The first Grade I race of the year for 3-year-old fillies, the Ashland is contested at 1 1/16 miles, the same distance as the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, but it marked the first time Leslie's Rose has been asked to go that distance. She will aim to join Monomoy Girl (Tapizar, 2018) and Malathaat (Curlin, 2021) as the third Ashland winner in seven years to also take the Kentucky Oaks. Like Malathaat, Leslie's Rose is trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher.

When the gates flew in the Ashland, last-out Ruthless S. winner Halina's Forte (Mitole) emerged from the early fray with the first calls, stopping the clock in :24.35 for the first quarter and :48.27 for the first half. Impel kept her company while parked just off her flank as Leslie's Rose tracked from a joint third. As the tempo quickened on the final turn, Impel dispensed with Halina's Forte to take command as five of the eight fanned out entering the lane. It briefly appeared to be anyone's race until Leslie's Rose tipped out to go around Impel and, despite drifting slightly, powered down the stretch a much-the-best, three-length winner. Just F Y I overhauled Impel late in her first start since the Breeders' Cup after scratching with a fever from the Mar. 2 GII Davona Dale S., the same race where Leslie's Rose suffered her first career loss with a third-place finish as the favorite in her first stakes try.

“We didn't lose any confidence in her. She didn't have a great trip that day,” said Pletcher about the lead up to the Ashland in the Davona Dale for Leslie's Rose. “I think she got a good education. It was the first time she'd been in that scenario. You could see turning for home [jockey] Irad [Ortiz, Jr.] had an opportunity to go into a tight spot, and she just wasn't experienced enough to do that at that time. But we weren't down on her, she came back, she breezed beautifully, so we said, 'Let's just stick to the game plan' and I'm glad we did.”

Pletcher had given Leslie's Rose, a $1.15-million Keeneland September purchase by Mandy Pope, her early education in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight at Aqueduct last November, a good two weeks after Just F Y I had already sewn up the divisional championship. The bay led every step of the way for a 9 1/4-length victory that netted the 'Rising Star' tag and an 87 Beyer Speed Figure. She reappeared at Gulfstream in January with another easy win and an 88 Beyer before evening out in the Davona Dale.

After the Ashland, Pletcher added: “She's always been a high-quality filly. She's always trained like she wants to run longer and I think she proved that today, getting the opportunity to go two turns and finishing with good energy. So, fingers crossed [heading into the Kentucky Oaks].”

Meanwhile, trainer Bill Mott was not discouraged by Just F Y I's first career defeat. “We didn't win but our second main objective was to get a race in her and have her ready for the next one,” he said. “So I am not totally disappointed. She got beat, but I can give some reasons for that. The Kentucky Oaks has been the plan all along, so I see no reason not to do that.”

The Oaks will be run Friday, May 3, exactly four weeks after the Ashland.

Pedigree Notes:

Not too many major races go by without some sort of impact made by Into Mischief, who is on a five-year reign as the leading sire in North America. Leslie's Rose is the newest Grade I winner for the Spendthrift kingpin, who has 21 of his 70 graded winners at the highest level, as well as 147 black-type winners worldwide. The Ashland winner does mark Into Mischief's first stakes winner out of a Galileo (Ire) mare, somewhat remarkable as that exceptional late sire has 323 stakes winners out of his daughters and the mating on paper alone represents the old adage of breeding the best to the best. More unusually, Leslie's Rose is inbred 4×5, on top and bottom, to Clever Trick. That one's son Tricky Creek is damsire of Into Mischief, while his son Phone Trick is damsire of Leslie's Rose's granddam Wildwood Flower.

Leslie's Rose is a third generation John D. Gunther-bred, who partnered with Eurowest Bloodstock Services for her mating. Her dam, Gunther's unraced Wildwood Rose (Ire), came to American shores as a 2-year-old in 2018. Gunther may have sold Leslie's Rose, but he has retained the mare's juvenile filly, named Divine Rose (Good Magic), and he also has a two-week-old filly out of the mare by Not This Time. Wildwood Rose's dam, SW & MGSP Wildwood Flower, produced 2015 GI Florida Derby winner Materiality (Afleet Alex) and 2014 GII Gazelle S. winner and GI Kentucky Oaks runner-up My Miss Sophia (Unbridled's Song). The latter produced 2022 GI Coolmore Turf Mile S. winner Annapolis (War Front), while the extended family includes 2010 GI Travers S. winner Afleet Express (Afleet Alex) and 2015 GI Alabama S. winner Embellish the Lace (Super Saver).

#3 LESLIE'S ROSE ($20.90) blossoms in @keenelandracing's $600,000 G1 Ashland Stakes!

This is the first stakes victory for the @whisper_hill runner, who was ridden by @iradortiz for trainer @PletcherRacing. Congratulations to the connections! pic.twitter.com/EnxV2YAxn2

— TVG (@TVG) April 5, 2024

Friday, Keeneland
CENTRAL BANK ASHLAND S.-GI, $598,750, Keeneland, 4-5, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:43.85, ft.
1–LESLIE'S ROSE, 121, f, 3, by Into Mischief
           1st Dam: Wildwood Rose (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
           2nd Dam: Wildwood Flower, by Langfuhr
           3rd Dam: Dial a Trick, by Phone Trick
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. 'TDN Rising Star'. ($1,150,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP).O-Whisper Hill Farm, LLC; B-John D. Gunther & Eurowest Bloodstock Services (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr.. $358,050. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-1, $467,800. Werk Nick Rating: C. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Just F Y I, 121, f, 3, by Justify
           1st Dam: Star Act (SP, $147,605), by Street Cry (Ire)
           2nd Dam: Starrer, by Dynaformer
           3rd Dam: To the Hunt, by Relaunch
O/B-George Krikorian (KY); T-William I. Mott. $115,500.
3–Impel, 121, f, 3, by Quality Road
           1st Dam: Your Love (SW & GSP, $335,000), by Flatter
           2nd Dam: Queen of America, by Quiet American
           3rd Dam: Our Dear Ruth, by Baldski
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. 'TDN Rising Star'. O/B-Juddmonte (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $57,750.
Margins: 3, 3/4, 1 1/4. Odds: 9.45, 4.63, 2.02.
Also Ran: Candied, Standoutsensation, Shimmering Allure, Jody's Pride, Halina's Forte.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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The heavily favored #2 LESLIE'S ROSE ($2.40) turned back Gun Song to keep her record a perfect two-for-two in the 6th at Gulfstream.

Irad Ortiz was in the irons for trainer @PletcherRacing and @whisper_hill. pic.twitter.com/M89WLCCMuC

— TVG (@TVG) January 11, 2024

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Following his racing career, Eye of the Tiger stood at John Gunther's Glennwood Farm in Versailles, Ky. until he was pensioned and retired to Old Friends in 2016.

“Eye of the Tiger was the Garbo of Old Friends,” said Michael Blowen at Old Friends. “Give me what I need and get lost. Handsome, self-reliant, and, now, missed.”

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@keenelandsales September: JUSTIFY's half-brother, a Curlin colt (Hip 60) consigned by Glennwood Farm, brings the hammer down at $1.2 million – sold to Hideyuki Mori! pic.twitter.com/3GRw82Uhwt

— TDN (@theTDN) September 12, 2022

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Sunday, July 17, 2022
1st-FKS, ¥9,900,000 ($71k), Maiden, 2yo, 1150m
ADVANCE PHAROAH (c, 2, American Pharoah–Fair Huntress, by Tiznow) turned in a promising debut when runner-up going seven furlongs at Tokyo June 19 (see below, SC 12) and has every right to improve for the effort. A $140,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase by trainer Hideyuki Mori, the chestnut is out of an unraced half-sister to Grade III winner Devil By Design (Medaglia d'Oro), the dam of GI American Oaks winner Competitionofideas (Speightstown), who was purchased by Shadai Farm for $1.3 million at Fasig-Tipton November in 2020. B-John D Gunther & American Pharoah Syndicate (KY)

3rd-KOK, ¥9,900,000 ($71k), Maiden, 2yo, 1000m
ART PEPPER (c, 2, Frosted–Tim's Girl, by Broken Vow) appeared not to handle the turf when finishing well down the field on career debut June 12 and connections will be hoping a switch to the main track will do the trick here. Purchased by Mori for $150,000 at KEESEP last fall, the gray is out of a daughter of the stakes-winning Rich Find (Exploit), whose daughter Heavenly Hellos (Overanalyze) recently took out the Horseshoe Indianapolis S. Rich Find was also responsible for Grade I-placed juvenile filly Broken Spell (Broken Vow), herself the dam of SW Lord Dragon (Oxbow). This is also the extended family of Eight Belles (Unbridled's Song). B-Lemon's Mill LLC (KY)

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Prior to winning Saturday's Saranac by one length, Public Sector scored by the same margin in the one-mile Grade 2 Hall of Fame on August 6 at the Spa.

“He came out of it in good shape. He continues to develop,” Brown said. “To win two stakes at the meet for a 3-year-old is impressive. I'm very pleased with how far this horse has come along this year.”

Brown also saddled Technical Analysis, a fellow Klaravich Stables color-bearer, to dual graded stakes victories this meet in capturing the Grade 3 Lake George on July 23 and the Grade 2 Lake Placid on August 21.

“Winning two stakes at Saratoga is hard to do. They both have developed as well as they could,” Brown said.

With the Saranac in the rearview mirror, Brown said he will now likely point Public Sector toward the nine-furlong $400,000 Grade 1 Hollywood Derby on November 27 at Del Mar.

“I've had a lot of horses that at four have stretched out effectively,” Brown said. “These horses look like horses that will. How far and when I'm not sure, but we'll slowly get them out a little further over time.”

Both Public Sector and Technical Analysis are by 2014 Cartier Horse of the Year Kingman, whose three stakes winners this meet were all conditioned by Brown.

“Luckily, we were in on the first crop, we believed in the horse. We thought he had tremendous potential. Of course, not knowing what a first crop will do, but he's really developed into one of the top sires in the world,” Brown said. “We've been buying along each crop and supporting the horse. We believe in him and hopefully, we'll be able to still get our hands on some. They are really straightforward and honest horses to train, they should a great turn of foot in the mornings. They're sound horses.”

Brown also has the Hollywood Derby in mind for Peter Brant's Sifting Sands, who won the Better Talk Now on August 29 at one mile over the inner turf.

“I think it's a race that will fit him later in the year,” Brown said. “I plan on running him [and Public Sector] one time beforehand. He's a well-bred and well-meant horse and if he can target that, it's an important race that could make him a stallion at some point.”

Brown visited the winner's circle on Friday with Shadwell Stable's Emaraaty, who picked up a fourth lifetime win, besting an allowance optional claiming field on September 3 going one mile over the inner turf. The son of Dubawi arose from a five-month respite to produce a 95 Beyer. He ran the same figure in his first start for Brown in July 2019, which came off a year-long layoff.

“He's been a little frustrating to keep in a normal training routine of racing and he's a difficult horse to train, but I was really proud of how he ran the other day,” Brown said. “He's back in form now. He's got some age on him now, but he showed he can still do it. I'm hoping to get in a stake next time, but I'm not sure where.”

On Saturday, Brown saddled Pipeline to a maiden special weight triumph at fourth asking. Owned by John D. Gunther and Eurowest Bloodstock, the sophomore son of Speightstown cut back to seven furlongs on the main track after finishing a close second going nine furlongs on July 28, coming up a head shy of victory to next-out winner Vindictive.

Brown said adding blinkers to Pipeline has made all the difference.

“He's been one of my real pleasant surprises of the summer. We liked him, he trained really well but ran not too good in his first two starts. I was sort of lost with him,” Brown said. “Thankfully, we put some blinkers on him and he did a turnaround. With a little bit of racing experience in blinkers, he way exceeded my expectations from his first two races and what I was starting to think about him. He's an example of turning a second into a win later. He obviously got beat by a really good horse [Vindictive] who came back and won. I'm happy to have a nice late-blooming 3-year-old dirt horse going into the fall when some of these other horses might be tired now.”

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It was the second win from three starts for the John Gunther-owned homebred, and trainer Chad Brown told the Daily Racing Form that Stage Raider could be pointed to the G3 Dwyer Stakes on July 5 at Belmont for his graded stakes debut.

“The time wasn't going to turn any heads,” Brown told DRF of the allowance win. “He got a good education out of it, being down inside and going up the rail. Sometimes these kinds of horses that still need a little bit of seasoning, that's the most important part of running in these races, to get more experience.”

Read more at the Daily Racing Form.

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Defeated in his first outing on Jan. 23 at Gulfstream Park by the highly-regarded Prevalence, Stage Raider is trained by Chad Brown and was ridden Saturday by reigning champion jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr.

Stage Raider is out of the 2018 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Stage Magic, a Ghostzapper mare who is the dam of three winners from four foals to race.

Stage Magic's star offspring is Justify, a son of Scat Daddy who went undefeated in six career starts, winning on debut, then taking an optional claiming race and the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby before sweeping the Triple Crown. He finished the year earning Eclipse Award honors as champion 3-year-old male and Horse of the Year.

Justify now stands at Ashford Stud in Versailles, Ky., where his first foals will be yearlings of 2021.

The mare has also produced The Lieutenant, a Grade 3-winning son of Street Sense who stood one Northern Hemisphere season in New York, but was killed during a raid at Haras Barlovento in Peru while standing the 2019 Southern Hemisphere breeding season. His first foals are also yearlings.

Stage Raider was offered at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale by the Glennwood Farm consignment, but the Gunther family elected to hold on to the colt, after he hammered below his reserve with a final bid of $950,000.

Stage Raider!! latest @theTDN rising star is by a Triple Crown producer ( Pioneer Of The Nile), out of a Triple Crown producer ( Stage Magic).

— john d gunther (@johndgunther) April 11, 2021

WATCH → (7) Stage Raider much the best in #Race11 over (11) Harvard and (9) Cronus! pic.twitter.com/OL0wfxVRba

— Keeneland Racing (@keenelandracing) April 10, 2021

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Fellow Gunther homebred Stage Magic's first foal was the ill-fated GSW The Lieutenant. Her second foal Holiday Music (Harlan's Holiday) was privately purchased by Jane Lyon's Summer Wind Farm prior too Justify's Triple Crown sweep to begin her new career as a broodmare. Third time was certainly a charm for Stage Magic was two-time Eclipse winner Justify was foal number three and he was followed by Egyptian Storm (Pioneerof the Nile), who was purchased by David Ingordo for $750,000 carrying her first foal by Quality Road at the 2019 FTKNOV sale. Her 4-year-old colt One More City (Will Take Charge) RNA'd for $1.75 million just months after Justify's retirement and is still unraced. Stage Raider was also a big RNA, leaving the ring unsold at $950,000. Stage Magic lost her Quality Road foal in 2019, but had a Curlin filly in 2020 and was bred back to that Hill 'n' Dale stallion.

11th-Keeneland, $79,000, Msw, 4-10, 3yo, 7f, 1:22.62, sy,

10 3/4 lengths.

STAGE RAIDER (c, 3, Pioneerof the Nile–Stage Magic {Broodmare Of The Year, GSP, $133,981}, by Ghostzapper) Sales history: $950,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, $55,570. O/B-John D. Gunther (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. *1/2 to The Lieutenant (Street Sense), GSW, $345,882; and to Justify (Scat Daddy), Triple Crown, Horse Of The Year, Ch. 3-year-old Colt, MGISW, $3,798,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree or the VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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