Bourbon Lane Stable’s Bent on Bourbon (Arch) captured his stakes debut on
Saturday night at Prairie Meadows when posting a three-length victory in the
$250,000
Iowa
Derby (G3) under jockey Javier Castellano.
The Eddie Kenneally-trained sophomore settled just outside of Private
Prospect (Discreet Cat) as 7-5 favorite Hillbilly Royalty (Langfuhr) set the
pace through splits of :23 2/5, :47 2/5 and 1:11 4/5. Entering the turn, Bent on
Bourbon ranged up to the outside of a fading Hillbilly Royalty and had gained
control of the race entering the stretch. The dark bay colt pulled clear of
Allied Air Raid (Midshipman) on the wire to stop the clock in 1:44 for 1 1/16
miles over the fast track.
Sent off the 4-1 third favorite, Bent on Bourbon returned $10.80 to his
supporters. Allied Air Raid had three parts of a length to spare on Private
Prospect, while 60-1 longshot Alabaster (Medaglia d’Oro) came in fourth another
half-length back. Hillbilly Royalty faded to fifth.
Bent on Bourbon entered the Iowa Derby on a two-race win streak, having
broken his maiden on May 2 at Churchill Downs before taking an
allowance/optional claimer under the Twin Spires 27 days later. The dark bay
opened his career at Gulfstream Park in late February, finishing fourth in his
debut, then just missed by a neck at Keeneland two months later.
Saturday’s Iowa Derby victory boosted Bent on Bourbon’s earnings to $230,400
and his career line now stands at 5-3-1-0.
Bred in Kentucky by Northwest Farms LLC, Bent on Bourbon sold for $90,000 as
a Keeneland September yearling. He is the second registered foal out of Little
Luxury (Seeking the Gold), and counts as his second dam multiple stakes queen
Lasting Code (Lost Code). This is the same female family as Grade 2 heroine
Emotional Kitten (Kitten’s Joy).
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