Crazy Beautiful wears down Played Hard in Seneca to win fifth stakes
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Crazy Beautiful finally pushed past front-running Played Hard in the desperate last few yards to win an exciting first running of the $155,568 Seneca late Friday afternoon at Churchill Downs.
Ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., Crazy Beautiful was relentless in winning her fifth stakes from 12 starts. Racing closer to the pace than she usually does from the opening steps of the 1 1/16-mile race, she gave closest chase Played Hard from the three-quarter pole and beyond, surging late to prevail by a neck.
Crazy Beautiful, a gray daughter of Liam’s Map, returned $5.20 as favorite in a field of six 3-year-old fillies after finishing in 1:42.25 over a fast track.
Kenny McPeek, who trains Crazy Beautiful for Phoenix Thoroughbreds III Ltd., said by phone after watching from England: “She’s tough. It was a great run. We watched it from here and loved it.”
Hernandez said he handicapped the race closely beforehand and that he was happy with his close-up spot.
“I just had to ride her like she was the best horse in the race,” he said. “She’s run against some of the best in the country. She really is a nice filly.”
The prior stakes wins for Crazy Beautiful were the Ellis Debutante at 2, followed by the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks, the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita, and the Grade 3 Delaware Oaks this year. She’s a possibility for the Nov. 6 Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita, said McPeek.
The $2 exacta (6-5) paid $10, the $1 trifecta (6-5-2) returned $16.80, and the 10-cent superfecta (6-5-2-1) was worth $3.60.
The Seneca was one of several new stakes at a 12-day, dirt-only September meet that ends Sunday. It is part of a revised stakes schedule necessitated by a turf-course renovation set for completion next spring.
Major Fed does it again
One race earlier, Major Fed ($5.60) came through as the favorite in winning a Churchill allowance for a second straight time. Ridden by Florent Geroux, the 4-year-old son of Ghostzapper finished 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.85 when powering home 2 1/4 lengths ahead of runner-up Tune In.
Greg Foley trains Major Fed for the Lloyd Madison Farms of Fred Schwartz. Coming off a June 25 allowance win, the 4-year-old colt now is a viable candidate for such major fall events as the Oct. 30 Fayette and Nov. 26 Clark.
* The last two days of the meet are Saturday and Sunday. Knicks Go makes his final start ahead of the Nov. 6 BC Classic as a heavy favorite Saturday in the Grade 3 Lukas Classic. Keeneland starts its 17-day fall meet Friday.