Obligatory storms home from last to win Derby City Distaff
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Obligatory further entrenched herself as a leader among filly-mare sprinters in North America with a sensational victory Saturday in the Grade 1, $750,000 Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs.
Last of seven as she and jockey Jose Ortiz passed the quarter pole, the gray Juddmonte Farms homebred absolutely flew down the lane, winning the seven-furlong race by three-quarters of a length.
Four Graces, always near the front after breaking quickest of all from her outside post in the seven-furlong race, was second at 16-1, another 2 1/2 lengths before Just One Time, the 3-2 favorite, who made all the running from her inside post.
Obligatory, a 4-year-old Curlin filly, now has won 5 of 11 starts, including all three tries at Churchill. Although five of the Derby City starters had faced each other four weeks ago in the Grade 1 Madison, won with a late flourish by Just One Time, trainer Bill Mott chose to bypass that Keeneland race with Obligatory to wait instead for this. It was the right call.
“We knew how much she likes this track,” Mott said. “We wanted her fresh. She sure did fire her best shot. We’ve very happy.”
Just One Time went in splits of 22.36 seconds and 44.95 as Four Graces, Center Aisle, and Edgeway gave close pursuit. Down the stretch, as Edgeway faded, Obligatory exploded on the grandstand side, finishing in 1:22.17 over a fast track. She paid $9.60 as co-second choice and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 96.
Obligatory won the Grade 2 Eight Belles on the Derby undercard last year and the Grade 3 Chilukki in November, both with late blitzes. The filly won her only prior start this year, the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie at Gulfstream Park, with her patented kick. Mott said he will work backward with the filly in pointing toward the Ballerina on Aug. 27 at Saratoga and the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on Nov. 5 at Keeneland.
After the top three, the order was Bell’s the One, Kimari, Edgeway, and Center Aisle.
Ce Ce, the divisional champion after winning the BC Filly and Mare Sprint last fall at Del Mar, remains active, but after what occurred here Saturday, there’s no doubt Obligatory is one of the major players in this niche.
The $2 exacta (5-8) paid $150.60, the $1 trifecta (5-8-2) returned $180, and the $1-minimum superfecta (5-8-2-6) was worth $778.50.
The Derby City Distaff, a longtime Derby Day staple, had been known as the Humana Distaff from 1995-2019 prior to a sponsorship change.