'Weather' by a head in upset

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Changing Weather and Court Folly officially defeated 7-5 favorite He's Got Grit in Saturday's $109,800 Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs. But more than anything, it was a layoff of more than seven months and a fast pace that beat He's Got Grit.

Making his first start since winning the Cowdin Stakes Oct. 2, the front-running He's Got Grit seemed on his way to victory in midstretch, but grew fatigued late, setting the stage for Changing Weather and Court Folly to rally past him.

Changing Weather ($12) ran bravely in victory before a crowd of 16,294 at Churchill Downs. With He's Got Grit tiring on the inside, he was able to surge down the middle of the track, outgaming the late-finishing Court Folly in the closing yards to win by a head. He raced six furlongs in 1:09.86, a fast time aided by the blazing opening fractions of 21.48 and 44.86 seconds established by He's Got Grit.

Despite breaking a couple of lengths behind the rest of the field, runner-up Court Folly finished three-quarters of a length clear of third-place He's Got Grit.

Changing Weather, a 3-year-old son of Storm Boot owned by Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum's Darley Stable, recorded his first stakes victory in the Matt Winn. A ship-in from Southern California, he was ridden by Robby Albarado for trainer Eoin Harty.

Miss Norman sold

Miss Norman, second in the Fantasy Stakes earlier this year and 12th most recently in the Kentucky Oaks after setting the pace, has been sold to Lewis Lakin and Clifford Grum and turned over to trainer Bob Holthus. Terms of the sale were not disclosed.

A 3-year-old filly by Artax, Miss Norman had previously been owned by Greg Norman and trained this year by Karin Long. Although yet to win a stakes race, she did place in the Grade 1 Matron Stakes in 2005 behind runaway winner Folklore, and in April she challenged in the Fantasy despite bolting on two occasions in the stretch.

"She's a nice-bred filly, so we thought we'd take a chance," said Holthus. "If we can win a stake or two with her, we might be able to sell her for a profit."

Immediate racing plans are undecided, with Holthus saying Miss Norman was only "50-50" to run in the Dogwood Stakes at Churchill, a 1 1/16-mile race on June 3 that her previous owner had considered.