Cat Quatorze prevails in Likely Exchange

Cat Quatorze gave apprentice Julien Leparoux his fifth win on the 12-race Saturday card at Turfway Park when drawing clear after a perfect trip to win the $50,000 Likely Exchange Stakes.

Cat Quatorze, a 4-year-old Louis Quatorze filly trained by Helen Pitts, was always in a great position in the one-mile race. After breaking sharply, she allowed the 47-1 front-runner, Quite a Ruckus, to speed away to the lead, but by the far turn, Cat Quatorze was breathing down her neck.

Down the stretch, Cat Quatorze wore Quite a Ruckus down and won by 1 3/4 lengths over Cercatore, a 16-1 shot. Quite a Ruckus was another nose back in third, and Gallant Secret, the 5-2 second choice in a field of 11 fillies and mares, was never a serious factor in finishing fourth.

Owned by the Stevestan Stables, Cat Quatorze returned $7 as a slight favorite in her stakes debut and finished the mile in 1:39.85 over Polytrack. She now has won 4 of 9 starts and $117,255.

Leparoux, a 22-year-old Frenchman, is the leading rider this year in North America in wins. This was his third five-win day this winter at Turfway. The track record for most wins on a card is seven, set in 2004 by Rafael Bejarano.