Northern Farm's Grade 1 winner Defining Purpose rebounded with aplomb from an unplaced finished in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) May 5 when taking the $200,000 Indiana Oaks (G3) Saturday at Horseshoe Indianapolis.
The Cross Traffic filly, ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., pressed the early pace set by 54-1 longshot Sandra D, then took charge at the five-sixteenths pole and held on to score by 1 1/4 lengths from Taxed, who rallied from last in the field of seven to take second as the 4-5 favorite.
Lily Poo finished third, 2 1/4 lengths behind Taxed
Trained by Ken McPeek, Defining Purpose returned $6.40 after covering the 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.83 on a fast track while improving her career line to 4-0-1 from nine starts, including her victory in the Central Bank Ashland (G1) April 7 at Keeneland. That win preceded her seventh-place finish in the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Down.
The $117,600 winner's share of the Indiana Oaks purse elevated Defining Purpose's lifetime purse earnings to $673,788. The gray/roan filly, bred in Kentucky by Colette Marie Vantre, is out of the Strong Hope mare Defining Hope.
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