Kitten's Point continues Motion's dominance of Bewitch

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kitten’s Point gave trainer Graham Motion his third straight victory in the Grade 3 Bewitch Stakes when the 5-year-old mare ran down Cay Dancer to win the 54th running of the three-turn turf race on Friday, closing day of the Keeneland spring meet.

With Edgar Prado aboard, Kitten’s Point always had good position when racing toward the middle of a field of 14 fillies and mares. Leaving the half-mile pole, she edged closer to the lead, and after Cay Dancer got first run on her up the rail, Kitten’s Point was along in time under a steady left-handed whip to prevail by a half-length. Longshots rounded out the top four, with Maria Maria third at 40-1 and Courtesan fourth at 40-1.

“She put me in the race right away,” said Prado. “After that, she did it all on her own when I asked her.”

Bred and owned by the Augustin Stable of George Strawbridge Jr., Kitten’s Point paid $13.60 after finishing the 1 1/2-mile distance in 2:30.28 over a firm course. It was the fifth victory in 15 career starts for the daughter of Kitten’s Joy and her second in a graded event. She earned $90,000 from the $150,000 total purse.

Motion won the 2013 Bewitch with Strathnaver and the 2014 renewal with Inimitable Romanee. It was his fourth win overall in the race, having also won the 1999 running with Bursting Forth.

The $2 exacta (9-4) paid $168.80, the $1 trifecta (9-4-8) returned $2,489.80, and the 10-cent superfecta (9-4-8-12) was worth $2,859.90.

Two also-eligibles were early scratches, leaving a full gate.

Attendance on the last of 15 spring programs was 20,051.