Jade's Revenge wins by nose

As Kent Desormeaux galloped Jade's Revenge back past the finish line Thursday following the Ben Ali Stakes, he gave a subdued but triumphant shake of his left fist. Desormeaux had just looked up at the Keeneland infield tote board to see that his number was on top following the 77th running of the Ben Ali.

There had been much more action when Desormeaux had last passed under the line. Jade's Revenge, a 26-1 shot placed on or near the lead throughout the 1 1/8-mile Polytrack race, barely held off Minister's Joy by a nose in a blanket finish to the Grade 3, $150,000 Ben Ali. Mustanfar finished another nose back in third, and Stream Cat was just another neck back in fourth in a field of 11 older horses. Chatain, the 6-5 favorite, faded to eighth.

Jade's Revenge returned $54.20 after finishing in 1:49.93. He triggered $2 exotic payoffs worth $702 for the exacta, $6,423 for the trifecta, and $59,754.20 for the superfecta.

The victory was the second in a row for Jade's Revenge, a 4-year-old Quiet American colt, since trainer Graham Motion shipped him to Kentucky from his Maryland home base. Jade's Revenge, owned by Bushwood Stables, won the March 17 Tejano Run Stakes at Turfway in his previous start.