Reigning Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) winner Idiomatic earned a fees-paid berth back to the Breeders’ Cup when dominating Sunday’s $600,000 Spinster (G1) at Keeneland for the second straight year.
Despite tossing her head right before the gates opened, Idiomatic broke sharply and secured the lead from Candied and Loved. She gradually widened her advantage to 3 1/2 lengths through fractions of :23.53, :47.01, and 1:11.10, and while Candied and Loved tried to reengage around the final turn, Idiomatic was always in command and kicked clear down the lane to score by 6 1/2 lengths.
A Juddmonte homebred trained by Brad Cox, Idiomatic completed 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.04 to secure her fifth Grade 1 win. Occult rallied for second place over Candied, followed by Loved, Honor D Lady, and Bow Draw.
The Spinster marked a Grade 1 rebound for Idiomatic. Her previous two starts at the top-tier level yielded narrow runner-up finishes in the Personal Ensign (G1) and Ogden Phipps (G1).
“Her figures say she’s just as good this year as she was last year,” said Cox. “She’s training every bit as good this year as last year. This year she’s had a little bit of a target on her back. She’s been pressed in some races, where maybe last year she kind of had things her own way. She doesn’t always have to be on the lead. Overall it’s been a great year. She’s two heads from being undefeated. I’m proud of her. Every time we’ve led her over there, she’s never let us down, and she added to her resume today.”
Winning jockey Florent Geroux also praised Idiomatic.
“It’s all up to her. She has a ton of ability, and she is a champion for a reason. She has a very high cruising speed, and she just is a gifted racehorse. She’s amazing. I just try to stay out of her way and guide her in the best possible way,” said Geroux. “It’s very unfortunate that we lost two races this year. I thought we would not and it was probably my fault, and thanks to the ownership group for sticking with me and giving me another chance on her. It paid off.”
Two other stakes took place on the final day of Keeneland’s opening week. The $350,000 Bourbon (G2) for two-year-olds racing 1 1/16 miles on turf awarded a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1), a prize claimed in upset fashion by 38-1 longshot Minaret Station.
Under jockey Cristian Torres, the OXO Equine homebred rated toward the back of a 12-horse field through splits of :22.29 and :47.02. He was still four lengths back with a furlong remaining, but gobbled up ground once in the clear to beat Golden Afternoon by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:42.28.
“I thought he broke clean, and Cristian was able to navigate his way to the rail, which is what we wanted to do on the first turn,” said winning trainer William Walden. “I didn’t expect him to be almost last. We were kind of toward the back of the pack, when midpack was kind of where we had him spotted. But this turf course has been pretty fair all week. Horses have closed on it well. As he moved up to the quarter pole, I was just hoping the speed didn’t back up in his face, and it didn’t. Cristian navigated it beautifully, and the horse exploded. He got it done.”
Pacesetting Clock Tower fought gallantly to finish third, followed by Cavallo Bay, Warlander, Giocoso, Warheart, Siesta Key, Reach for the Rose, Papiamento, Fleming, and Baytown Baracus.
Earlier, the $250,000 Indian Summer S. produced a thrilling finish as Governor Sam survived setting blazing fractions of :20.81 and :44.06 to win the 5 1/2-furlong grass dash for juveniles by a neck over stretch-running Out On Bail. A son of Improbable trained by George Weaver, Governor Sam reached the finish line in 1:02.72 to secure his second straight stakes win, having previously taken the Tyro S. at Monmouth Park.
“(The race) was very good,” said winning jockey Paco Lopez. “George said, ‘Paco, the horse is ready. Do whatever you want to do in the race — depending if you get the lead, if you want to sit second, you find out at the break.’ He did it. He’s a very nice colt, and he’s doing very well.”
Floodlites tired after pressing Governor Sam’s pace to finish third, followed by Chasing Liberty, G W’s Girl, Moon Sniper, Pharoah’s Dynasty, Just Keep Looking, Fiddling Felix, Bad Gal Party, Jet Sweep Joe, and Raise the Bar. The winner was bred by Stoneriggs Farm and races for the partnership of Bregman Family Racing and Swinbank Stables.
According to Equibase statistics, the Indian Summer marked Lopez’s 4,000th career victory.
“When you work hard, then coming to America and having the opportunity to ride here, I feel great to have that opportunity every day,” said Lopez. “Now I’ll try for 5,000.”
