Gaffalione sweeps Thanksgiving Day stakes aboard Mylady Curlin, Kallio

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Brad Cox has a lot to be thankful for.

The Louisville native is winding down on another breakthrough season, one that got even better Thursday when he sent out Mylady Curlin to win the traditional Thanksgiving feature at Churchill Downs, the Grade 2, $300,000 Falls City.

“It’s great to win here at home surrounded by family and friends,” said Cox, who grew up just blocks from Churchill.

Getting a textbook ride from Tyler Gaffalione, Mylady Curlin overhauled Go Google Yourself inside the eighth pole to win by 2 1/4 lengths. A second Cox starter, Moonlit Garden, was along for third in a field of nine fillies and mares.

Mylady Curlin, a 4-year-old Curlin filly bred and owned by the Sather Family LLC, returned $7 as favorite after finishing 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.11 over a fast track.

Ratajkowski led for the opening six furlongs in the 104th Falls City, but by the quarter pole Go Google Yourself and jockey Brian Hernandez had taken over with clear sailing to the wire. Mylady Curlin, fourth for much of the running, then tipped out for the drive, kicking into high gear to register her eighth win from 15 overall starts.

“My filly ran great,” said Hernandez. “Maybe the distance was a little much, but she gave me everything.”

Cox, fourth nationally in both wins and earnings in 2019, said he will consider the Jan. 26 Sam Houston Ladies Classic or “the Oaklawn series for older fillies, which is always good,” for Mylady Curlin, who now has won four stakes, all this year.

The $2 exacta (3-9) paid $37.40, the $1 trifecta (3-9-1) returned $99.20, and the 10-cent superfecta (3-9-1-8) was worth $43.40.

Kallio ($31.20) wins Cardinal

An hour later, Gaffalione was right back in the winner’s circle after guiding Kallio to a 14-1 victory over heavily favored Starship Jubilee in the 46th running of the Grade 3, $175,000 Cardinal over a turf course rated good.

Kallio and Starship Jubilee both lagged well behind Limari, who zipped away to a long lead down the backstretch of a 1 1/8-mile turf race contested by 11 fillies and mares. Into the last turn, both began gaining without urging, and it was Kallio who had all the late momentum when pulling clear by three lengths for her first graded stakes triumph in 16 overall starts. She paid $31.20 after finishing in 1:55.07.

“She was reaching nicely, grabbing the bit, taking me right around there,” said Gaffalione.

Brendan Walsh trains Kallio, a 4-year-old by the late Scat Daddy, for the partnership of Madaket Stables, Bradley Thoroughbreds, and Tim and Anna Cambron.

“She seems like she’s getting better with age,” said Walsh. “If things set up right for her, she’s a very good filly. She hasn’t been an easy filly to work with, so this is a credit to all my team and to Tyler.”

Starship Jubilee was the 1-2 favorite after winning the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor in her latest start. The 6-year-old mare was second-best this day when finishing another 1 3/4 lengths ahead of English Soul in third.

The $2 exacta (2-11) paid $69.80, the $1 trifecta (2-11-7) returned $681.60, and the 10-cent superfecta (2-11-7-1) was worth $600.93.