Dunbar Road returns a winner in Shawnee Stakes
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Dunbar Road made a successful return to action on Saturday, pulling away in deep stretch in the first running of the $100,000 Shawnee at Churchill Downs.
Ridden by Jose Ortiz, Dunbar Road rallied from about 10 lengths back to prevail by 1 3/4 lengths over Chocolate Kisses, a 27-1 outsider in a field of eight fillies and mares.
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Dunbar Road paid $3.40 after finishing 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.65 over a fast track.
Winner of the Grade 1 Alabama and Grade 2 Mother Goose last year, Dunbar Road had not raced since finishing fifth in the Nov. 3 Breeders’ Cup Distaff. The 4-year-old Quality Road filly is trained by Chad Brown for Peter Brant.
“It was good to get her back to the races,” said Whit Beckman, the locally based assistant to Brown. “She broke a step slow, and up the backside I got a little concerned. But she showed how much of a game filly she is to dig down and win like that.”
“We broke a little slow, but she’s so classy,” said Ortiz. “I’m very happy she’s back.”
Dunbar Road now has won five of eight starts.
Chocolate Kisses, always close to the pace under Declan Carroll, finished another 1 1/4 lengths ahead of late-running Vault, who was third. Awe Emma was fourth, while She’s a Julie, the other Grade 1 winner in the lineup, finished sixth as the 2-1 second choice after an awkward start.
Owendale catches Everfast in Blame
Owendale came flying down the stretch to nail longshot Everfast by a half-length in the inaugural running of the $100,000 Blame.
Making his 4-year-old debut, Owendale was ridden by Florent. It was just another neck back in third to Silver Dust, who in turn was followed by another 2 3/4 lengths by Mr. Money, his Bret Calhoun stablemate, in a field of 12 older horses.
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Diamond King turned for home with the lead, but he was soon overtaken by Silver Dust and Everfast before Owendale came late with his heroics.
Owendale finished the one-turn mile in 1:34.74 over a fast track on Saturday and paid $9.
Owendale, a Kentucky-bred by Into Mischief, won four of nine starts last year at 3, earning more than $1 million.
Brad Cox trains Owendale for Rupp Racing. The colt was making his first start since finishing second to the older Tom’s d’Etat in the Clark Handicap last November.