Shedaresthedevil Denies All Challengers, Wins La Troienne

LOUISVILLE, KY – Flurry Racing Stables, Qatar Racing, and Big Aut Farms’ Shedaresthedevil denied all challengers in the stretch to win Friday’s $500,000 La Troienne Stakes Presented by Twinspires.com (G1) at Churchill Downs.

Hustled away from post 2 under Florent Geroux as the 8/5 favorite, Shedaresthedevil safely secured sole possession of the lead heading into the clubhouse turn before ticking off opening fractions in :23.99, :47.94, and 1:11.71.

At the top of the stretch, Shedaresthedevil dispatched of a pressing Bajan Girl and the 2/1 second choice Dunbar Road, who made a bold mid-turn move that she was unable to sustain once straightened.

Envoutante attempted to squeeze up the rail, but she too found the Brad Cox trainee too tough to reel in as Shedaresthedevil crossed a length clear, stopping the clock in 1:42.69 for the 1 1/16-mile fast dirt route.

“She has been training really well coming up to this,” Cox said. “She has a lot of fight and determination down the lane. She showed that again today down the lane. She’s now a Grade 1 winner at 4. We’ll target the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) and work our way back from that.”

Envoutante saved second by 2 lengths over Finite, herself a 1/2-length ahead of both Bajan Girl and Dunbar Road.

Paris Lights and Sanenus completed the order of finish.

Shedaresthedevil’s win was her fourth from as many starts at Churchill Downs including last September’s Kentucky Oaks (G1) and improved her overall record to 13-7-2-3. The 4-year-old Daredevil filly kicked off her 2021 campaign winning last month’s Azeri Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park and has now earned $1,807,318.

“She loves to race at Churchill; she showed it again today,” Geroux said. “They made me work hard for this. When we turned for home, she kept her head up and I could tell she was digging in. Those other fillies came to her, but she showed a lot of heart and a lot of grit and I knew she wasn’t going to let them by.”

Shedaresthedevil returned $5.40 to win, $3.40 to place, and $2.80 to show. Envoutante brought back $4.40 to place and $3.40 to show. Finite paid $4.80 to show.