Positano Sunset upsets Madison for first graded win

Upsets were prominent on Tuesday's Blue Grass Day undercard at Keeneland, the biggest being Positano Sunset's 14-1 surprise over the favorite Emery in the $623,338 Madison (G1) for fillies and mares.

Under Julien Leparoux, Positano Sunset finished strongest between rival in midstretch and drew off to a one-length victory in the seven-furlong dash. Emery, the public choice at around even money, finished 1 1/4 lengths ahead of My Mane Squeeze. Mystic Lake, Dazzling Move, and Justique completed the order of finish.

Positano Sunset completed the fast-track test in 1:23.39 and paid $30.60.

A five-year-old by Goldencents, Positano Sunset is trained by Ian Wilkes, who saddled Blue Grass (G1) winner Burnham Square later in the card.

The Madison was the first graded win for Positano Sunset, whose previous signature victory came in the 2023 Audubon Oaks at Ellis Park. She races for the partnership of Six Column Stables, Randall Bloch, John Seiler, and David Hall.

Stakes newcomer Think Big beat a crack field of veteran turf sprinters in the $376,563 Shakertown (G2), rallying from just off the pace to win by a half-length over Rogue Lightning. Eamonn finished third, while defending titlist and favorite Arzak weakened to seventh in the field of 10.

A two-time allowance winner at Fair Grounds in his only previous runs over the grass, the four-year-old Think Big covered 5 1/2 furlongs on a course rated good in 1:04.21. He paid 1:04.21.

Think Big, a son of Twirling Candy, is a homebred racing for Godolphin and is trained by Mike Stidham.

Extra Anejo fired fresh off a layoff dating to September and won the $350,000 Commonwealth (G3) by 1 1/2 lengths over the favorite Montalcino, with Hoist the Gold two lengths behind in third. Flavien Prat was the winning rider.

Owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds and trained by Steve Asmussen, Extra Anejo earned his first career stakes in a time of 1:23.63 for seven furlongs. He paid $10.14.

The lone stakes-winning favorite on Tuesday was Nitrogen, who registered her third consecutive black-type victory in the $500,000 Appalachian (G2) for three-year-old fillies on the turf.

Sent off at 6-5, Nitrogen rallied to win by 2 1/4 lengths under Jose Ortiz. A homebred racing for D. J. Stable and trained by Mark Casse, Nitrogen covered one mile in 1:37. She returned $4.40.

The Grade 1-placed Medaglia d'Oro filly preceded her Appalachian victory with wins in the Ginger Brew S. at Gulfstream and the Florida Oaks (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs.