Ennis has two winners in Kentucky Juvenile
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Bohemian Frost won the first 2-year-old race of the year in North America. Now, she will try to take the first stakes race in the division.
The $150,000 Kentucky Juvenile, in which trainer John Ennis has entered both Bohemian Frost and stablemate Shesgotattitude, is the Wednesday feature at Churchill Downs. It is slotted as the ninth race on a 10-race card.
Bohemian Frost parlayed a sharp break from the gates to a 3 1/2-length maiden score on opening day of the Keeneland spring meeting April 2. The Frosted filly finished the 4 1/2 furlongs in 52.15 seconds. Six days later, her stablemate Shesgotattitude posted a one-length maiden victory in 52.04. On Wednesday, the fillies will traverse slightly more ground, going five furlongs, in the Kentucky Juvenile.
"[Bohemian Frost] came out of her race bouncing," Ennis said. "It really didn't take much out of her. She had a nice work back with Shesgotattitude, super smooth. Couldn't be happier with both of them, to be honest."
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James Graham piloted both fillies to their debut victories. He chose to stick with Shesgotattitude on Wednesday, while Gerardo Corrales picks up the mount on Bohemian Frost. The two fillies breezed a half-mile together on April 20 at Keeneland in preparation for their first stakes engagement, in what Ennis noted was a step forward for Shesgotattitude.
“Before, she wouldn’t have been able to work with Bohemian Frost,” he said of the Tiznow filly. “I thought she would need the race. She surprised me when she did win, so she’s gonna improve a whole pile.”
Both of Ennis's fillies defeated favored runners for Wesley Ward, known for winning early-season juvenile races at Keeneland, in their debuts. They face a powerful pair from Ward’s barn on Wednesday. Averly Jane and Kaufymaker were both dominant winners on April 15 at Keeneland, by 8 3/4 lengths and 6 1/2 lengths, respectively. Averly Jane ran the faster heat, going in 51.84 seconds to Kaufymaker's 52.69.
American Bound and Baytown Frosty were both also Keeneland maiden winners. Bode by You is still a maiden after two starts for John Hancock, another trainer known for his prowess with juveniles on the Kentucky circuit. However, she was second to American Bound and Kaufymaker in her two starts.
Rounding out the field is Vodka N Water, also a maiden but a close second in a maiden race in which Baytown Frosty finished third. The colt moves to Steve Asmussen, who holds the record for trainer victories in the Kentucky Juvenile, after debuting for Robert McCutchen.