Serengeti Empress runs away with Pocahontas Stakes
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Serengeti Empress had won her last start, the Ellis Debutante, by 13 1/2 lengths. That’s nice and everything – but what was the filly going to do when matched up against better company Saturday in the 50th Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill Downs?
Win by even more, that’s what.
Always in front of her 10 opponents after breaking from post 1 going 1 1/16 miles, Serengeti Empress won the Grade 2, $200,000 Pocahontas by 19 1/2 lengths, awing pretty much everyone who witnessed it amid sultry September weather. Corey Lanerie was aboard the daughter of Alternation for owner Joel Politi and trainer Tom Amoss.
Aside from running her record to three wins from four starts, Serengeti Empress earned an expenses-paid berth into the Nov. 2 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Churchill and the first 10 qualifying points toward the 2019 Kentucky Oaks.
“I think I speak for Joel and myself when saying we’re very excited,” Amoss said. “We know we have a very nice filly. We hope to keep her healthy all the way to November. It’d be great to win the Juvenile Fillies right here in our own backyard.”
Serengeti Empress, a $70,000 purchase last September at the Keeneland Yearling Sales, returned $3.80 as a heavy favorite after finishing in 1:45.47 over a fast track. Splashy Kisses, the 7-2 second choice, was another 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Lightcameraaction.
For Lanerie, the perennial leading rider in recent years at Churchill, the victory was his third in the Pocahontas in the last four runnings, following Dothraki Queen (2015) and Daddys Lil Darling (2016).
“This could be the horse to take me to the next level,” he said.
“I was just a passenger today. I really didn’t ask her much at all down the lane, so I was pretty surprised to come back and see the fractions we’d set,” referring to opening splits of 23.17, 46.94, and 1:12.20.
The $2 exacta (1-5) paid $15.60, the $1 trifecta (1-5-6) returned $64.80, and the 10-cent superfecta (1-5-6-3) was worth $110.20.
The win margin, as large as it was, is not a stakes record at Churchill, with the biggest of recent times being the 20 1/4-length triumph by Rachel Alexandra in the 2009 Kentucky Oaks.
