Campanelle targets Diamond Jubilee after Giant's Causeway win
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Campanelle will soon be making a challenging, although familiar, trip. On Saturday the filly got a straightforward trip in winning her season debut, the $200,000 Giant’s Causeway Stakes, as the favorite at Keeneland.
Campanelle ($5.80), who races for Stonestreet Stables and trainer Wesley Ward, was using Saturday’s race as the launching point for another trip to England's renowned Royal Ascot meeting in June. Her target will be the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes on June 18.
Campanelle won the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes at the meeting in 2020 as a juvenile and later took the Group 1 Prix Morny against males in France. Last year, she made a successful return to England, crossing the line second by a head in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup, again against male rivals, before being promoted to the victory via disqualification. Saturday marked her return to the races, as she was most recently seen finishing third in the Grade 3 Franklin County during Keeneland’s fall meeting.
Elle Z, winner of three straight stakes races at Fair Grounds, came bounding out of the gate to immediately assume her usual position on the lead in the field of 13, sizzling through an opening quarter in 21.99 seconds on a course rated good after overnight rain. Campanelle was away alertly under Irad Ortiz Jr., and was briefly among the second flight of horses chasing Elle Z before being relegated to fifth while running comfortably and in the clear. Meanwhile, Headline Hunter emerged from the fray to press Elle Z through the half in 44.81.
“We were kind of buried down there in the 3 hole,” Ward said. “I told Irad to just work his way out. There were a lot of fast fillies in there, but usually true class will prevail.”
Ortiz kept Campanelle in the clear around the turn, and spun her wide into the lane. With no obstacles it was clear sailing from there, as she quickly cleared and was never challenged en route to her 2 1/2-length win margin.
The final time for the 5 1/2 furlongs was 1:01.98.
Star Devine, who had been stalking the pace, was a clear second by 1 1/2 lengths. Goin’ Good rallied for third after being jostled early, holding that placing by a nose in a photo over the furiously rallying Change of Control, the defending Giant’s Causeway winner.
They were followed, in order, by Elle Z, Jouster, Risky Reward, Phantom Vision, Violenza, A G Indy, Hear My Prayer, Headline Hunter, and Ghosting Kim.