Vinery Spiral: Animal Kingdom pulls away
Animal Kingdom launched a sweeping move on the final turn, then overtook Decisive Moment in the stretch en route to an about 2 1/2-length victory in the Grade 3, $500,000 Vinery Spiral on Saturday at Turfway Park.
Decisive Moment held second, while Twinspired was third in the mile and an eighth race that went in 1:52.32.
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Animal Kingdom ($8) trailed early as Positive Response led the field through fractions of 23.57 seconds for the opening quarter and 45.51 for the half-mile. Decisive Moment soon joined the pacesetter through six furlongs in 1:12.57, as Animal Kingdom advanced up the rail, angled to the outside of the leaders on the final turn, engaged Decisive Moment in the stretch and went on to prove best under Alan Garcia.
Team Valor International owns Animal Kingdom, a son of Leroidsanimaux who is trained by Graham Motion.
King Congie was scratched from the Spiral after straining a hind leg when galloping Friday. The Spiral, which has been known as the Jim Beam and Lane’s End Stakes, was first run in 1972. This is the race’s first year to be sponsored by Vinery.