Getting a heads-up ride from Flavien Prat, Lael Stable's French-bred Chez Pierre got the early jump on reigning male turf champion and odds-on favorite Modern Games, then cruised to a 3 1/2-length win in Friday's Grade 1, $518,575 Maker's Mark Mile Stakes at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky.
Trained by Arnaud Delacour, the 5-year-old gelding by Mehmas was forwardly placed throughout and was never threatened down the stretch, covering the one-mile distance on firm turf in a stakes record 1:33.46.
Godolphin's Modern Games, an Irish-bred who was unbeaten in three North American starts – all Grade 1 races, including last year's Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland – finished second. Up to the Mark finished a nose back in third, and he was followed by Cabo Spirit, Speaking Scout, Dr Zempf, Emmanuel, and In Love.
Sent off the fourth betting choice in the field of eight older male turf runners, Chez Pierre returned $20.84 on a $2 bet.
Breaking from the three post position, Chez Pierre led through a :23.67 opening quarter mile, but was overtaken down the backstretch by an overeager Dr Zempf, who clicked off fractions of :47.66 for the half and 1:10.80 for six furlongs.
Modern Games, making his first start since the Breeders' Cup for trainer Charles Appleby, was relaxed early while in fourth, but had more than seven lengths to make up when jockey William Buick put him to a drive approaching the far turn.
Chez Pierre easily dispatched a tiring Dr Zempf entering the stretch, opened up two lengths after seven furlongs in 1:21.91 and strode to the wire impressively while record his first graded or group stakes win.
“He broke well,” said Prat. “I talked with Arnaud that we could find ourselves on the lead, which happened. But he wasn't really comfortable. He was looking around, and when that horse (Dr Zempf) down the backside made a move, it actually helped me a lot because then I had a target and he was able to settle down and get in a good rhythm. Turning for home I tipped him out and he really accelerated well.”
Chez Pierre has now won six of seven starts in a career that began with two races at two and one race at three in France, and two starts in 2022 in North America for Delacour, including a victory in the Henry Clark Stakes at Laurel last April. He made his 2023 debut with a sixth-place finish in the G3 Tampa Bay Stakes won by Emmanuel, one of his rivals in the Maker's Mark Mile.
“He was way more relaxed today (than in the Tampa Bay Stakes,” said Delacour. “He was probably a little too fresh coming back. As I said, he needed the race and he was too aggressive, did too much. I think he moved forward after the race just because of his fitness.
“I think now that he's running, the most difficult part has been done,” Delacour added. “So we're just going to do maintenance breezes and map out a summer with him. Obviously it seems he likes the firm turf – today was perfect to his liking – so we will try to spot him in races on firm turf.”
Neither Buick nor Appleby offered any excuses for Modern Games.
“He had a good trip,” said Buick. “The winner went well. I was under pressure a little bit earlier than I thought I would be. The pace was even. I'm sure he will improve from this run. I was closing, but I was under pressure quite soon.”
” think we had a bit of ground to make up there unfortunately,” said Appleby. “He's run well enough, but he just got a bit detached in there.”
Love Reigns Keys Ward Exacta In FanDuel Limestone
In the $208,188 FanDuel Limestone earlier in the card, Love Reigns overcame a tough trip in the stretch to run down stablemate Lady Hollywood in the final 20 yards to notch her second stakes victory.
Trained by Wesley Ward and ridden by Joel Rosario, Love Reigns covered 5 1/2 furlongs on a firm turf course in 1:02.45. It is the second victory in the race for both with Ward winning last year with Ruthin (GB) and Rosario riding Ginger Nut (IRE) to victory in 2019.
Accomplished Girl led the field through fractions of :21.49 and :44.50 as Love Reigns had a ground-saving trip while racing in midpack.
In the upper stretch, Love Reigns was bottled up behind horses and had to check. By midstretch, Rosario found a seam along the rail and dived to the inside only to swing out again to challenge Accomplished Girl.
Meanwhile, John Velazquez had a clear run on the outside on Lady Hollywood, who surged to the front at the eighth pole. Love Reigns altered course again back to the inside and finished full of run to grab the victory. My Sweet Affair finished third.
Love Reigns is an Irish-bred daughter of U S Navy Flag out of the Pivotal mare Humble and Proud. The victory was worth $114,700 and increased Love Reigns' earnings to $242,065 with a record of 5-3-0-0.
Both Love Reigns and Lady Hollywood were making their 2023 debuts for Ward after closing 2022 by finishing eighth and fifth, respectively, in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1) here in November.
Love Reigns returned $7.38 as the favorite.
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