A return to one-turn proved a difference maker for Denim and Pearls April 7 as she romped in the seven-furlong $400,000 Beaumont Stakes (G2) at Keeneland.
Bred in Kentucky by Town & Country Horse Farms, Denim and Pearls is a full sister to Santa Anita Handicap (G1) winner Newgate . Given his success going a route of ground, it gave trainer Brad Cox optimism to attempt two turns in the filly’s last two starts.
After finishing second in both the one-mile Year’s End Stakes and 1 1/16-mile Martha Washington Stakes at Oaklawn Park, Cox chose to shorten the daughter of Into Mischief to seven furlongs rather than continuing on the road to the Kentucky Oaks (G1).
“We thought she was a filly that would stretch,” Cox said. “The owners recognized that she didn’t want to stretch—didn’t want the two turns—didn’t want to beat her up trying to pursue the Oaks. I thought it was the right thing to do to cut her back, and she rewarded them in a big way today.”
The big reward was a $244,900 first-place prize for Randy Gullatt’s Red, White and Blue Racing.
Denim and Pearls was energetic and eager in the paddock, taking a few kicks while walking around the saddling ring to signal her readiness to return to the sight of her maiden victory last fall. Breaking from the rail in the field of six, jockey Flavien Prat was able to easily navigate to the outside as the small field spread out.
Ranging up outside the leaders at the quarter pole, Denim and Pearls soared past her stablemate and had nothing but open stretch in front of her. Given mild urging by Prat, she drew away to a dazzling 9 1/4-length win, stopping the clock in 1:26.54 and paying $5.58 to her backers at the window.
“She was traveling well all the way around,” Prat said. “I didn’t want to move too soon but she just did it on her own, so I thought to let her run from there. She did the rest.”
Never worse than second, Denim and Pearls made her graded debut a winning one while tallying her third victory in five starts and increasing her earnings to $457,435.
Although not committing to where Denim and Pearls will run next, Cox referred to the seven furlong $600,000 Eight Belles Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs May 3 as the “logical spot.”
By Sean Collins
Blood-Horse -4/7/24
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