NEWS
Stephanie’s Kitten takes down Juvenile Fillies Turf
Posted: Friday, November 04, 2011 5:08 PM
STEPHANIE'S KITTEN
PhotosByZ.com/Thoroughbred Times
For video of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, click here.
by Steve Myrick
Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Stephanie's Kitten showed the courage of a much bigger cat in the $909,000 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G2) on Friday at Churchill Downs, roaring like a tiger down the stretch and splitting horses to prevail by three-quarters of a length.
Veteran jockey John Velazquez was amazed at Stephanie’s Kitten’s courage in the competitive field.
“As soon as I asked her to go in between those other two horses, she responded right away,” Velazquez said. “It’s nice when you can ride horses like that. It makes it easy for us.”
The Ramsey's homebred daughter of 2001 champion turf male Kitten’s Joy is the first Breeders' Cup winner for the Ramsey family as the breeder and second as owners. Stephanie's Kitten is named after the Ramsey's granddaughter, and she was among the five family members who led the filly into the winner’s circle, where moments before, they watched the race.
“That’s where we should have been today,” Ken Ramsey said. “I was worried about her getting through, but when she got through I knew she had a kick.”
Winning trainer Wayne Catalano notched his third Breeders' Cup win, adding the Juvenile Fillies Turf to wins in the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) with Dreaming of Anna and 1999 Juvenile Fillies with She Be Wild.
“She ran her heart out,” Catalano said. “I'm so happy for Mr. Ramsey. He loves the game, and winning is the thing for him.”
Stablemates Stopshoppingmaria and Sweet Cat from the barn of Todd Pletcher led the 14-horse field out of the starting gate and set the pace gamely all the way to deep stretch before Stephanie's Kitten burst through about 100 yards before the finish line.
Stopshoppingmaria finished second, 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Sweet Cat.
Elusive Kate came all the way from England and did not even get a glimpse of the inside hedge, breaking from post ten, and finishing eighth as the 2.80-to-1 favorite.
“She was wide at the first turn, and the slow pace didn't help her,” trainer John Gosden said. “Maybe she should have gone on and made the running.”
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Steve Myrick is a New England correspondent of Thoroughbred Times
