2018 First Lady Stakes Contenders & Odds at Keeneland
KEENELAND - Trainer Chad Brown, who won four graded stakes during Keeneland's Spring Meet, has a powerhouse trio of runners in the field of 10 for the Grade 1 $400,000 First Lady Stakes.
The First Lady Stakes, scheduled as the afternoon's eighth race with a 4:40 p.m. post time, is a Win and You're In race for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) on November 3 at Churchill Downs.
The Brown contingent all competed in the Ballston Spa (G2) at Saratoga on Aug. 25 with Peter Brant's Quidura (GB) winning by 1¾ lengths while A Raving Beauty (GER) was fourth and Off Limits (IRE) ran fifth.
2018 First Lady Stakes Odds & Entries
Race 8 on Keeneland's Saturday card with a Post Time of 4:40 PM
| Entry | Horse | ML Odds | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Insta Erma | 20-1 | Tyler Gaffalione 124 Lbs |
Richard Baltas |
| 2 | A Raving Beauty (GER) | 3-1 | John Velazquez 124 Lbs |
Chad Brown |
| 3 | Quidura (GB) | 2-1 | Javier Castellano 124 Lbs |
Chad Brown |
| 4 | Crown Walk (GB) | 4-1 | Mike Smith 121 Lbs |
Henri-Alex Pantall |
| 5 | Indian Blessing (GB) | 12-1 | Feargal Lynch 124 Lbs |
Ed Walker |
| 6 | One Liz | 50-1 | Mitchell Murrill 124 Lbs |
Wayne Catalano |
| 7 | Dona Bruja (ARG) | 6-1 | Declan Cannon 124 Lbs |
Ignacio Correas, IV |
| 8 | Valadorna | 20-1 | Florent Geroux 124 Lbs |
Mark Casse |
| 9 | La Sardane (FR) | 15-1 | Luis Saez 124 Lbs |
Neil Drysdale |
| 10 | Off Limits (IRE) | 6-1 | Julien Leparoux 124 Lbs |
Chad Brown |
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A multiple graded stakes winner, Quidura won the Valley View (G3) at Keeneland in 2016 and in 2017 finished third in the Jenny Wiley (G1) here. Javier Castellano will have the mount and break from post position three.
A Raving Beauty (GER), winner of the Just a Game (G1) in June at Belmont, will be making her Keeneland debut. John Velazquez has the mount on A Raving Beauty and will exit post position two.
Off Limits (IRE), third in the Jenny Wiley here this spring, won the Matriarch (G1) to close her 2017 campaign. She will be ridden Saturday by Julien Leparoux and leave from post position 10.
Adding international spice to the First Lady is the presence of two European group winners: Godolphin's CrownWalk (GB) and Mr. P.K. Siu's Indian Blessing (GB).
Trained by Henri-Alex Pantall, Crown Walk (GB) finished second in the Prix Rothschild (G1) at Deauville on July 29 in her most recent start. Mike Smith has the mount on Crown Walk out of post position four.
Indian Blessing (GB), who was third to Quidura in the Ballston Spa, returns to North America for trainer Ed Walker. She will be ridden by Feargal Lynch from post position five.
The field for the First Lady, with riders and weights from the inside, is: Insta Erma (Tyler Gaffalione 124 pounds), A Raving Beauty (GER) (Velazquez, 124), Quidura (GB) (Castellano, 124), Crown Walk (GB) (Smith, 121), Indian Blessing (GB) (Lynch, 124), One Liz (Mitchell Murrill, 124), Dona Bruja (ARG) (Declan Cannon, 124), Valadorna(Florent Geroux, 124), La Sardane (FR) (Luis Saez, 124) and Off Limits (IRE) (Leparoux, 124).
First Lady Stakes Race Info
The First Lady Stakes has been run annually at Keeneland Race Course since 1998. Contested by top turf fillies and mares at a distance of one mile, the race has been won by the likes of champions Intercontinental, Forever Together, Dayatthespa and Tepin. The race is one of Keeneland's opening weekend "Fall Stars" races. In 2017, it was designated as a "Win and You're In" qualifying race for the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf.
Other top fillies or mares to tally a First Lady victory include Owsley, Diamondrella and Tapitsfly. Never Retreat holds the speed record in the race after winning the 2011 edition in a time of 1:34.08. Bien Nicole won the race by a record 7 1/4 lengths in 2003.
No horse has won the race more than once, though jockey Julien Leparoux has five victories in the race and trainer Bobby Frankel has a pair of First Lady wins to his credit.
