Churchill Downs: Emotional Kitten strong in stretch of Mrs. Revere
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Thwarted two Saturdays beforehand at the Breeders’ Cup, the Ramsey Farm juggernaut resumed its assault on graded races Saturday night when Emotional Kitten rallied from far back to capture the Grade 2, $205,100 Mrs. Revere Stakes at Churchill Downs.
With Victor Espinoza riding for owner-breeder Ken and Sarah Ramsey, Emotional Kitten caught Effie Trinket in deep stretch, prevailing by a half-length when finishing the 1 1/16-mile distance in 1:44.53 over a good turf course. The winner paid $11.80 as third choice in a field of 14 3-year-old fillies.
“She wasn’t handling the course for the first five-eighths,” said Espinoza, in from California just to ride for the Ramseys and trainer Wesley Ward. “But then she got into the bridle. I was afraid we were going to be second, but she just kept coming.”
Effie Trinket, a New York-bred ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan, had surged from sixth to an open lead leaving the furlong pole, but an even bigger rally from Emotional Kitten on the far outside got the money. Dance Again was third at 54-1, with Praia fourth and Tapicat fifth.
For Emotional Kitten, it was her fourth win from 14 career starts and her first since she won the Hilltop Stakes on the May 17 Preakness eve card at Pimlico. She was coming off a seventh-place finish in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland.
Emotional Kitten is by Kitten’s Joy, the Ramsey-owned stallion who stands at their Nicholasville, Ky., farm and has been very instrumental in helping them enjoy a phenomenal year. Although their horses went a disappointing 0 for 6 at the Nov. 1-2 Breeders’ Cup, the Ramseys are runaway leaders atop the North American owner standings with nearly $12 million in earnings this year.
Ken Ramsey was not in attendance on the Downs After Dark program, but his son, Jeff, was among several family members to lead Emotional Kitten into the winner’s circle.
Ontrack attendance on the only night-racing program of the 25-day meet was 12,222.
The $2 exacta (1-5) paid $144.40; the $1 trifecta (1-5-12) returned $2,351.50; and the 10-cent superfecta (1-5-12-11) was worth $2,953.86.