LEXINGTON, Ky. — In Italian made all in Saturday’s $683,837 First Lady S. (G1) at Keeneland, leading a one-two finish for owner Peter Brant and trainer Chad Brown, who was saddling his fifth consecutive winner and sixth overall in the one-mile grass test for fillies and mares.
Third choice among a field of six, In Italian was sent to the front by Joel Rosario and met little resistance while setting fractions of :23.37, :47, and 1:10.45. Her stablemate, 1.05-1 favorite Regal Glory, made a bid in the stretch, but In Italian was never seriously threatened and crossed the wire one length in front.
In Italian paid $7.74 after covering the course on firm ground in 1:33.22. Regal Glory had a 3 1/4-length margin on Princess Grace, who edged the Brown-trained Technical Analysis for third by a head. Market Rumor and Vigilantes Way completed the order of finish.
This was the third stakes win of the year for In Italian, who wired her rivals in the Honey Fox (G3) at Gulfstream in early March and in the July 16 Diana (G1) at Saratoga in her most recent start.
“The only thing I was worried about was the layoff. She hadn’t run since the Diana,” Brown said. Mr. Brant and I got together, and I wanted to run her in between, but he wanted a fresh horse for the Breeders’ Cup, and that decision proved right. She overcame the layoff today and got a good prep she needed going forward.”
In two other stakes appearances this season, In Italian finished second in the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (G2) and third in the Just a Game (G1), the latter to Regal Glory. Her record now stands at 8-5-2-1, $989,183.
Bred in England by Fairway Thoroughbreds, In Italian is a four-year-old daughter of Dubawi and the Group 3-winning Florentina, a Redoute’s Choice half-sister to Group 1 winner Gathering.
