Dixiana Farms’ Grand Ave Girl took command of the early pace and never looked back to win Saturday’s $125,000 Wintergreen Stakes at Turfway Park.
Trained by Kenny McPeek, and ridden by jockey Luan Machado, Grand Ave Girl completed the one-mile distance in 1:37.12.
Grand Ave Girl and Machado broke on top of the field of 11 fillies and mares and cruised to an opening quarter-mile fraction of :24.11. Up the backside, Grand Ave Girl increased her early command on the field by 3 ½ lengths through a half-mile clocking of :47.75. Around the far turn, Grand Ave Girl felt her first challenge of the race from Kate’s Kingdom, who made a sweeping move under jockey Jack Gilligan. In late stretch, Grand Ave Girl spurted clear of her rival for a 1 ¾-length victory. Purrfect finished a neck back of Kate’s Kingdom to round out the Top 3.
Grand Ave Girl rewarded her backers with $2 mutuel payouts of $17.34, $8.58 and $6.14. Kate’s Kingdom paid $6.66 and $4.14 while Purrfect returned $5.34.
It was another 2 ¼ lengths back to fourth-place finisher Maybe Later followed in order by Charges Dropped, Opening Buzz, Bella Conchita, Tap Dancing Lady, Candy Raid, Burgoo Alley (IRE) and Guana Cay.
Grand Ave Girl is a daughter of Runhappy out of the Holy Bull mare One More. She was bred in Kentucky by SF Bloodstock. The 5-year-old mare improved her lifetime record to 16-6-2-4 with purse earnings of $325,356.
Racing will resume Thursday-Saturday at Turfway Park with a first post of 5:55 p.m. Saturday’s featured races are the $150,000 John Battaglia Memorial and the $150,000 Cincinnati Trophy. Both races are Prep Season events on the Road to the Kentucky Derby and Oaks, respectively.
From Turfway Park