Slay the Day runs down Cy Fair, holds off Sapphire Beach to take Limestone

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Slay the Day did just that Friday at Keeneland, outgaming Eclipse Award finalist Cy Fair and then holding sway by a neck over Sapphire Beach to win the Grade 3, $350,000 Limestone Stakes for 3-year-old fillies sprinting on the turf.

Slay the Day ($16.14), trained by Brian Lynch for Flying Dutchmen, ran well enough in her first three starts on dirt, including a maiden win last November at Churchill Downs. But her turf debut earned her a step up to stakes company, as she was a sharp four-length winner of an allowance/optional-claiming race at Gulfstream on March 6.

"Obviously, she gave us a big heads-up this is a surface that she really likes," Lynch said. "You always worry about Keeneland surface [versus] Gulfstream surface ... But she touted herself since the last race, just how good she was doing."

The filly indeed touted herself enough to be sent off the third choice behind multiple stakes winners Cy Fair and Lennilu in a deep field that includes several other stakes winners. Slay the Day always traveled well under John Velazquez, breaking from post 8 in the starting field of nine and establishing a position pressing Cy Fair down the backstretch. Cy Fair, making her first start since winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, rattled off a sharp opening quarter of 21.78 seconds, as posted on the board; the internal fractions were not yet published on the official race charts, pending a review. Cy Fair came to the quarter pole with about a half-length lead on Slay the Day, but Lynch was still feeling good.

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"You could always see Johnny had horse," he said. "If you've watched Johnny ride enough over the years, you know his posture. That gave me a hell of a feeling at the quarter pole, and he hadn't asked her really yet."

Once set down for the drive, Slay the Day steadily ate away at Cy Fair's margin and put a head in front. The favorite dug in, and only ceded in the final yards, with a flick of her tail. Sapphire Beach, who had been stalking in third after breaking from the inside, tipped out and came with a good finish, but at the line, it was Slay the Day, between horses, by a neck, with Sapphire Beach claiming second by half a length over Cy Fair.

"My filly was running down the lane. We just got beat today," said Irad Ortiz Jr, who was aboard Cy Fair.

The time for the 5 1/2 furlongs on very firm turf during a dry spring week in Lexington was 1:01.99.

After the top three, it was 2 1/4 lengths back to Light Won Up, followed by second choice Lennilu, Should've, Map of the Moon, Quiet Street, and Snow Face Princess.

The Limestone was won last year by Shisospicy in a campaign that made her an 2025 Eclipse Award finalist in three categories, taking home the trophy for outstanding female sprinter. The race was subsequently upgraded from listed to Grade 3 status, and given a purse hike from $300,000 to $350,000. Off grabbing this rich prize, Slay the Day will try to live up to her forerunner's accolades.

"I think she's got a big future," Lynch said.

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