G. Watts Humphrey Jr.’s homebred Romantic Vision took the inland route in Saturday’s $100,000 Locust Grove Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs to score a 1 1/4-length victory under jockey Brian Hernandez Jr.
The duo bided their time in fourth down on the rail as Brooklynsway set the pace through splits of :24.22 and :48.93. Blue Prize, the 3-2 favorite, was latched onto the leader’s flank on the outside and just behind Mo d’Amour kept pace with Romantic Vision.
Blue Prize hit ranged up to take command entering the second turn and 2-1 second choice Tiger Moth also began her move on the outside. Romantic Vision was just waiting for the rail to open up and eased right on through entering the stretch.
The Rusty Arnold trainee gained a slim advantage and was forced to dig in as Blue Prize and Tiger Moth battled back on her outside. Romantic Vision inched away in the shadow of the wire to complete 1 1/16 miles over the fast main track in 1:43.91.
Sent off the 10-1 second longest shot on the board, Romantic Vision paid $23.60 for the win. Blue Prize proved best of the rest in second, three parts of a length in front of Tiger Moth, who in turn had a neck to spare over Mo d’Amour on the wire. Fuhriously Kissed, Sweetgrass and Brooklynsway completed the order of finish.
Romantic Vision earned her first stakes win in this spot, adding it to a runner-up effort in the La Troienne Stakes (G1) on May 5 and third-place finish while making her stakes bow in last year’s Lady Jacqueline Stakes at Thistledown. The Lemon Drop Kid mare followed the Lady Jacqueline with a well-beaten fifth in the 2016 Locust Grove and closed out her four-year-old campaign with a close fifth, beaten only 2 1/4 lengths, in the Falls City Handicap (G2) last November.
The Kentucky-bred bay improved her career record to 18-5-4-2, $310,086, with the 2017 Locust Grove win. She is the first registered foal out of the Grade 3-placed stakes-winning Giant’s Causeway mare Perfect for You and counts as her fifth dam Grade 1 heroine Likely Exchange.
That latter mare’s descendants include multiple Grade 1-winning multi-millionaire and Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Creme Fraiche as well as Japanese champion To the Victory, just to name two.
While Hernandez celebrated the win in the Locust Grove, one race later he celebrated making it back to the jockeys’ room with no serious injuries after being thrown from Ivy Bell in the $100,000 Open Mind Stakes.
Mayla led the field all the way home under jockey Gabriel Saez to score by a length in a final time of 1:10.50 for six furlongs, but was disqualified and placed last after coming in and tripping Ivy Bell to her inside.
Ivy Bell, racing along the rail, sent Hernandez tumbling to the track after Mayla drifted in at the eighth pole. Jockey C.J. McMahon on Profound Moment yanked his mount to the side to avoid the fallen reinsman.
After deliberation, the stewards disqualified Mayla and placed her last, leaving Grace’s Treasure recipient of the winner’s trophy for the Open Mind. The Bantry Farms colorbearer was sent off the 9-2 third choice under jockey Jesus Castanon and paid $11.20 for earning her first stakes score.
Grace’s Treasure gave trainer Michael Ewin, who also owns the Rockport Harbor filly, his first stakes win as well. Now 9-4-0-0, the four-year-old lass doubled her lifetime bankroll to $127,704.
LOCUST GROVE QUOTES
Rusty Arnold, trainer Romantic Vision, winner
“She essentially fell on her head out of the gate in her last start (Summer Colony Stakes) at Saratoga. Brian (Hernandez Jr.) gets along with her so well and it really showed today and even when he rode her in the past. He gave her a great trip up the rail and we really couldn’t have asked for anything more.”
Brian Hernandez Jr., jockey Romantic Vision, winner
“We just got a dream trip behind the speed. When the rail opened up she just responded perfectly and ran on well. When I rode her in the La Troienne (G1) she really responded well that day over this racetrack, too.”
Ignacio Correas IV, trainer Blue Prize, second
“I think she found herself on the lead sooner than I thought she would. She needed a target and she didn’t have any, but other than that she ran good. She ran her eyeballs out. We’re happy and we’ll send her to the Spinster ([G1] at Keeneland on October 8). She keeps getting better.”
James Graham, jockey Blue Prize, second
“I probably waited with her a little too long today, but in hindsight he told me to be patient and I was. The other filly got up the fence in a spot in which no horses have come all day. I was trying to keep in the position she was in and running forward – and she was running. When that filly (Romantic Vision) ran by her she went after her, but she couldn’t get there.”
Brad Cox, trainer Tiger Moth, third
“She ran well. There was just not much pace to run at. We kind of knew that going in. I thought (jockey) Corey (Lanerie) put her in a good position, but it just wasn’t her day. It just didn’t set up in front of her like she probably needs it to. But actually it was the best race she’s run at Churchill so far. I thought for a while that she didn’t like Churchill, but it wasn’t that. There just wasn’t enough pace.”
OPEN MIND QUOTES
Jesus Castanon, jockey Grace’s Treasure, winner
“It’s a shame of what the circumstances were but my horse battled very hard today. I guess a win is a win, right? I’m just glad Brian (Hernandez Jr.) is OK.”
Michael Ann Ewing, trainer Grace’s Treasure, winner
“I’m just so thrilled. This is my first stakes win as a trainer and I also own her. I’m just so thrilled. We got disqualified from third in the Dogwood last year at Churchill which was my fault entirely but I’m just glad she paid us back today. We’ll point towards the (October 7) Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (G2) at Keeneland. I actually think she could go one mile eventually but we’ll take it one race at a time.”
