Sconsin showed her liking for Churchill Downs once again when going back-to-back in Monday’s Winning Colors S. (G3).
Making her debut for 2022, the 1-2 favorite stalked the early pace set by Joyful Cadence, who ran early splits of :21.72 and :44.36.
Sconsin began to mount her challenge for Tyler Gaffalione on the final turn, and though Joyful Cadence gave her a brief battle in the stretch, Sconsin pulled away in the final furlong for a comfortable three-quarters of a length victory. Her final time for six furlongs was a sharp 1:08.18.
Sconsin and Joyful Cadence (5-1) had the finish to themselves, pulling three lengths clear of third-place finisher Li’l Tootsie (7.60-1). The disappointing 3.70-1 second favorite, Novel Squall, was 11 lengths further behind in fourth, 1 3/4 lengths ahead of the only other contestant, Tipsy Gal (15-1).
Trainer Greg Foley said he had some nerves about saddling the short-priced favorite but was pleased to secure the victory for the mare’s owners, Lloyd Madison Farms.
“She’s an incredible mare,” Foley said. “She wasn’t quite ready Derby week so we gave her the time she needed to make sure she was fit enough to return a winner. We had this spot picked out for a while and she rewarded us.”
The victory took Sconsin’s earnings to $906,862 from a 16-6-4-1 record.
All but three of Sconsin’s races have been in her home state of Kentucky. She has been particularly successful at Churchill Downs, winning five of her eight starts beneath the Twin Spires. Apart from her double in the Winning Colors, she also won the 2020 Eight Belles (G2) and the 2021 Open Mind S., on the track, and she finished second in last year’s Derby City Distaff (G1) behind Gamine.
A daughter of Include, Sconsin is the first stakes winner from the Tiznow mare Sconnie. Her other progeny include the two-race winner Jimmy Joe, by Broken Vow, and Sconsin’s brother Sconnie Alumni, placed once in five starts.
Sconsin finished fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) at Keeneland in 2020 and is likely to be aimed for the same race at the same venue this year. Foley said he wasn’t sure where she would race next, “but I’m going to keep her fat and happy.”
