Time: 05-04-2012 21:26 User: jpatterson PubDate: 05-05-2012 Zone: KY Edition: 1 Page Name: C6 Color: CyanMagentaYellowBlack C6 | SATURDAY,MAY 5, 2012 | THE COURIER-JOURNAL SPORTS | courier-journal.com/sports KY KENTUCKY DERBY 138 STAKES ROUNDUP ALYSHEBA STAKES 17-1 Juanita an upset winner in La Troienne The Courier-Journal In arace in which bet- tors in Friday’s$327,000, Grade II La Troienne fo- cused on last year’sKen- tucky Oaks winner,mak- ing Plum Pretty an odds-on 2-5 favorite, Indiana Oaks winner Juanita stole the show at odds of nearly 17-1. William S. and Graydon Patterson’s4-year-old Mi- neshaft filly sat just behind Julien Leparoux celebrates awin aboardSuccessful Dan in the Alysheba Stakes at Plum Pretty,who set the Churchill Downs on Friday. The horse has battled injuries. MICHAEL CLEVENGER/THE C-J pace through the first part 1 of the 1 ⁄16-mile race, until moving to the favorite around the turn and taking Successful Dan the lead for good in the stretch. Juanita, ridden by Ra- Juanita, right, ridden by Ramon Dominguez, wins the La mon Dominquez, won in Troienne. Plum Pretty is at left. BILL LUSTER/SPECIAL TO THE C-J gets awin, record 1:42.82, beating second- place St. John’sRiver — the 5-1third choice, went persuaded him to stay at the runner-up in last year’s easily to the lead. Churchill. By Gregory A. Hall an incredible horse. Ithink he’sprobably Oaks —bytwo lengths. “He was much the best “She worked really well [email protected] one of the best ones I’ve rode so far in my Plum Pretty was another today,” Bejarano said. “He over the track,” Bob Baff- The Courier-Journal career.” length back in third, while showed me abig kick in the ert said. Long shot Plutonium jumped out to the Absinthe Minded finished stretch. He ran really Contested stumbled a The feel-good comeback story of Suc- lead, followed closely by Nates Mineshaft fourth, another five good.” bit at the break but quickly cessful Dan sped along Friday as the 6- and the eventual runner-up, Fort Larned. lengths back. Bejarano said the rain regained her composure. year-old gelding broke anearly 5-year-old Successful Dan ran off the pace, angling The winner’s$198,685 in before the race wasn’ta When prodded by jockey track record in winning the $337,800, out around the final turn, and caught Fort earnings raised Juanita’s concern. Martin Garcia, who has Grade II Alysheba Stakes. Larned. They dueled before Successful career bankroll to $485,327 “Iknow he has run on an had all four of her career Successful Dan covered the mile and a Dan moved clear to win by alength. with six wins in 16 starts. off turf course in the past, mounts, she overtook Good sixteenth in 1:41.04, shaving nearly aquar- “Ithought Ihad you,” Ian Wilkes, the She is out of the Smart so Iwasn’tworried about Deed leaving the final turn ter of asecond off Brass Hat’sprevious trainer of Fort Larned, told Lopresti in con- Strike mare Wishful Splen- it,” he said. of the seven-furlong race. record of 1:41.27 set July 8, 2007. gratulating him. dor.InJuanita’slast start, Travel Advisory,along- “Ithought I’d be just Trainer Charles Lopresti said his eu- Lopresti has “done atremendous job she ran second to 2011 shot at 24-1, has finished in laying off the pace,” said phoria with the win and track record was with that horse,” said Wilkes, whose horse Horse of the Year Havre de the money in three of four jockey Corey Lanerie, who short, since Successful Dan has had to re- entered the race off awin in the Grade III Grace in the New Orleans 2012 races. Trainer Kellyn had the Good Deed mount. cover from multiple suspensory injuries. Skip Away at Gulfstream Park. “That Ladies Stakes at Fair Gorder said the colt’scon- “Iactually had the race to He said he almost immediately wanted to horse is anice horse. My horse is improv- Grounds. nections were “really myself. She ran great; she see how the horse was walking after such a ing. He’sonly won aGrade III, and this was “She ran agood race pleased” with the race. just got beat by abetter demanding performance. Gratefully,Lo- aGrade II.” with Havre de Grace last — Marcus Green horse.” presti said Successful Dan looked fine af- Mucho Macho Man, the third-place fin- time, so we gave it ashot,” —C.L. Brown ter the win. isher in last year’sKentucky Derby and trainer Mike Maker said. Eight Belles “Ithink he’sfine, and that’sthe most im- the favorite Friday,finished third after He said he was looking to- Owner Jill Baffert Edgewood portant thing to me,” Lopresti said. racing much of the way behind the front ward arace elsewhere at strutted into the winner’s Stephanie’sKitten In the winner’scircle also enjoying the three. the point where the con- circle for apicture and made astellar return to the victory was Dr.Larry Bramlage, an equine “He ran well today,” trainer Kathy Rit- nections of the now-retired promptly replaced her Downs. veterinarian and surgeon for 35 years who vo said. “He just couldn’tget there.” Havre de Grace said she flats with Jimmy Choo The 3-year-old daughter treated Successful Dan. Neither trainer of the top two finishers wouldn’trun in the La- heels. of Kitten’sJoy pulled clear “He just keeps training back. We get the said they know what race is next. Troienne. “When they re- Her filly Contested in the stretch and set a inflammation down. Get it tightened up. Successful Dan’slast race before the tired her,itmade the deci- made quite the fashion stakes record in the Edge- He’ssuch an athlete,” Bramlage said. “… layoff was the mile and an eighth Clark sion easy —stay home,” statement as well, breez- wood Stakes in her first He makes everybody look good. He’sprob- Handicap in 2010,inwhich he finished first Maker said. ing to a4¾-length win and a start at Churchill since her ably the toughest and overcame that inju- but was disqualified and placed third. Maker claimed her for stakes-record time of victory in the Grade II ry as well as anyone I’ve ever seen. He’s Based on that, Lopresti said he can get 9 the Pattersons alittle over 1:21:29 in the $110,000, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile probably the best.” furlongs and might be able to get amile ayear ago at Gulfstream. Grade III Eight Belles. Fillies Tu rf last November. The seventh win in 10 career starts for and aquarter. “She had agreat pedi- It was the third straight Jockey John Velazquez Successful Dan increased his earnings to While aBreeders’ Cup race is an end- gree and we thought she’d win for the Bob Baffert- positioned even-money fa- $596,608. Owned by his breeder,Morton year goal if Successful Dan stays healthy, like two turns,” said Mak- trained horse and her first vorite Stephanie’sKitten Fink, Successful Dan is out of the Wolf Lopresti said there are many options for er,who added he was just at Churchill Downs. Baff- behind front-running Wel- Power mare Lisa Danielle. where to race next. He said he has nothing going to enjoy the win ert purchased the horse for come Dance and surged As the 4-1third choice in the betting, planned in the next six weeks. But he’shap- when asked where she his wife as agift, then sur- into the lead with about a Successful Dan paid $10.20 to win. py to see his horse doing well again. would race next. prised her by entering the furlong left, winning by Winning jockey Julien Leparoux, who “He loves to run,” Lopresti said. Jimmy Barnes, the as- filly in the race. That’swhy two lengths over Firehouse rode Successful Dan in awin last month at sistant trainer to Bob Baff- jockey Martin Garcia was Red. Welcome Dance was Keeneland after ayear-and-a-half layoff, Gregory A. Hall can be reached at (502) 582- ert of Plum Pretty,com- in Mike Pegram’ssilks in- third in afield of 12 3-year- said the son of Successful Appeal is “just 4087. pared the performance to stead of the familiar Baff- old fillies. her fifth-place finish in last ert pattern of yellow and Stephanie’sKitten cov- 1 year’sBreeders’ Cup La- navy diamonds. ered the 1 ⁄16 miles on grass dies Classic, also at Chur- “My silks didn’tmake it in 1:40.94, breaking the chill Downs. here and Ididn’tKnow we previous record set in 2005 She “went pretty slow were entering. But you by Sweet Talker.The vic- early,” he said, referring to know what? It all turned tory paid $4 to win and Plum Pretty’sfirst two out for the best,” Jill Baff- earned $106,556 for owners quarters of about 24 sec- ert said. Ken and Sarah Ramsey. onds each. “Ithink you’ve The Kentucky-bred “You’ve got to be super got to let her run. Make ’em daughter of Ghostzapper, pleased if you’ve got a chase you. That’sjust my out of the Arch mare Gold horse that breaks atrack own opinion.” Vault, beat the old stakes record,” Ken Ramsey said. —Gregory A. Hall record set by Roxelana of The win “sets her up 1:21:97 set in 2000. great” for the Coronation American Turf Bob Baffert didn’ttell Stakes at England’sAscot Rafael Bejarano was his wife of the entry until Racecourse in June.