Early speed should benefit Bridle a Butterfly in Dade Park Dash
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Country House, by virtue of Maximum Security’s disqualification, won the 2019 Kentucky Derby. He ran once on turf, in his career debut, and finished 10th. But the best horse, at least in terms of earnings, that Country House has produced as a stallion of modest success thrives on grass. In fact, Bridle a Butterfly is the opposite of his sire.
“His last race was on dirt,” said Bridle a Butterfly’s trainer, Al Stall. “Just throw it out.”
Do so and Bridle a Butterfly becomes a potentially playable proposition Friday at Ellis Park in the $150,000 Dade Park Dash, a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for 3-year-olds. He’s one of nine entered in a race that drew four horses who want to show early speed, another data point leading to Bridle a Butterfly. And Bridle a Butterfly, after being rained onto the main track June 6 at Churchill Downs, will get to run on turf, sun-baked and surely fast-playing after a hot, dry week in western Kentucky.
Bridle a Butterfly, a Glen Hill Farm homebred, made four solid starts at age 2, a pair of sprints and two routes, before joining Stall’s stable this season. While Country House clearly favored long-distance racing, Bridle a Butterfly’s dam, Sly Storm, was a stakes-winning turf sprinter, and that’s where Stall elected to turn his attention. And after Bridle a Butterfly finished a well-beaten second at Fair Grounds in his 2025 debut, his jockey that day, James Graham, came back with glowing reports.
Thus, Bridle a Butterfly wound up in the William Walker Stakes on opening day of Churchill’s spring meet, where he rallied from last of eight while running his final 3 1/2 furlongs nearly a full second faster than any of his foes. Brian Hernandez Jr. has the Friday mount and should find himself near the rear of this group.
Kale’s Angel, Trouble Shooting, Rolando, and Star’s Image all have TimeformUS early pace ratings of 107 or higher. The pace might not turn breakneck, but it should come up plenty fast to give a late-runner like Bridle a Butterfly a fair chance.
Star’s Image looks best among the forward factors. He, too, raced in the off-turf allowance race June 6 at Churchill and managed third, and Star’s Image, by the fleet grass horse Caravaggio, went 2 for 2 over the Fair Grounds turf this winter.
Chasing Liberty, a two-time turf route stakes winner, has made his last five starts around two turns, but trainer Rob Atras cuts him back to Friday’s sprint. In his most recent turf sprint, Chasing Liberty came from 12th to nab fourth last fall at Keeneland, and he might not have quite the turn of foot that Bridle a Butterfly showed.
Dreaminblue shouldn’t be overlooked. He closed for second ahead of Star’s Image in the off-grass Churchill allowance, got a 94 Beyer Speed Figure winning an Oaklawn sprint maiden race, and makes his first start on grass, a plausible plus since Dreaminblue is by Street Boss, among North America’s best turf sprint sires.
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