Miss Kentucky scores upset in Winning Colors
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Miss Kentucky dueled heavily favored Golden Mischief into defeat and a mild upset Saturday in the Grade 3, $100,000 Winning Colors at Churchill Downs.
With Brian Hernandez Jr. aboard for owner-breeder Preston Madden and trainer Rusty Arnold, Miss Kentucky paid $9.20 as second choice in a field of six fillies and mares after finishing in 1:10.35 over a fast track. Miss Kentucky was given a Beyer Speed Figure of 87.
Treble closed steadily down the stretch after Miss Kentucky put away Golden Mischief, the 1-2 favorite, but was three quarters of a length shy on the wire. Golden Domer was third and Pinch Hit was fourth as Golden Mischief faded badly to be fifth, ahead of only the rank outsider, Brave Daisey.
Miss Kentucky, a 4-year-old filly by Blame, now has won four of her last six starts and five of 12 overall. The Winning Colors was her first stakes victory.
“We got her turned around and she’s really been doing well for us,” Arnold said. “I’m just tickled for Preston Madden, for all he’s put into the game.”
The $2 exacta (5-4) paid $48, the $1 trifecta (5-4-6) returned $77.30, and the 10-cent superfecta (5-4-6-3) was worth $24.41.
Miss Kentucky and Treble also were the one-two finishers in an allowance race during opening week of the Churchill spring meet.
Creative Thinking ($11.40) wins Keertana
Nearly four hours earlier, Creative Thinking rallied to win the $70,083 Keertana Stakes for fillies and mares going 1 1/2 miles over firm turf. Ridden by Adam Beschizza, the winner paid $11.40 after finishing in 2:31.13 and got a Beyer Speed Figure of 91.
Creative Thinking was making her stakes debut for Tom Proctor, who also trained the race namesake, Keertana, a millionaire mare who retired in 2012 after winning 11 of 29 starts.
Daring Duchess, the 2-5 choice, led from the start, and after meeting a sustained challenge by La Manta Gris in the upper stretch, both were overtaken by Creative Thinking, a 4-year-old Creative Cause filly owned by former Kentucky Gov. Brereton C. Jones. Daring Duchess held for second, five lengths behind the winner and another three-quarters of a length before La Manta Gris.
