Change of Control surges past Into Mystic in Giant's Causeway

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Favored Into Mystic looked to be on her way to a victory - and then, there was a Change of Control.

Change of Control came powering down the lane for an upset in the $100,000 Giant's Causeway Stakes for fillies and mares sprinting on the turf, a breakthrough victory for herself and a milestone win for trainer Michelle Lovell and jockey Colby Hernandez on Saturday at Keeneland.

Change of Control ($19.80) was winless in three starts this season coming into the Giant's Causeway, although she had run well. The mare was third in the Nelson J. Menard Memorial at Fair Grounds behind Into Mystic and Elle Z, both of whom she faced again Saturday, and then was third in the Pulse Power Turf Sprint at Sam Houston. In her most recent outing, Lovell took the blinkers off Change of Control, and she was second in an allowance-optional claiming race on March 19 at Fair Grounds, beaten just a head.

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"She’s been training really well," Lovell said. "She ran a super race off the turf last time, and she doesn’t relish the dirt at all. She came out of the race super, she’s been really good. We took the blinkers off her, and maybe that helped a little, too."

On Saturday, the 5-year-old mare by Fed Biz - a son of race namesake Giant’s Causeway - gave Lovell her 500th career win. It was also the first stakes win at Keeneland for jockey Colby Hernandez.

“It’s really special to get it with this filly," Lovell said. "She’s been the most honest horse, and she just ran so great today."

Change of Control was fifth of seven, but less than two lengths back, as the field bunched up nearing the quarter pole. Elle Z, who had assumed her customary early position on the lead, was beginning to fade on the yielding turf, and Into Mystic, who had been saving ground while stalking the pace in third, was set to assume command. Into Mystic opened up two lengths in the stretch while still not under strong urging from Irad Ortiz Jr. and appeared to be on her way to the win. Hernandez brought Change of Control wider for running room, and the mare made a steady rally down the lane. She came to Into Mystic in the final yards and surged clear to win by a length going away.

“She broke very well and put me in a great position," Hernadez said. "In the top of the lane, I tipped her out and made her switch leads and she just ran on. When she switched over to her right lead she ran on, she really kicked on whenever she switched."

The final time for the 5 1/2 furlongs was 1:04.48.

After Change of Control and Into Mystic, it was another 4 1/2 lengths back to Jakarta in third.

Silver Dust takes Ben Ali Stakes

The five runners in the Grade 3, $150,000 Ben Ali Stakes were separated by less than a length at the finish, with Silver Dust ($11.20) ultimately prevailing by a half-length.

Silver Dust was off a step slow, but quickly recovered to work out a stalking trip outside of Sprawl under Adam Beschizza. The 7-year-old gelding poked his head in front, but Sprawl proved a stubborn foe down the lane, and the other three runners closed in. At the wire, it was Silver Dust over favored Night Ops, who was a neck ahead of Beau Luminarie in third. Beau Luminarie, Sprawl, and fifth-place Treasure Trove were separated by just a nose each.

The final time for the 1 1/8 miles on the main track, which was sloppy and sealed, was 1:50.21.

Silver Dust is now a graded stakes winner in three consecutive seasons for trainer Bret Calhoun. Last year, he crossed the line first in both the Grade 3 Louisiana and Grade 3 Mineshaft at Fair Grounds; he was disqualified from the Louisiana after testing positive for levamisole. He acquitted himself well in Kentucky later in the year, finishing third in the Stephen Foster and Alysheba, both Grade 2 events at Churchill Downs. Silver Dust was 10th in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland to end that 2020 campaign; he shook the rust off by finishing seventh under allowance conditions last month at Fair Grounds to start this season.