Front-running was the theme in the Thanksgiving Day co-features at Churchill Downs. Played Hard lived up to her name, as well as 0.45-1 favoritism, to repel every challenge in the Falls City (G3), and Dalika feasted upon her favorite turf course in the Cardinal (G3).

A longstanding player in the female turf ranks, if a fringe one at the Grade 1 level, Dalika stepped up to score a new career high in Saturday’s Beverly D. (G1).

Double-digit prices were the order of the day in the three Fair Grounds turf stakes on Saturday, as Cavalry Charge ($72.60), She Can’t Sing ($51), and Pyron ($41.40) all recorded their first stakes victories.

Tom's d'Etat tracked in second behind the pace-setting Mr Freeze to the far turn.