Tuesday’s 11-race program at Kentucky Downs featured a trio of lucrative stakes for females over its unique turf course. Theodora B. led all the way in the $500,000 TVG S. for distaffers, Lighthouse sprung an 11-1 upset in the $400,000 Music City S. for 3-year-old fillies, and Emro rallied to post a convincing win in the $400,000 Untapable S. for juvenile misses.
It marked the fifth of six racing programs at Kentucky Downs, with a 10-race finale on Wednesday.
Augustin Stables’ homebred Theodroa B. took it to her five rivals over 1 5/16 miles on “good” turf, opening a clear advantage in upper stretch of the TVG before holding on by three-quarters of a length over 9-10 favorite Mrs. Sippy. Delta’s Kingdom wound up a non-threatening third, and English Affair, Siberian Iris, and Over Thinking completed the order of finish.
Trained by Michael Dickinson and ridden by Jose Ortiz, Theodora B. notched her second consecutive stakes victory after posting an 11-upset in the Aug. 15 Dance Smartly (G2) at Woodbine. She’s won 3-of-4 this year. The dark bay daughter of Ghostzapper left the starting gate as the 3-1 second choice in a six-horse field, and the 5-year-old mare improved her career record to 18-6-5-3 after stopping the teletimer in 2:09.72.
Last seen posting a neck second in the July 24 Daisycutter H. at Del Mar, Lighthouse launched a decisive rally from just off the pace to notch her first stakes win in the Music City, scoring comfortably by a 1 1/2-length margin. Umberto Rispoli was up for LNJ Foxwoods and Simon Callaghan, and the gray Mizzen Mast filly completed 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:14.99.
Miss J McKay, who was also off at 11-1 in the 11-horse field, wound up a non-threatening second, 1 1/4 lengths better than even-money favorite Kimari in third. Next came Outburst, Lucrezia, Bredenbury, She’s My Type, Evil Lyn, Enola Gray, She’s So Special, and multiple Grade 2 winner and turf maiden scorer Finite, who never fired in her first start since March.
Bred in Kentucky by David Chavez, Lighthouse sold for $375,000 at the 2019 OBS April 2-year-old sale, and her career line now reads 7-3-2-1.
Emro, who was exiting a front-running debut turf maiden win at Ellis Park, jumped straight to stakes competition with an impressive 2 3/4-length triumph in the 6 1/2-furlong Untapable. Brad Cox trains the 2-year-old daughter of Point Entry for Kueber Racing LLC, and Shaun Bridgmohan was up on the dark bay.
Overlooked as the 7-1 fourth choice among 11 runners, Emro switched to rating tactics, offering a wide bid into contention on the far turn, and powered past her foes in the lane to win going away by 2 3/4 lengths. She was timed in 1:16.31.
Taylor’s Tourist closed late to be a clear second at 23-1, three lengths better than 13-1 Fouzia, who was followed by Mad Maddy, Lady Edith, Lady Goldstart, 9-5 favorite Red Ghost, Herald Angel, Kewpie Doll, and Becca’s Bouquet. La Libertee stumbled at the start and lost her rider.
Emro was bred in Kentucky by Glen Oak Farm and Two Stamps Stables, and the unbeaten filly was purchased for $130,000 as a yearling at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Kentucky sale.
