Heavenly Sunday, who made her first career start on dirt after eight previous starts on turf, rolled past pacesetter Callie's Grit at the top of the stretch and widened her margin inside the final furlong to win Friday's off-the-turf $298,250 Mrs. Revere by five lengths over Beach Walkin.
Owned by William B. Harrigan's Miacomet Farm, Heavenly Sunday ran the 1 1/16 miles for 3-year-old fillies in 1:44.69 on a fast track. Florent Geroux rode the winner for trainer Brad Cox.
The field was reduced from 12 entries to nine starters when turf racing called off for the final three days of the Fall Meet after track officials were not satisfied with the turf course's condition.
The Mrs. Revere was carded a Grade 3 event but was downgraded to listed status pending a review by the American Graded Stakes Committee.
Heavenly Sunday banked the $178,800 first prize and rewarded her backers $4.82 for the win.
“She's always worked well on the dirt so we thought she'd handle things just fine,” Cox said. “When she started her career we put her on grass and because she did so well we've always kept her on it. She was impressive today and can give her another option moving forward on dirt.”
Breaking from post No. 9, Heavenly Sunday raced just off the tail of pacesetter Callie's Grit, who set fractions of :23.95, :48.81, and 1:13.32 during the early stages of the race. Heavenly Sunday pulled her way to the front leaving the final turn and drew away down the stretch while geared down late for the comfortable win.
“We sat a great trip,” Geroux said. “She's a pretty versatile filly with her running style. She worked like she would handle the dirt fine and did.”
Beach Walkin outfinished Make the Boys Wink by 1 ¼ lengths for second.
Callie's Grit, Neecie Marie, Safeen, Sabalenka, Financial Advice (FR), and Cha Cha Tap completed the order of finish. Hay Stack, Bling and Watch This Birdie were scratched.
The winner's share of the purse pushed Heavenly Sunday's earnings to $708,683 from a record of 4-2-2 in nine starts. Prior to the Mrs. Revere, Heavenly Sunday finished second to Surge Capacity in the Valley View (G3) at Keeneland on Oct. 27. Earlier this year, she won the Edgewood (G2) on the Kentucky Oaks (G1) undercard at Churchill Downs.
Heavenly Sunday is a dark bay or brown daughter of Candy Ride (ARG) out of the Giant's Causeway mare Alien Giant who and bred in Kentucky by Randal Family Trust.
The Mrs. Revere is named in honor of Mrs. Revere, an accomplished Churchill Downs fan favorite in the mid-1980s. Mrs. Revere won 12 races in 28 starts, finished second seven times and earned $429,545 for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. Her six wins in a dozen starts at Churchill Downs included stakes triumphs in the Regret, Dogwood and Edgewood in 1984 and the Kentucky Cardinal in 1985. She was owned by Dr. Hiram Polk and the late Dr. David Richardson, who have provided the winner's trophy for the Mrs. Revere in each year of its existence.
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