by Jenny Blandford

Zabeel Racing International’s Game Face held off Keep the Peace after a prolonged stretch duel to prevail by a neck in the $168,540 La Troienne Stakes (G3) on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

It was the third consecutive win on the card for jockey John Velasquez, who captured the Churchill Downs Stakes (G2) with Elite Squadron and a maiden special weight race with Cherokee Artist.

In the La Troienne, Velazquez settled 9-to-5 favorite Game Face into ideal stalking position in fourth, then third, as Secret Gypsy took the field through a quarter-mile in :22.61 and a half-mile in :44.96. 

Game Face moved up to launch her winning bid on the turn as Keep the Peace raced along the outside. Game Face and Keep the Peace battled strongly for the lead in deep stretch as Game Face edged past at the wire, covering 7 1/2 furlongs in 1:28.44 on a fast track.

“I wanted to stay behind the speed horses,” Velazquez said. “I was hoping to get some room to get out of there and I happened to run up the inside and she ran very good.”

Keep the Peace finished two lengths in front of Tiz to Dream.

“She’s trained well here,” said Mike McCarthy, assistant to trainer Todd Pletcher. “She’s had a couple of good works here. She ran very well here last year in the summer [in a second-place finish in her career debut on June 10] as a two-year-old. We were expecting a big effort today.”

Game Face entered off a runner-up finish to Bsharpsonata in the Davona Dale Stakes (G2) on March 2 after winning the Old Hat Stakes (G2) on January 12, both at Gulfstream Park.

The first foal to race out of the unraced Gone West mare Galleon of Gold, Game Face improved to three wins in six starts. She has earned $238,352.

For an Equibase chart, click here.

Jenny Blandford is a Thoroughbred Times assistant daily news editor