Four Graces, Volatile show they're a cut above in stakes

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Four Graces ran herself right into the Kentucky Oaks discussion with a clear-cut triumph Saturday in the Grade 3, $100,000 Dogwood at fan-free Churchill Downs.

Among a pack of leaders while racing nearest the rail during the opening stages of the seven-furlong race, Four Graces proceeded to assert herself in the turn. Leaving the quarter pole, Edgeway loomed menacingly, but Julien Leparoux, the rider of Four Graces, had plenty of horse underneath him. Four Graces re-broke, winning off by 2 1/2 lengths and finishing in 1:22.28 over a fast track in her stakes debut.

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Four Graces, by Majesticperfection out of Ivory Empress, was bred by her owners, the Whitham family of western Kansas. She is a half-brother to McCraken, a four-time stakes winner at 2 and 3.

“It’s been a blessing, this family,” said trainer Ian Wilkes.

Four Graces returned $6.60 as second choice in a field of eight 3-year-old fillies, winning for the third time in four career starts. She was a first-level allowance winner on May 16, opening day of the 26-day Churchill spring meet.

With the Dogwood having been added into the revised Kentucky Oaks prep schedule necessitated by the coronavirus pandemic, Four Graces earned 20 qualifying points toward the Sept. 4 classic.

“Given her pedigree, she may be a bit on the one-turn side,” said Wilkes, “but she is very talented. We’ve still got time before we need to decide whether we’ll be looking at the Oaks with her.”

Edgeway, ridden by Tyler Baze, was the 8-5 favorite for trainer John Sadler. She ran creditably in defeat, finishing 5 3/4 lengths before third-finisher Bayerness. Lady Glamour was fourth, followed by Ain’t No Elmers, Clivetty, Magic Dance, and Naughty Thoughts.

The $2 exacta (2-8) paid $16.40, the $1 trifecta (2-8-3) returned $42.20, and the 10-cent superfecta (2-8-3-6) was worth $21.51.

Volatile wins Aristides easily

An hour or so earlier, Volatile announced himself as a potential superstar when coming within .02 of a second of the track record for six furlongs in winning the $100,000 Aristides in 1:07.57.

Always within striking distance on a comfortable outside trip under Ricardo Santana Jr., Volatile blew away the competition in the final quarter-mile when making his stakes debut. He paid $3 as a heavy favorite in a field of six older horses.

“Obviously he is a tremendous talent,” said Steve Asmussen, who trains the 4-year-old Violence colt for Phoenix Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys Farm. “He’s special to us because of his family.”

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The colt’s second dam, Lady Tak, won major events such as the Grade 1 Test at Saratoga and became the first millionaire Asmussen trained.

“He has her freak-like ability,” Asmussen said. “We’re hoping that he shows the same affinity for Saratoga’s course like she did. We are definitely expecting to step him up into graded stakes company from here.”

Volatile, a gray Kentucky-bred, now has won 4 of 5 career starts. His lone prior race in 2020 resulted in a 101 Beyer Speed Figure in an April allowance romp at Oaklawn Park.

Honest Mischief finished second, eight lengths behind the winner and another three-quarters of a length before Manny Wah. Rounding out the order were Seven Nation Army, Heartwood, and Bobby’s Wicked One.

The $2 exacta (6-2) paid $8.60, the $1 trifecta (6-2-1) returned $9.80, and the 10-cent superfecta (6-2-1-5) was worth a mere $2.50.

Indian Chant set the Churchill mark for the distance (1:07.55) on July 8, 2007.