Kettleoneup rallies to win Autumn Leaves

Kettleoneup overcame an outside post position and a dawdling pace to capture Tuesday night's $75,000 Autumn Leaves Stakes for fillies and mares at Mountaineer Race Track.

A 4-year-old daughter of Victory Gallop based at Churchill Downs with trainer Michael Tomlinson, Kettleoneup ($4.40) erased a three-length deficit in the final furlong of the 1 1/16-mile race to defeat 8-5 second choice Plaid by a half-length.

It was the first win for Kettleoneup since she took the Grade 3 Sixty Sails Handicap at Hawthorne in April and improved her record to 3 for 3 when she has shipped to Mountaineer. In her four most recent starts, Kettleoneup had kept classy company, finishing third three times against Grade 2 and Grade 3 competition, including the Kentucky Cup Distaff at Turfway Park on Sept. 29.

After breaking last of 11 from post 10, Kettleoneup was ridden patiently by Phil Teator, sitting ninth after a half-mile in 48.84 seconds and seventh, some seven lengths back, following six furlongs in 1:15.16. She began to rally entering the far turn, continued her momentum despite brushing with Serna's Gold at the eighth pole, and overtook Plaid inside the sixteenth pole while completing the distance in 1:49.59.

Plaid, based in Kentucky with trainer Steve Asmussen, easily held second, 5 3/4 lengths in front of Superb Ravi.