Kepi wins after Lincoln Heritage pulled off turf

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Brian Williamson is La Tia’s former trainer, having handled her during 2012 when she went from maiden to Grade 3 winner in three starts. On Saturday, in a strange edition of the Lincoln Heritage Handicap, Williamson beat La Tia, the 1-2 favorite, sending Kepi, a mare he has trained her entire career, out to a decisive 1 1/4-length victory.

The $83,700 Lincoln Heritage was delayed more than 45 minutes when strong storms hit Arlington. The horses stood in the paddock during the delay, and heavy rain forced the race to be moved from turf to Polytrack. And when the horses finally emerged from the tunnel under the grandstand out onto the track, there was no warm-up period, just a quick turn before being loaded into the gate.

How that affected La Tia can’t be known, but the mare was a mere shadow of the horse who easily had won the Grade 3 Arlington Matron on the Polytrack last month. Tracked by Kepi, La Tia set moderate splits of 24.68 seconds, 48.83, and 1:12.79 but had no answer when Kepiu attacked turning for home.

“She really didn’t have much response today,” said jockey E.T. Baird.

Kepi and jockey James Graham powered to a two-length lead at the stretch call and had plenty left to hold Alette, who made a late run to finish second, one length in front of La Tia. Winning time for the short-stretch 1 1/16 miles was 1:42.95, and Kepi paid $12.80 to win.

Despite the success Williamson had with La Tia, she had been turned over to his former assistant, Armando de la Cerda, when she returned to race in 2013. Williamson, though, has trained tge 6-year-old Kepi her entire career. The mare, by Strategic Mission, was bred by Harvey and Nancy Vanier, Williamson’s in-laws, and Lyda Williamson, his wife, and she has been solid from the start. Williamson said a strange infection in her ankle limited Kepi’s 2013 campaign to four starts, but she has come back as strong as ever this year.

Kepi had disappointed in her lone previous Polytrack start, but she has trained well on the surface, Williamson said, and with no other obvious spot in which to run, it was an easy call keeping the mare in the Lincoln Heritage when the race was taken off turf – an easy call and a good one.