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Bonny South Headlines Falls City

Juddmonte homebred Bonny South (Munnings) gets the 9-5 morning-line nod for Thursday's GII Falls City S. at Churchill Downs. The chestnut kicked off her 4-year-old campaign with a close decision over Royal Flag (Candy Ride {Arg}) in Keeneland's GIII Doubledogdare S. in April, but had to deal with the buzzsaw that is likely champion older mare Letruska (Super Saver) in three of her next four. Second behind that formidable foe and ahead of MGISW stablemate Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) in the GI Ogden Phipps S. at Belmont in June, she was a no-show fifth at 1-2 in the GII Delaware H. over 10 panels July 10, but bounced back to run Letruska to a half length in Saratoga's Aug. 28 GI Personal Ensign S., defeating the likes of Royal Flag, GI Breeders' Cup Distaff runner-up Dunbar Road (Quality Road) and champion Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil). Bonny South was last seen finishing third to Letruska and Shedaresthedevil in the GI Juddmonte Spinster S. at Keeneland Oct. 10–Crystal Ball (Malibu Moon) and Envoutante (Uncle Mo) were fourth and fifth in that spot respectively. Also stepping out of Grade I company is Army Wife (Declaration of War), who is cross-entered against fellow 3-year-olds for Friday's GIII Comely S. at Aqueduct. A clear-cut winner of the GII Black-Eyed Susan S. and GIII Iowa Oaks earlier this year, the Mike Maker trainee was third in both the GI Alabama S. at Saratoga Aug. 21 and GI Cotillion S. at Parx Sept. 25.

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Bonny South, Envoutante Headline Field of Seven For Thanksgiving Day’s Falls City

Juddmonte's multiple graded stakes-winning filly Bonny South headlines a competitive field of seven fillies and mares that entered the 106th running of the $500,000 Grade 2 Falls City, the centerpiece on the 12-race Thanksgiving Day program at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

The Thanksgiving Day card at Churchill Downs has been a Louisville tradition since 1969. There are more than 7,000 turkey dinners scheduled to be served by executive chef Dave Danielson and his team. First post is 11:30 a.m. (all times Eastern) and the 1 1/8-mile Falls City will go as Race 11 at 4:22 p.m.

Trained by Brad Cox, Bonny South bypassed the G1 Breeders' Cup Distaff at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif., Nov. 6 and stayed at Churchill Downs for the Falls City. The 4-year-old daughter of Munnings finished third in the $500,000 G1 Spinster to multiple G1 winner Letruska. Prior to her Spinster effort, Bonny South nearly defeated Letruska in the $600,000 G1 Personal Ensign at Saratoga but came up a half-length short. Bonny South finished second in last year's Falls City as the 4-5 favorite to Three Chimneys Farm and Walking L. Thoroughbreds' Envoutante. Bonny South will be ridden in the Falls City by Florent Geroux from post No. 6.

Envoutante is slated to defend her title in the Falls City. The 4-year-old filly by Uncle Mo won the $150,000 Shawnee Stakes at Churchill Downs in late May. Following her 4 ¼-length victory, the Kenny McPeek trainee had back-to-back third-place finishes to Letruska in the $300,000 G2 Fleur de Lis and Shedaresthedevil in the $400,000 G3 Locust Grove. In her most recent start, Envoutante finished fifth in the Spinster. McPeek's go-to rider Brian Hernandez Jr. will be in the saddle from post 4.

The Falls City field also includes Three Diamonds Farm's $1 million G1 Cotillion third-place finisher Army Wife; Lothenbach Stable's recent seven-length allowance winner Audrey's Time; owner/trainer Ignacio Correas IV's five-time winner Cheetara (CHI); WinStar Stablemates Racing's Locust Grove runner-up Crystal Ball; and G. Watts Humphrey Jr.'s four-time Churchill Downs winner High Regard.

Here is the Falls City field from the rail out (with jockey and trainer): Crystal Ball (Tyler Gaffalione, Rodolphe Brisset); Cheetara (CHI) (Julien Leparoux, Ignacio Correas); High Regard (Rafael Bejarano, Vicki Oliver); Envoutante (Hernandez, McPeek); Army Wife (Joel Rosario, Mike Maker); Bonny South (Geroux, Cox); and Audrey's Time (Corey Lanerie, Neil Pessin).

Wagering is available online at www.TwinSpires.com, the official ADW of Churchill Downs Incorporated.

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Letruska Tough to Beat in Spinster

With the retirement of both Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) and Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil), Letruska (Super Saver) stands head and shoulders above the older mare division and is currently ranked second behind only Knicks Go (Paynter) among all runners in the country on the latest NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll. She'll look to put her raw brilliance on display over her home track Sunday in Keeneland's GI Juddmonte Spinster S., a “Win and You're In” qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff.

The powerful 5-year-old bay beat both Monomoy Girl and Swiss Skydiver fair and square in the GI Apple Blossom H. in April when she started a four-race graded win streak that included the Aug. 28 GI Personal Ensign S. in her last out. She's been training like a beast, bulleting in eight of her last nine works, including in her most recent five-panel move at Keeneland Oct. 2 in :59 flat (1/55). She does her best work from the lead, then simply runs her competition off their feet. The former Mexican star has now won seven graded stakes in the U.S., including her last two at the Spinster's nine-furlong distance and three Grade Is. Letruksa is a head shy of being unbeaten on the year in six starts and has already won three”Win and You're In” races this season. She'll look to make it four in the Spinster.

Of the competition, Bonny South (Munnings) gave Letruska a scare in the Personal Ensign, getting within a half-length when she unleashed a strong closing kick. The blaze-faced chestnut also finished behind the likely champ in the GI Ogden Phipps S. Bonny South has just one win on the year, but it was here at Keeneland in the GIII Doubledogdare S. during the Spring Meet, so the track won't be an issue.

Grade I winner Dunbar Road (Quality Road) hasn't won this year, but she got a 100 Beyer when fourth behind Letruska in the Personal Ensign and shipped in from Belmont when she could have stayed at the same distance–albeit over one turn–in Sunday's GII Beldame S. Multiple graded winner Envoutante (Uncle Mo) and listed winner Crystal Ball (Malibu Moon) are both Grade I-placed, but each would need a career-best effort to come close to Letruska.

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Royal Flag Drives Late To Take Shuvee At Saratoga

Second to Letruska in the 2020 edition, Royal Flag came flying late to take the Grade 3 Shuvee at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. The Chad Brown trainee capitalized on a steady early pace, sprinting by Horologist and Crystal Ball in the race's final strides to win by three-quarters of a length.

Breaking from the outside post in a field of seven, Joel Rosario settled Royal Flag at the back of the field around the first turn and into the backstretch as Horologist set early fractions of :23.35 for the first quarter and :47.01 for the half-mile. Trained by Bill Mott, Horologist looked like she might take the field wire to wire as she kept the lead around the final turn into the stretch.

Behind her, Royal Flag was twelve lengths back, Rosario steadying his mare after going wide around the final turn. Down the Saratoga straight, Horologist still led by a half-length, with Gold Spirit, Crystal Ball, and Dunbar Road in pursuit, Royal Flag driving down the center of the track. Will Farish's 5-year-old mare was the fastest of them all in the end, passing Horologist and Crystal Ball to take the G3 Shuvee. The final time for the 1 1/8 miles was 1:49.42.

Find this race's chart here.

Royal Flag paid $5.30, $3.10, and $2.40. Horologist paid $5.10 and $3.40. Crystal Ball paid $3.40 to show.

“She was able to get up in time. She was quite far back turning for home. I was very proud of her effort. She showed that she has a lot of heart. She might not have run a lot of times in her career, but every time she shows up.” Trainer Chad Brown said after the race. “I don't know if she likes time in between races or something always happens that requires us to give her time. This is her last season racing so hopefully we can give her a more consistent campaign now and get a few starts into her before she's retired.”

“Chad told me that to stay out was probably the best. I was just following his other horse [Dunbar Road]. I just wanted to have a clean run when I started moving.” Joel Rosario told the NYRA Communications Office after the G3 Shuvee. “When she started moving in the last turn and then with the stride that she has; I was not even asking for everything yet, so I felt she was going to run really big.”

Bred and owned by Will Farish, Royal Flag is by Candy Ride out of the Mineshaft mare Sea Gull. In her second start of 2021, the 5-year-old mare gets her first win of the year after finishing second to Bonny South in the Grade 3 Doubledogdare at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., on April 16. With her Shuvee win, the daughter of Candy Ride has five wins in ten lifetime starts for career earnings of $375,520.

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