Jockey Luan Machado began the racing week at Keeneland under a cloud when he controversially misjudged the finish line in Wednesday’s nightcap, costing 13-1 longshot Ultimate Strike a certain win.
Machado made no such mistakes in the $259,000 Perryville (G3) on Saturday, guiding Brunacini to an upset victory over odds-on favorite Book’em Danno, whose attempt to squeeze through an inside path was met with enough resistance to arguably cost him the win.
Brunacini, who was making just his third career start in the seven-furlong Perryville, drew into the race from the also-eligible list after five scratches reduced the field down to nine three-year-olds. Breaking from post 9, Brunacini was kept wide down the backside while chasing a trio of rivals, led by pacesetting outsider Goodlookinjustice.
An honest pace of :22.01 and :44.75 set things up for Brunacini, who made a four-wide bid approaching the stretch. Meanwhile, Grade 1 winner Book’em Danno saved ground until the turn for home and then was finally asked by jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. to bull his way between rivals. The hole was too tight, however, and the delay at getting through stalled his momentum while Brunacini made stronger, uninterrupted progress on the outside.
At the wire, Brunacini prevailed by a neck over Book’em Danno. It was three-quarters of a length back to the dead-heating pair of Knightsbridge and Epic Ride, who were followed by Love Me Tender, Patriot Spirit, Banjo Chris, Henro, and Goodlookinjustice.
“I’m not surprised; he’s a very nice horse,” Machado said. “I got the opportunity to breeze him a couple times in the morning and last week he did an unbelievable work (bullet five furlongs in :58 4/5), super comfortable. I even joked to the guys in the room, ‘I don’t think he can be worse than third here.'”
A homebred campaigned by Emilie Fojan, the Matt Sims-trained Brunacini covered the course in 1:22.80 over a fast track and paid $58.16.
This was the second win for Brunacini, who won on debut by 2 1/4 lengths going seven furlongs at Ellis Park on July 28. He cut back to the same distance in the Perryville after weakening to fifth in a 1 1/16-mile allowance at Churchill Downs on Sept. 19.
Brunacini is a Kentucky-bred son of Dortmund and was produced by the Wilburn mare Our Conquistadora.
