Key of Life outruns Interpolate in Beaumont Stakes
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LEXINGTON, Ky. - Key of Life has found the key to success at Keeneland, remaining unbeaten at this track by holding off Interpolate by a neck in Sunday's Grade 2, $400,000 Beaumont Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.
The seven-furlong Beaumont was the final points race toward the May 5 Kentucky Oaks. However, the race awarded points on only a minor scale, 10-4-3-2-1 to the top finishers. With only a few fillies in this race possessing points coming in, and a high cutoff mark looming for the filly classic, the Beaumont was a non-factor in that regard.
Instead, the race showcased a rising sprint star in her first graded stakes victory. After breaking her maiden in her second career start last year for Brad Cox, Key of Life ($2.94) won an allowance-optional claiming event on Oct. 7 at Keeneland, setting her up for a 6 3/4-length romp in the Myrtlewood Stakes locally three weeks later. She was third in the Fern Creek Stakes at Churchill Downs in her 2-year-old finale.
Key of Life was third in the Dixie Belle Stakes in February at Oaklawn in her first start in more than two months. She proceeded to get back in the winner's circle with a front-running score in the Purple Martin Stakes at the Arkansas track last time out. The filly was continuing to train at Oaklawn when Cox called co-owners Staton Flurry and Greg Hoffman and said he would like to enter Key of Life for her graded stakes debut in the Beaumont, in which she would have to go seven furlongs for the first time
"This was a last-minute decision, so I want to commend those guys," Cox said. "I called them Tuesday and told them I was looking at this race. She was at Oaklawn, so it was a last-minute decision to bring her here and it worked out well. She had no graded black type, so that obviously was appealing. This added a lot to her value, and we’re very proud of what she was able to accomplish today.”
Key of Life was away from the gate in customarily sharp fashion. From the outside post in the field of seven under Flavien Prat, she was able to clear the field and get over to the rail through her first quarter in 22.24 seconds.
"She jumped really well and she had a ton of speed," Prat said. "And from there she got the job done."
She did have to work to get the job done. Stakes winner Stonewall Star, who had been tracking the pace, attempted to make first run at the favorite around the turn, but Key of Life easily shook her off through a half in 44.87 seconds, and took better than a two-length lead into the stretch.
Second choice Interpolate, winner of the Ruthless Stakes at seven furlongs in New York last out, raced in fourth around the turn before Irad Ortiz Jr. tipped her out to mount a serious challenge down the stretch. With Prat keeping his mount to task by flashing the stick in her field of vision, Key of Life dug in to hold on by a diminishing neck.
She stopped the clock in 1:27.32 for the seven furlongs.
After the top two, it was 6 1/4 lengths back to Stonewall Star, who ran on well for a clear third. They were followed, in order, by She's On the Rocks, Opus Forty Two, Shoplifter, and Fun and Feisty.
Cox did not yet have a specific target in mind for Key of Life, who he indicated will remain at sprint distances.
"I don't know how much farther she wants to go, or if she wants to go any farther at all," Cox said. "I think she's probably better at three-quarters, six and a half. But glad to get the victory here today."
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