Wertheimer and Frere’s homebred Exhi seized the lead as expected at the break and was never seriously threatened in Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000
Ben Ali Stakes at Keeneland, winning by 1 3/4 lengths under Javier Castellano.
Making his first outing since a second in the Grade 2 Fayette at Keeneland last
October, the Todd Pletcher-trained colt also captured the Lexington
Stakes over the local Polytrack 12 months ago.
“It was one of those rare occasions when things worked out the way you want
it,” Pletcher said. “The race shaped up just the way it looked on paper. We were
able to get the pace we wanted. It was just another big effort from him.”
Favored at 3-5 in the five-horse Ben Ali, Exhi got away with a slow opening
quarter-mile in :25 and continued to stroll through fractions of :49 1/5 and
1:12 4/5, receiving only token pressure from Dean’s Kitten, who easily held
second after being out-sprinted into the stretch. Mister Mardi Gras offered a
belated rally for third and was followed under the wire by Researcher and Stay
Put.
The Kentucky-bred winner completed the 1 1/8-mile distance in 1:48.
“He’s a nice horse,” Castellano explained. “I’ve ridden him a lot. I knew he
was the only speed horse and he broke really sharp. They let us walk the first
part of it and the pace was comfortable. When I asked him, he just responded. My
hat is off to Mr. Pletcher. He had him really ready off the layoff.”
The four-year-old has now earned $800,382 from a 14-6-4-1 line. Exhi recorded
stakes wins last year in the Marine S. and Victoria Park S. on Woodbine’s
Polytrack and finished second in the West Virginia Derby (G2) and
fourth in the Pennsylvania Derby (G2) on dirt.
Exhi is out of Group 2-placed stakes winner Soldera and counts as a
half-sibling the two-year-old filly La Polonaise. His third dam was Canadian
Horse of the Year Fanfreluche, who shared 1970 champion three-year-old filly
honors in the United States with Office Queen. She produced Canadian Horse of
the Year L’Enjoleur as well as Canadian champions La Voyageuse and Medaille
d’Or, and the Grade 2 winner D’Accord. Other notables from this family include
English highweight Bint Allayl, French highweight Holy Roman Emperor (Ire), and
Grade/Group 1 winners Aube Indienne (Fr), Flying Spur, Encosta de Lago and
Majestic Roi.
Pletcher said Exhi will probably remain on synthetics.
“Maybe look at something at Woodbine,” Pletcher said regarding the colt’s
next start.