Liora ($56.80) gives Catalano another Golden Rod triumph

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Whether he is running a favorite, a midpriced runner, or even a longshot, trainer Wayne Catalano is tough to beat in the Golden Rod. That trend was displayed Saturday in the Grade 2, $200,000 race for 2-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs, where he won with 27-1 upsetter Liora, providing him with his third winner in the race from its past 5 runnings.

“That’s what they call a hat trick,” a jubilant Catalano said, before Liora was led into the winner’s circle.

Unlike his prior Golden Rod winners – West Coast Belle in 2014 and Farrell in 2016 – this one came down to a photo, with Liora prevailing by a nose over 7-10 favorite Restless Rider. And right until the final few strides, it looked she might come up just short after Restless Rider had surged ahead from a stalking position to take command inside the sixteenth pole.

However, Liora ($56.80), who set comfortable splits of 24.81 seconds, 49.68, and 1:14.70 in the 1 1/16-mile race over a muddy track, refused to be denied. She dug in, notching the first stakes victory of her four-race career and coming after winning a maiden race at Churchill Oct. 28 by nine lengths.

High Regard finished third.

“I couldn’t believe nobody really went,” with his frontrunning filly, said winning jockey Channing Hill, Catalano’s son in law.

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up Restless Rider, a bit unsettled in the post parade, had no apparent excuse during the race itself.
Hill said he was encouraged by what happened after Liora crossed the finish, in which she completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:46.25. “You could see the way she galloped out – she galloped out great,” he said. “So hopefully the distance isn’t a limitation.”

No doubt, the longer race on Hill’s mind is next spring’s 1 1/8-mile Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs, for which the Golden Rod served as a points-qualifying race on a 10-4-2-1 scale for the top four finishers.

The last Golden Rod winner to take the Kentucky Oaks was Hall of Famer Rachel Alexandra, who won the two races in 2008-2009. Golden Rod 2017 runner-up Monomoy Girl was the Kentucky Oaks winner this year.

West Coast Belle never made it to the Oaks for Catalano the year after her Golden Rod victory, though Farrell did in 2017, finishing last of 14. Farrell’s owners, Coffeepot Stables, also own Liora, a daughter of Candy Ride.

Catalano said he plans to prepare Liora for the Kentucky Oaks in much the same way he campaigned Farrell, focusing on the major races for 3-year-old fillies at Fair Grounds next year in New Orleans.