Leofric edges Prime Attraction in Fayette Stakes
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Leofric dug down in the final furlong to get the best of Prime Attraction and won the closing-day feature of the 17-day Keeneland fall meet, the Grade 2, $200,000 Fayette Stakes, on Saturday.
Ridden by Florent Geroux for owner Steve Landers and trainer Brad Cox, Leofric returned $5.40 as second choice in a field of seven 3-year-olds and upward. Hofburg, the 17-10 favorite, had no excuse when stalking the pace before fading to sixth.
Amid a fading autumn light, and before a chilled ontrack crowd of 14,927, Prime Attraction and jockey Kent Desormeaux set fractions of 24.80, 48.97, and 1:12.74 over muddy going while closely flanked by Leofric. After turning for home, those two separated themselves from the others, with Leofric ultimately prevailing by a head in 1:49.87 and getting a Beyer Speed Figure of 97.
“My horse broke very sharp and put me in a good spot right away,” Geroux said. “He showed a lot of fight to get the victory.”
Leofric, a gray 5-year-old Kentucky-bred horse by Candy Ride, now has won seven of 10 since coming under Cox’s care in the winter of 2016-17. The Fayette marks his second graded stakes win, following the Grade 3 West Virginia Governor’s Cup in August, and came in his first start since he outran his 19-1 odds when third in the Grade 1 Woodward on Sept. 1.
“He’s a phenomenal, hard-trying horse,” Cox said. “He gives you everything he’s got every single time. We gave him a little break after the Woodward and he was ready to give his all again.”
Nice Not Nice finished another four lengths back in third and another head before Hence. Then came Rated R Superstar, Hofburg, and Scuba.
The $2 exacta (5-1) paid $23.80, the $1 trifecta (5-1-2) returned $85.30, and the 10-cent superfecta (5-1-2-3) was worth $30.10.
Saturday was the 17th and final day of a fall meet that began Oct. 5. Racing on the Kentucky circuit shifts Sunday to Churchill Downs in Louisville, where the 35th Breeders’ Cup (Nov. 2-3) will highlight a 21-day fall meet.
