Proctor's Ledge prepped for repeat bid in Churchill Distaff Turf Mile

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Proctor’s Ledge ran one of the best races of her consistent career on Kentucky Derby Day last year at Churchill Downs, prevailing in a stretch battle to win the Grade 2, $400,000 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile. Her connections are hoping for a similar effort as she makes her second start of the season in Saturday’s renewal of the race.

“She seems like she’s coming right at the right time,” trainer Brendan Walsh said of Proctor’s Ledge, a Patricia Moseley homebred who is a three-time graded stakes winner. “We’re pretty hopeful that she’ll run her race.”

Proctor’s Ledge returned from a five-month winter break on March 30 in the Sand Springs Stakes at Gulfstream Park. She was a bit keen, running a half-length behind pacesetter Valedictorian at the quarter pole. She inched up through the stretch and was bested a head by the stubborn leader. John Velazquez, in the irons for that race, will be aboard again Saturday.

“Hats off to Johnny,” Walsh said. “He said he didn’t want to give her the hardest of races in her comeback, so he wasn’t super tough on her, because I told him what we had in mind. I think he rode a good race to prepare her for Saturday. If she’s as good as she was last year, she should have a hell of a chance.”

Proctor’s Ledge will get another crack at Valedictorian, who enjoyed an outstanding winter at Gulfstream Park for trainer Kelly Breen. She also won the Grade 3 Suwannee River Stakes and placed in two graded stakes.

Chad Brown saddles the duo of Precieuse and Environs. Precieuse was a Group 1 winner in France two years ago on soft turf; there is rain in the Louisville forecast for Saturday. Precieuse returned from a layoff of more than a year to finish second in her U.S. debut in the De La Rose Stakes last August at Saratoga, beaten a head by stablemate Uni. Off another extended break, she edged Valedictorian by a head in the Grade 3 Honey Fox Stakes at Gulfstream in March. Javier Castellano, aboard for both those starts, keeps the mount.

After the Honey Fox, Bown lauded owner Peter Brant for his patience with Precieuse.

“Obviously, she hasn’t run much in the couple of years with a few injuries,” Brown said. “It was important to get the year started off, and she deserved to run the whole year and not be bred.”

Environs is a more recent import, having won her U.S. debut in a Keeneland allowance this spring.

Graded stakes winner Daddy Is a Legend emerged unscathed from a bizarre incident at Keeneland last fall where she ducked through the inner rail in the stretch. She subsequently was beaten a half-length by Uni in the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes at Del Mar last December, getting a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 100. This is her first start since then. Capla Temptress is making her first start since winning the Grade 3 My Charmer in December at Gulfstream.

Beau Recall won Grade 2 last spring, and moved to trainer Brad Cox’s barn later in the year. Since then, she has won two stakes and placed in another at Fair Grounds, and she comes back to the graded stakes level here. Got Stormy ran a career-best race when third in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley Stakes last month at Keeneland, making a bold bid to come within a length of winner Rushing Fall before flattening out late.