Haunted Heroine wins off-the-turf Ellis Park Turf Stakes

A downpour Saturday morning led to the $50,000 Ellis Park Turf being a misnomer later in the day. The ultimate outcome was an odds-on favorite, Haunted Heroine, dominating a race transferred to the main track in a field reduced to just five fillies and mares.

Well rated on the lead throughout by Brian Hernandez Jr., Haunted Heroine pulled away to prevail by two lengths over Impeached, who gave closest chase throughout the one-mile race. The winner returned $3.20 after finishing in 1:35.29 over a fast track.

In all, 15 horses were on the program, but clearly the race was decimated by scratches. Haunted Heroine, based at Churchill Downs with trainer Bret Calhoun for owners Wayne Sanders and Larry Hirsch, was an obvious choice after the switch in surfaces, and the 4-year-old gray filly came through with her fifth victory from 12 career starts and her first in a stakes.

The $2 exacta (11-13) paid $16.80, and the $1 trifecta (11-13-6) returned $35.80.

The Ellis Park Turf was the first of four stakes to be run this summer at the western Kentucky track. The meet highlight comes Aug. 8 with the Grade 3 Groupie Doll Stakes, the only graded race of a 31-day stand.