Search Results, the 9-5 favorite owned by Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables Inc., set moderate early fractions and led every step of the way in Saturday's 39th running of the $400,000 Locust Grove (G3) for fillies and mares at Churchill Downs on her way to a 3¼-length triumph over Hidden Connection.
Ridden by Tyler Gaffalione and trained by Chad Brown, Search Results went right to the front from post position No. 4 and rattled off fractions of :24.30, :48.16 and 1:11.83 with Hidden Connection in close pursuit to her outside. The reasonable early pace meant Search Results would have plenty left for the stretch run and she responded with the comfortable win – her first victory since winning the Grade 3Molly Pitcher at Monmouth Park in July 2022.
Search Result's clocking for 1 1/16 miles over a fast track was 1:42.40 – the fastest in 10 runnings of the Locust Grove over the surface and distance, eclipsing Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil's 2021 mark of 1:42.86.
“She ran a great race today,” Gaffalione said. “I just sort of inherited the lead and she settled really well. In the stretch when I asked her to quicken, I had a lot of horse beneath me.”
Search Results, a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Flatter out of the Candy Ride (ARG) mare Co Cola who was bred by Machmer Hall, returned $5.74 for the win. Misty Veil finished third, 4 ¼ lengths behind Hidden Connection.
Pauline's Pearl was fourth and was followed by Le Da Vida (CHI), A Mo Reay, Falconet, Soul of an Angel and Fannie and Freddie. Music Street and Royal Take Charge were scratched.
The victory was worth $238,560 to Search Results and increased her earnings to $1,903,810 with a record of 7-3-5 from 16 starts. This was her sixth stakes win and fifth against graded stakes company. She won the 2021 Acorn (GI) at age 3.
“We got Search Results in earlier this week from the New York string and she settled in well to her surroundings here,” said Josh Flores, who oversees Brown's Kentucky string at Churchill Downs. “She's very professional and ran a great race on the lead today. I'm not sure what will be next for her but we're very proud of the way she ran today.”
The Locust Grove is named after the 1790 Georgian mansion in Louisville that played home to ancestors of Churchill Downs founder Col. M. Lewis Clark.
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