La Coronel bound for Breeders' Cup after Jessamine win
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Book another one on that westbound plane.
Ridden by Florent Geroux, La Coronel became the latest Breeders’ Cup starter for the Mark Casse stable after a thoroughly dominant performance Wednesday as the 19-10 favorite in the 26th running of the Grade 3, $150,000 Jessamine Stakes on another picture-perfect afternoon at Keeneland.
“After she broke her maiden at Saratoga, Florent came back and said, ‘I think we have another Catch a Glimpse,’” said Casse, referring to the filly he sent out to win the 2015 BC Juvenile Fillies Turf.
Given a confident, ground-saving ride, La Coronel tracked the early pace before angling out for the stretch run of the 1 1/16-mile turf race. She then wasted little time in putting away Lull for a 4 1/4-length triumph in the Jessamine, the eighth and final Win and You’re In event at the front-loaded Keeneland fall meet.
La Coronel was coming off a good-looking maiden victory on closing day of the Saratoga meet and now will be pointed to the Nov. 4 BC Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita.
A dark bay Kentucky-bred by Colonel John, La Coronel returned $5.80 after finishing in 1:43.37 over firm turf. Lull was second, Rum Go was third, and Sweeping Paddy was fourth in a field of 12 2-year-old fillies.
“It was a good trip,” said Geroux. “When I asked her down the lane, she had a very nice turn of foot. From there it was just a matter of how far she’d win by.”
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La Coronel was purchased by John Oxley for $375,000 in April at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company auction. Remarkably, she became the fifth graded-stakes-winning 2-year-old in less than a week for Casse, whose top Breeders’ Cup chance is the standout mare Tepin in the BC Mile.
The $2 exacta (2-4) paid $37.40, the $1 trifecta (2-4-10) returned $632.80, and the 10-cent superfecta (2-4-10-5) was worth $416.70.
Ontrack attendance Wednesday was 11,130.
Racing resumes Thursday at 1:05 p.m. Eastern with two allowances serving as features of a nine-race card.