Divine Miss Grey prompt favorite in Chilukki Stakes

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Divine Miss Grey was flattered by her past competition on the Breeders' Cup card at Churchill Downs, and the crowd responded by sending her off as the favorite in the Grade 2, $200,000 Chilukki Stakes on Saturday. Divine Miss Grey flattered her old foes right back, winning the Chilukki, the nightcap on the card, by 1 1/4 lengths.

Divine Miss Grey ($3.60), trained by Danny Gargan, was coming off a runner-up effort to Chilean champion Wow Cat, beaten 3 1/4 lengths, in the Grade 1 Beldame Stakes last month at Belmont Park. Wow Cat came back to finish second by a length to likely Eclipse Award champion Monomoy Girl in the Breeders' Cup Distaff on Saturday.

This was the fifth stakes victory of the year but first in graded company for Divine Miss Grey, who also won the Interborough Stakes and Heavenly Prize Stakes, both at Aqueduct, by a combined 10 lengths; the Lady's Secret Stakes at Monmouth; and the Dr. James Penny Memorial Stakes at Parx by 7 3/4 lengths in her start before the Beldame. She had finished third in two Grade 3 events this year, the Distaff Handicap at Aqueduct and Molly Pitcher at Monmouth.

In the Chilukki, Divine Miss Grey broke sharply under Manny Franco and pressed an honest pace set by Bixby Lou before taking command through six furlongs in 1:12.07. She drew off down the lane despite drifting out, finishing the mile in 1:36.64.

Molly Pitcher winner Berned, who was sixth in the Beldame, came on to be second, 1 1/2 lengths clear of Pricedtoperfection.

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