William J. Butler and Winstar Farm’s My Mane Squeeze raced to the outside and in the clear in Friday’s $534,340 Eight Belles S. (G2) at Churchill Downs, staying out of trouble beneath jockey Luis Saez and holding sway by two lengths from Impel.
The field of 11 sophomore fillies was led for the first half-mile by Asternia, who took them past a quarter in :22.46 and a half in :45.23. All the while, though, she had just enough pressure from Halina’s Forte and the eventual winner, who simply took the lead entering the stretch and never looked back. Under capable handling by Saez, My Mane Squeeze easily kept Impel at bay, passing six furlongs in 1:09.71 before completing the seven-furlong sloppy main track test in 1:22.85.
Impel was easily second best, and following her under the line in this Grade 2 contest were Asternia, the aforementioned Halina’s Forte, Do Gooder, Lady Moscato, the odds-on favorite Denim and Pearls, Accommodate Eva, Tanya Showers, All Things Go, and R Harper Rose. Trial was scratched.
Saez had confidence in the filly all the way.
“My horse handled the off track beautifully today,” the winning pilot said. “She traveled great the entire backstretch and was in a very comfortable position. You can tell by my silks that they are clean and I think that helped her down the lane.”
The Eight Belles was My Mane Squeeze’s first triumph at the graded level. The daughter of Audible came into Friday’s affair from a lackluster showing in the Fantasy (G2) at Oaklawn. Prior to the Fantasy, the dark bay earned three stakes scores, albeit in restricted company in New York. She now sports a record of 8-5-0-2 and a bankroll of $604,110.
Bred in the Empire State, My Mane Squeeze is the fourth foal produced by the winning Speightstown mare In Spite of Mama, whose produce also includes multiple stakes winner Rotknee, by Runhappy.
Mike Maker, the trainer of the winner, indicated afterward that My Mane Squeeze will aim for the June 7, Grade 1 Acorn.
