Emery did not disappoint as the 6-5 favorite in Saturday’s $340,000 Raven Run (G2) at Keeneland, rolling to a two-length decision in the seven-furlong test for three-year-old fillies. Brad Cox trains the daughter of More Than Ready for Barbara Banke’s Stonestreet Stables, and Emery notched her third stakes victory when stopping the teletimer in 1:23.21 with regular rider Tyler Gaffalione.
“I’d like to give thanks to Brad and his team and the ownership, Stonestreet and everybody who got this filly here,” Gaffalione said. “They did a great job — made my job a lot easier. She broke alertly and put me in the game. She traveled like a winner throughout. I just had to guide her around there.”
Emery broke on top from post 5 but conceded the early advantage, stalking about a length back while being kept well off the rail. She launched her move entering the stretch, collaring frontrunning Fibber and driving clear by midstretch.
My Mane Squeeze, the 3.42-1 second choice following a five-length win in the Dogwood (G3) at Churchill Downs, rallied from off the pace to be a clear second while never threatening the winner. Fibber held third by a head over late-running V V’s Dream, who was followed by Miuccia, Haulin Ice, Riperton, Twirling Queen, and Uno Le.
Winner of the Victory Ride (G3) at Aqueduct two starts previously, the dark bay was exiting a second in the Test (G1) at Saratoga to Ways and Means, a top contender for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) at Del Mar on Nov. 2. Emery has now bankrolled $655,986 from a 7-5-1-0 record.
“I think (getting her to settle off the pace was key today), but she could show the way if need be, if there’s a lack of pace in the race,” Cox said. “I want to start off by thanking the Stonestreet team — Ms. Banke and her whole team. They’re very easy to work for. We had to give this filly some time off after her second start, and she’s come back and rewarded them in a big way this year. I’m very proud of the filly, and Tyler did a great job. He put her in a perfect position today, and she fired.”
Purchased for $235,000 as a weanling at the 2021 Keeneland November sale, Emery was bred in Kentucky by Mary Grum and hails from the multiple stakes-winning Street Sense mare Athena. This is the immediate female family of Grade 1-winning sprinter Peeping Tom.
Emery made a pair of juvenile starts, impressively winning the first time out at Saratoga and finishing fourth as the favorite to eventual champion two-year-old filly Just F Y I in the Frizette (G1). After opening her sophomore campaign with a romping entry-level allowance tally at Keeneland, she easily notched her first stakes triumph in the Leslie’s Lady at Churchill Downs in mid-June, and Emery will loom as a major presence in the Filly & Mare Sprint division entering 2025.
