Thursday’s $160,950
Falls City H. (G2)
at Churchill Downs was supposed to be SERENADING’s (A.P. Indy) swan song, but the five-year-old mare may remain in
training following her convincing three-length score. After tracking the early
pace under Julien Leparoux, John and Glen Sikura’s homebred easily dismissed
challenges from Morena (Per) (Privately Held) and Unbridled Belle (Broken Vow)
to record her initial graded victory.
“It was until today,” trainer Josie Carroll said when asked if the Falls City
was Serenading’s final career start. “I’ll have to sit down with (co-owner) John
(Sikura). Prior to the race, we thought she did everything she needed to do for
him. She’s been a great mare. But he said if she proved herself capable of
winning Grade 2s or better then perhaps we’d keep her going. So I’ll sit down
with him and make sure everything is good after the race and see what happens
next.”
Winner of the 2008 Belle Mahone S. at Woodbine, the Kentucky-bred filly has
discovered her best form this season. Serenading finished a respectable second
in the Doubledogdare (G3) earlier this year, and she entered the Falls City off
a decisive 2 1/4-length win in the Maple Leaf S. She’s now earned $538,754 from
an 18-6-7-2 career line.
“My mare broke very well so I took the shot to go to the lead and get the
jump on her (Unbridled Belle) (on the far turn),” Leparoux explained. “I was
planning on being behind her at the top of the stretch and trying to run her
down. She must not have broken very well. When I was at the top of the stretch,
she (Serenading) really had a great turn of foot. She turned away the others and
made it very easy for me. She really seemed to take to the dirt very well.”
The Falls City was Serenading’s first dirt start since her career debut, a
runner-up effort in a maiden special weight event at Fair Grounds in 2007.
Following early splits in :24 2/5, :48 3/5, 1:13 and 1:37 4/5, she completed 1
1/8 miles in 1:50 3/5 over the fast Churchill track.
Grade 1 winner Unbridled Belle, an earner of more than $1.9 million, wrapped
up her distinguished career with a third-placed effort following a troubled
start.
“She broke a little on the awkward side, and after that I just had to kind of
settle and stalk from the outside,” jockey Ramon Dominguez said of the
six-year-old mare. “I was hoping to be on the lead or controlling the pace, but
when she broke like that I had to go to ‘Plan B.’ She didn’t have her usual
punch down the lane today.”
Grade 1 queen Swift Temper (Giant’s Causeway) was withdrawn due to a splint
injury, leaving no show wagering in the five-horse field.
Serenading, near 5-1 third choice, paid $11.60 and $6.80 and keyed the
$108.80 exacta with Morena, who offered a solid showing as the 14-1 longest shot
and returned $12. The trifecta totaled $279.40, and the 6-2-5-1 superfecta, with
pacesetter Best Lass (Werblin) in fourth, was worth $648.80. Copper State (Jump
Start) trailed throughout.
Out of the multiple stakes-winning and Grade 1-placed Daijin (Deputy
Minister), Serenading is a full sister to multiple stakes heroine and 2003
Selene S. (Can-G1) runner-up Handpainted and a half to stakes winner Patena
(Seeking the Gold), runner-up in this year’s Lecomte S. (G3). This is the female
family of 1997 Belmont (G1) winner and sire Touch Gold (Deputy Minister); 1989
Canadian Horse of the Year and sire With Approval (Caro [Ire]), who finished
second in the 1990 runnings of the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1), Arlington Million
(G1) and Sword Dancer H. (G1); and 1990 Canadian Horse of the Year and Canadian
Triple Crown winner Izvestia (Icecapade).