grade 2 Alysheba on the May 3 Kentucky Oaks undercard.
“This horse is only getting better,” said Ian Wilkes, who trains 4-year-old Bourbon Resolution for a group managed by Jamie Hill and Mike McMahon.
Bourbon Resolution, a Kentucky-bred colt by New Year’s Day, ran the best race of his nine-race career when speeding away to win the 89th Ben Ali by 4 1/2 lengths. He paid $38.60 after finishing 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.82 over a fast track.
“He’s a naturally fast horse, and my instructions today were to kind of use him a little bit, don’t take anything away from him and keep his momentum going,” said jockey Chris Landeros, who rode the winner for Wilkes, his father-in-law. “I thought I had a gear there, but I had a larger gear than I thought. It was nice.”
Asked whether he believed Bourbon Resolution could make an impact in the national handicap division this year, Wilkes said: “I don’t see why not. I think I’ve finally figured him out. He’s got a high cruising speed.”
Bourbon Resolution, third in the early running, took over after turning for home and quickly put the issue at rest. Nun the Less rallied from ninth in the field of 11 older horses to finish second, another 2 1/2 lengths before Third Day. Flameaway, the 2-1 favorite, set the pace before fading to sixth.
Bourbon Resolution now has won three of nine starts, with this being his first stakes win. He had finished an even third behind Flameaway in his previous start, the ungraded Challenger on the March 9 Tampa Bay Derby undercard.
Bourbon War, most recently fourth in the Florida Derby for Bourbon Lane, is on the outside looking in on the Derby qualifying-points list and will apparently need defections to make the 20-horse lineup.
The $2 exacta (9-10) paid $374.40, the $1 trifecta (9-10-3) returned $1,704, and the 10-cent superfecta (9-10-3-1) was worth $987.49.
