Visitant continues love affair with Turfway Park, takes Forego Stakes
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
One more week off was no problem for Visitant, who continued to display his affinity for Turfway Park with a victory in the $100,000 Forego Stakes on Saturday night at the Florence, Ky., track.
The Forego was originally scheduled for last Saturday, Feb. 5, but that was one of three cards lost due to an ice storm in Kentucky. The rescheduled Forego joined the $100,000 Valdale Stakes for 3-year-old fillies, won by Marissa's Lady, on the Feb. 12 card.
Williamson Racing's homebred Visitant ($2.40) was sent away favored in the Forego with Gerardo Corrales in the irons for Bill Morey. Away in good order, the son of Ghostzapper intently tracked pacesetter Divine Leader, edged his way to the lead nearing the quarter pole, and drew clear through the stretch. He hit the wire 1 3/4 lengths in front. Fractional and final times were not available.
Pole Setter finisher second, a neck ahead of Three Technique. Stakes winner Sir Alfred James, sent away as the second choice, briefly pressed the pace three wide before stopping and fading to last in the field of nine.
:: For the first time ever, our premium past performances are free! Get free Formulator now!
Visitant won three of four outings during the 2020-21 Turfway season, including the Kentucky Cup Classic, one of the track’s biggest races, last March. He then finished second in the Grade 2 Alysheba Stakes at Churchill and eighth in the Grade 2 Stephen Foster there in June. Both races were won by Eclipse Award finalist Maxfield.
Visitant then went to the sidelines until Dec. 18, when he romped by six lengths in an allowance, establishing a track record of 1:15.07 for 6 1/2 furlongs in the process.
Earlier, Marissa's Lady remained unbeaten in four career starts as she rolled by six lengths in the Valdale, as Morey trainees swept the stakes doubleheader.
Marissa's Lady ($2.80), with Rafael Bejarano in the irons, briefly vied with Beautiful Empire, but had assumed command by a length after a half-mile in 46.09 seconds. She continued to extended her advantage from there, and finished the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:17.88.
Bubble Rock, winner of the Grade 3 Matron Stakes last fall and making her first start since finishing a troubled 12th in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, was a clear second, 4 1/4 lengths clear of Beautiful Empire.
Marissa's Lady, a Violence filly owned the Boone Family Trust and Tillema Family Trust, won her debut and the Fern Creek Stakes, both on dirt at Churchill Downs. She successfully transferred her form to Turfway’s Tapeta to win the Gowell Stakes by 2 3/4 lengths on Dec. 26, and now owns two stakes wins at the track.