Simply Ravishing sets moderate pace, then draws off in Alcibiades

Simply Ravishing stormed to victory in the Grade 1, $350,000 Alcibiades Stakes on Friday at Keeneland, giving trainer Kenny McPeek his fifth win in the dirt-route fixture for 2-year-old fillies.

McPeek, who is in Baltimore to saddle Swiss Skydiver in the Preakness Stakes on Saturday, swept the top two placing as Crazy Beautiful outlasted Travel Column for second. There was plenty between McPeek’s top two, however, as pacesetting Simply Ravishing drew off to win by 6 1/4 lengths under Luis Saez.

The Alcibiades is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series offering automatic fees-paid entry into the BC Juvenile Fillies, and Simply Ravishing figures to be a major player next month at Keeneland. She now has won all three of her starts, Friday’s smashing tally following a debut win in a turf-route maiden at Saratoga and a blowout score in the off-turf P.G. Johnson Stakes at seven furlongs on dirt.

Simply Ravishing, a New York-bred by Laoban out of Four Wishes, by More Than Ready, has plenty of speed and used it to cross over from post 7 and make the lead into the first turn, but she came kindly back to Saez to set even, moderate splits of 24.43, 48.59, and 1:12.94. Stretch-out sprinter Travel Column broke awkwardly, leaving Simply Ravishing to an easier lead than she might otherwise have found, and the powerful bay filly made the most of it. She was a half-beat late to change leads in the homestretch but already had started drawing clear of her rivals, and this race was over long before the finish.

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Final time for the 1 1/16 miles on a fast track was 1:43.58. Simply Ravishing, the favorite, paid $6.40.

“She breaks so sharp,” said Saez. “She was right there for me, was traveling pretty good. I felt like I had a lot of horse. At the top of the stretch she just took off.”

Travel Column briefly headed Crazy Beautiful, the second choice, but Crazy Beautiful slogged on to earn the place. Behind Travel Column came Thoughtfully, Oliviaofthedesert, Xtrema, and Gramercy.

McPeek, whose most recent Alcibiades win came with Restless Rider in 2018, trains Simply Ravishing for Harold Lerner, Magdalena Racing, and Nehoc Stables.

“I don’t think we know how good she is yet,” said assistant trainer Alan Shell

After the BC Juvenile Fillies, where Simply Ravishing will meet California standout Princess Noor and the other elites in the divisions, we’ll know more.