Special Wan prevails in Ladies Turf; Flatten the Curve romps in Gold Cup

Special Wan made her return to Kentucky Downs another successful trip, and Flatten the Curve made his return to the U.S. a far more satisfactory journey as they won a pair of stakes for older runners on the Franklin, Ky., turf course Saturday.

Irish-bred Special Wan prevailed in the Grade 3, $2 million Ladies Turf for fillies and mares, while French-bred but German-based Flatten the Curve rolled in the marathon $1 million Bowling Green Gold Cup Invitational. Of those purses, some monies are available only to Kentucky-breds through the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund, but they earned rich rewards anyway.

"It's still a massive purse," said trainer Brendan Walsh, who saddled Special Wan to chase $1 million available. "You don’t get to run for that kind of money too often, so it’s great.”

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Although the Ladies Turf is carded at a mile, it plays more like 1 1/16 miles due to an undulating course where the field actually runs uphill in places. Special Wan ($6.44) needed every inch of that trip to prevail. The filly was fifth in the field of 10 under Joel Rosario at the quarter pole, as In Our Time, who had caught a flyer from the inside post, was still leading strongly through sharp opening splits.

Segesta, who sat a stalking trip, tipped out from cover to collar the game pacesetter in deep stretch, and appeared ready to go on with it as she struck the lead. But Special Wan was rallying widest of all. She came to Segesta and edged her by a half-length in the final strides, with the two exchanging bumps as they fought to the line.

It was 2 3/4 lengths to In Our Time, who held third. The final time for the mile over the fast turf was 1:31.74.

Special Wan won her first start stateside at Kentucky Downs last year for Walsh, taking a mile allowance. Her return victory in Franklin was her second graded stakes triumph this year, along with the Grade 3 Honey Fox at Gulfstream; she was third in the Grade 1 Just a Game at Saratoga last out against some of the top of her division, sending her away as the favorite Saturday.

“It was a good spot for her," Walsh said. "She’d been doing great coming into it. She won here last year. It’s always nice when you know they like the track.... [Owner Barry Irwin of Team Valor] remarked months ago, told us to concentrate on having her ready for it. It worked out. These plans don’t work out all the time, so it’s nice when they eventually do.”

Special Wan is likely to target the Grade 1 First Lady in October at Keeneland.

Gold Cup

Earlier on the card, distance specialist Flatten the Curve powered clear by 5 1/2 lengths to win the Gold Cup in his second trip to the U.S.

The gelding shipped in for the Belmont Gold Cup in June at Saratoga off four consecutive wins, including a pair of group stakes in Germany at distances ranging from 1 3/4 to 2 5/16 miles. However, the Belmont Gold Cup was rained off the turf late and cut back from two miles to 1 3/4 miles. Flatten the Curve remained in the race anyway, and gave a creditable effort on the unfamiliar sloppy dirt while finishing fourth. The gelding returned to Germany to win the two-mile Langer Hamburger in July, and showed Saturday the additional travel did not sap him.

Flatten the Curve, with regular rider Thore Hammer Hansen in the irons, trailed the field of six the first time through the long Kentucky Downs stretch and around the sharper of the race's turns into the backstretch. He showed a strong turn of foot at two crucial points in the race. Entering the far turn, with the field angling slightly right out of the backstretch before entering the sweeping turn, he gave a quick kick which brought him into striking distance of the pack. Biding his time, he ambled up alongside defending winner and race favorite Limited Liability, who was tracking in third. Once straightened away into the stretch and set down in earnest, Flatten the Curve exploded through the lane. He opened up better than six lengths at one point, and was hand-ridden to the line.

“Once we turned off the bend, I was pretty certain," Hansen said. "He was ultra strong. He's proved us every single time that he can get better again. I think this is probably his best performance today, and it was great."

Tawny Port, who had been fifth of six in the stretch, rallied late to be second by 1 1/2 lengths over Limited Liability, who raced evenly throughout.

The final time for the 2 1/16 miles was 3:29.58 and Flatten the Curve paid $6.20.

Trainer Henk Grewe said the globe-trotting Flatten the Curve will now target the Melbourne Cup on Nov. 4 in Australia.

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