Campanelle narrowly edged a game and persistent Bay Storm to claim Saturday’s $736,030 Ladies Sprint (G3) at Kentucky Downs by a nose for owner Barbara Banke’s Stonestreet Stables.
An odds-on favorite in the 6 1/2-furlong test contested on firm ground, Campanelle improve her record to 2-for-3 on the year under Irad Ortiz Jr., completing the course in 1:14.57.
“She made the lead a little earlier today,” Ortiz said. “I hit her a couple of times. She responded so I put the stick away, keeping busy on her. Maybe she got confused a little. But she saw that filly and fought back.”
Trained by Wesley Ward, Campanelle paid $3.56. Bay Storm had three lengths on She Can’t Sing, who was followed by Brooke Marie, Jouster, Star Devine, In Good Spirits, Creative Credit, Candace O, Violenza, Elle Z, and Tobys Heart.
The Ladies Sprint was Campanelle’s first outing since she dead-heated for third in the Platinum Jubilee (G1) at Royal Ascot in June. She captured the 2020 Queen Mary (G2) and 2021 Commonwealth Cup (G1) via disqualification in two prior trips to the Royal meeting.
Campanelle, who also made a successful jaunt to France at two winning the Prix Morny (G1), kicked off this term with a victory in the April 16 Giant’s Causeway S. at Keeneland, site of the Nov. 5 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1).
“We’re going next to the Breeders’ Cup, if she comes out of this race OK,” Ward said. “She’s going to train up to the race, and Keeneland is her home base.”
The Ward-trained Golden Pal was a scintillating winner of the Turf Sprint last year at Del Mar and is pointing for a repeat win.
Bred in Ireland by Tally-Ho Stud, Campanelle has now bankrolled more than $1 million. The four-year-old is by Kodiac and out of the stakes-winning Janina, by Namid.
Franklin-Simpson S. (G3)
There was an upset in the $527,250 Franklin-Simpson S. (G2) for three-year-olds to close out the 12-race card, as One Timer ($41.94) registered a wire-to-wire victory by 4 1/4 lengths. Another longshot, 18-1 chance Run Curtis Run, finished second, while odds-on favorite Big Invasion finished more than six lengths behind the winner in third.
Owned by Patricia’s Hope and Richard Ravin, One Timer sped 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:14.59. He is trained by Larry Rivelli and was ridden by E.T. Baird.
Winner of his first three starts at two, including the Victoria S. at Woodbine on synthetic and the Speakeasy S. at Santa Anita on turf, One Timer finished two lengths ninth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2). In three previous starts this year, One Timer captured the Tom Ridge S. at Presque Isle Downs, finished second in the My Frenchman S. over the Monmouth turf, and was most recently last of nine in the 1 1/16-mile St. Louis Derby at the former Fairmount Park.
A gelded son of Trappe Shot, One Timer was produced by Spanish Star, a Blame half-sister to Belmont S. (G1) winner Sir Winston. One Timer was bred in Kentucky by St. Simon Place and sold for $21,000 at the Fasig-Tipton October yearling sale.
