Youalmosthadme meets fellow class-dropper Halina's Forte

Don’t show up late to Churchill Downs on Wednesday, as it kicks off the first full week of its fall meet. The third race, one of two allowance races on the card, boasts a stakes-quality lineup that makes it a solid early feature on the program.

Multiple stakes winners Youalmosthadme and Halina’s Forte, both also graded stakes-placed, drop in class as they meet the conditions of the $141,000 allowance going 5 1/2 furlongs, for 3-year-old fillies who have never won a graded stakes race. A strong field of six also includes Legadema, who is a listed stakes winner; restricted stakes winner Hush It Honey; and stakes-placed Blue Squall.

Youalmosthadme will have regular rider Tyler Gaffalione in the irons for trainer Brad Cox – both of whom are rolling into this Churchill fall meet off October meet titles at Keeneland. Youalmosthadme has occasionally had trouble breaking a step slow, but has overcome herself anyway, never missing the board in her 11 career starts. When she breaks running, she is nearly untouchable, as her forwardly placed stakes wins in last year’s Kentucky Juvenile, Myrtlewood, and Fern Creek, and this year’s Lady Erie, two starts back, have shown.

The filly is coming off a gritty runner-up effort in the Weaver Vane at Laurel Park, in which she was on the inside of Irish Maxima – who is unbeaten this season – for a race-long duel, and missed by just three-quarters of a length at the wire.

Youalmosthadme is better drawn here, sitting outside of the other speed. But Halina’s Forte, with Jaime Torres taking the mount for Phil Bauer, is perhaps even more well drawn, widest of six. The filly has shown the ability to run well both near or off the pace, and can watch things develop in the clear from that spot.

Halina’s Forte rallied from fifth to be second by three-quarters of a length to Youalmosthadme in their only meeting, the 2023 Fern Creek. She owns wins in this year’s Ruthless, as well as the off-the-turf Galway at Saratoga with a game inside move. Although she was third in the Grade 3 Victory Ride behind the classy Emery earlier this year, she has been off the board in her three other graded stakes tries, including a sixth in the Grade 3 Dogwood here last out.

Legadema, also trained by Bauer, won the Goldfinch at Prairie Meadows at six furlongs. She is cutting back off two solid seven-furlong outings, finishing third in the Leslie’s Lady to Emery and third in the Dogwood to My Mane Squeeze.

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