Sun Path (Munnings) was heavily favored at 1-5 to improve off a good-looking maiden breaker last time and ran to the money with an ultra-impressive victory at Fair Grounds Friday. The Juddmonte homebred stalked from second, keeping a close eye as Rock Star Parking (Upstart) clicked off opening splits of :24.05 and :47.72. Taking control at the three-eighths pole, the chestnut ran with her head cocked to the right as she ran on the wrong lead in early stretch. Once she swapped leads midway down the lane, Sun Path took off, charging clear of her three foes to win as she pleased by 12 3/4 lengths. Runner-up in her six-panel unveiling at Keeneland Oct. 2, the Brad Cox trainee overcame a slow start to graduate by three lengths next out in a seven-panel event at Churchill Downs Nov. 8.
Sun Path is a full-sister to this year’s GII Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks victress and GI Alabama S. runner-up Bonny South, who also carries the Juddmonte colors and resides in the Cox shedrow. Their dam Touch the Star is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Etoile Montante (Miswaki), who is the dam of MGSW Starformer (Dynaformer). This is also the family of MGISWs Tates Creek (Rahy) and Sightseek (Distant View); European champion Special Duty (GB) (Hennessy); GI Breeders’ Cup Mile hero Expert Eye (GB) (Acclamation {GB}); and GIII Peter Pan S. victor Country Grammar (Tonalist).
8th-Fair Grounds, $46,560, Alw, 12-18, (NW2L), 2yo, f, 1m 70y, 1:42.95, ft, 12 3/4 lengths.
SUN PATH, f, 2, by Munnings
1st Dam: Touch the Star, by Tapit
2nd Dam: Willstar, by Nureyev
3rd Dam: Nijinsky Star, by Nijinsky II
Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $91,892. O-Juddmonte Farms, Inc.; B-Juddmonte Farms Inc (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. *Full to Bonny South, GSW & GISP, $532,150. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree, or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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