Saturday, October 05, 2002
Westerly Breeze, Owsley win at Keeneland
The Associated Press
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Long shot Westerly Breeze took the lead with three-eighths of a mile left and held off a late challenge from Ruby's Reception to win the $445,200 Alcibiades Stakes on Friday at Keeneland.
Also on the opening day of the Keeneland meet, Owsley charged from last place to win the Grade 2, $544,500 WinStar Galaxy Stakes.
With Robby Albarado aboard, Westerly Breeze covered the 1 1-16-miles on a muddy track in 1:46.90 to finish three-quarters of a length ahead of Ruby's Reception in the Grade 2 race for 2-year-old fillies.
The Carl Nafzger-trained winner paid $33.60, $13.80 and $9.40 as the seventh choice in the nine-horse field. It was Nafzger's second victory in the Alcibiades, the other coming when Zero Minus won in 1986.
With the victory, Westerly Breeze earned $276,024 for owner Steven Miles, increasing her career earnings to $302,804.
Ruby's Reception, ridden by Terry Thompson, returned $6.80 and $4.40. Final Round finished 5 1/4 lengths behind in third and paid $6.20.
Atlantic Ocean, seeking to add the Alcibiades to her victory in the Kentucky Cup Juvenile Fillies at Turfway, set the pace but faded to fourth.
In her last start, Westerly Breeze finished fourth in the Kentucky Cup Juvenile Fillies. Albarado said that experience paid off Friday.
“I really think she needed that two-turn race at Turfway last time,” he said. “She was trying to get off the racetrack that day. Today she knew what was expected of her and she went about her business.”
Thompson said second-place Ruby's Reception had some trouble with the sloppy track. He said the filly will be ready for the Breeders' Cup.
“She was slipping and sliding out there a little bit,” he said. “She moved with the winner and we just ran out of ground. The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies is a mile and an eighth. That's going to be perfect for her.”
In the WinStar Galaxy, jockey Edgar Prado guided Owsley into contention with a half-mile left. The 4-year-old daughter of Harlan moved to the rail at the top of the stretch and went ahead for a 1 1-4-length win in the turf race for fillies and mares.
“She broke a step slow today, which was the best thing that could have happened to her,” Prado said. “Even though she was pulling me down the backside, she was rating nicely.
“I just sat there, and it opened up, and she kicked it in. She finished very strong. She is improving every race because she is getting more relaxed.”
Owsley covered the 1 3-16 miles in 1:56.72 for her seventh victory and earned $337,590 for owner Arthur Hancock III.
Affluent, the 6-5 favorite in the six-horse field and winner of the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup over the Keeneland turf course last fall, never threatened and finished fifth.
Owsley paid $10.40, $5 and $4 as the third choice. Snow Dance, who took a short lead in midstretch, returned $5.60 and $3.60. Surya, the second choice, paid $3.60 after finishing three-quarters of a length back in third.
McKee, Flint win titles at Turfway
Apprentice John McKee, coming off a record-breaking meet at River Downs, successfully made the transition to the Kentucky circuit, earning the Turfway Park leading jockey title with 24 wins.
McKee, 21, finished the 22-day fall meet with two more wins than Dean Butler.
Bernie Flint won his fifth consecutive trainer's title and 15th overall with 11 wins, four more than William Connelly.
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Westerly Breeze, Owsley win at Keeneland
