G. Watts Humphrey Jr.’s homebred Romantic Vision earned her second straight graded score on Sunday when taking Keeneland’s $500,000 Spinster Stakes (G1) by two lengths with jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. aboard.
A deluge of rain from the remnants of Hurricane Nate turned Keeneland’s dirt into a sloppy mess, and the track was sealed for Sunday’s races. Neither the rain nor the mud deterred Duchess of Duke, who set the pace through splits of :23.96, :48.26 and 1:12.56. Romantic Vision bided her time to the outside of that mare with Martini Glass just to her inside.
Romantic Vision sailed up beside Duchess of Duke nearing the final turn and easily took over as Martini Glass found herself trapped behind them and forced to take up. Martini Glass sped through an opening upon hitting the lane and engaged Romantic Vision, but the Lemon Drop Kid mare refused to yield while stopping the clock for 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.70.
Romantic Vision paid $14.80 as the 6-1 fourth pick in the nine-distaffer field. The Rusty Arnold trainee earned an all-fees paid trip to the November 3 Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) at Del Mar as the Spinster is part of the “Win & You’re In” Challenge series.
Martini Glass was game in defeat, re-rallying after being pulled up off heels on the turn. The four-year-old miss had 5 1/2 lengths to spare on Blue Prize, who was followed under the wire by Lockdown, You Know Too, 9-5 favorite Bar of Gold, Duchess of Duke, Tiger Moth and Factory of Faith.
Romantic Vision improved her scorecard to read 6-4-2 from 19 lifetime starts and doubled her career earnings to $610,086. The Kentucky-bred entered the Spinster off a 1 1/4-length victory in the Locust Grove Stakes (G3), and opened her five-year-old season with an allowance/optional claiming win at Keeneland on April 9 prior to a nice second in the La Troienne Stakes (G1) at Churchill Downs on May 5.
Romantic Vision is 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.
This is also the family of 1997 Spinster winner Clear Mandate.
SPINSTER QUOTES
Rusty Arnold, trainer Romantic Vision, winner
“She ran great. I was surprised with how it played out. She was a little closer than I thought she would be, but she just seemed to relish this going.”
On whether Romantic Vision will advance to the Breeders’ Cup Distaff
“My boss (Romantic Vision’s owner, G. Watts Humphrey Jr.) will make that decision.”
Brian Hernandez Jr., jockey Romantic Vision, winner
“Her first step was the quickest one away from there, and she put us in a great spot. She traveled really good for me the whole way. Going into the second turn, I was really confident in her. She’s just really stepped up her last few races. She seems to be getting better and better.
“She tipped her hand in the spring. She ran a really big race (winning a Keeneland allowance on April 9) and came back Derby Day and ran huge (finishing second in the La Troienne [G1]). She’s just getting better and better. Rusty and the team have done a great job letting her develop into herself.”
Keith Nations, trainer Martini Glass, second
“She is not eligible for Breeders’ Cup. We are going to freshen her up and race again in December. I have never started a horse here before; this place is amazing. I am looking at all my (Delaware Park-based) horses to see which ones I can race here before the end of the meet.”
Paco Lopez, jockey Martini Glass, second
“My trip was perfect. She was a little bit silly in the gate but after that she was fine. She started running when I took her wide late. The mud was no problem for her.”
James Graham, jockey Blue Prize, third
“She was slipping and sliding a lot today. Didn’t really handle the race track and ran a good race to be third. The track changed a lot of things for us today. Everybody (went to the front); they didn’t go very fast, but they (went) anyway. I didn’t want to be up there knocking heads and have her empty out on me. She’s a good filly.”
Jose Lezcano, jockey Lockdown, fourth
“We stumbled out of the gate, so I think we lost the position of where we wanted to be. (There was) too much ground to make up, especially how the track was today.”
Luis Saez, jockey Bar of Gold, sixth
“She was perfect. She looked like at the half mile she was going to make a nice move, but when I really asked she didn’t give me that kick. I think the distance was a little bit too far.”
