Camelot Kitten Takes G3 Pennine Ridge in Thrilling Finish

ELMONT, N.Y. –  Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Camelot Kitten finished the longest race of his career with a late surge for a victory by a neck in Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Pennine Ridge for 3-year-olds on the inner turf at Belmont Park.

The Chad Brown-trained Camelot Kitten hit the wire in 1:46.41, just ahead of Highland Sky and stablemate Call Provision, for 1 1/8 miles to register his second consecutive graded stakes victory and third win in six career starts.

“Camelot Kitten ran great,” Brown said. “He got a terrific trip on the inside saving all the ground. [Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.] worked out a beautiful trip with the horse. He’s now 2-for-2 with blinkers and he’s a horse that’s starting to figure it all out.”

Camelot Kitten improved to 3-2-0 in his career with all of his starts coming on turf. He returned $5.80 for a $2 win wager.

“I got a perfect trip, I can’t complain,” Ortiz said. “I broke out of there and saved some ground. He kicked from the three-eighths pole, he was there when I asked. He’s a nice horse, he does everything you ask. It’s easier when you ride those kind of horses.”

Toughest ‘Ombre, trained by Thomas Albertrani, went off at 99-1 but started strong from post position 9 to lead at the quarter, half and three-quarter mile marks, setting fractions of 23:02, 47.90 and 1:16.47.

But Camelot Kitten tracked the pace from the inside and made a move at the three-eighths pole to pass Highland Sky. Call Provision, who finished in the money in his second career start and first in a graded stakes race, went six-wide at the quarter pole before losing out on second by a nose.

“Call Provision ran great,” Brown said. “At certain points of the race I loved him. When they were going for home I thought he had nothing, and then when he felt Camelot Kitten come through, Jose [Ortiz] told me he reengaged on the bit and ran again.”

Toughest ‘Ombre was fourth in his graded stakes debut. Hammers Vision, Dressed in Hermes, Converge, Azar, Kismet’s Heels and Noble Quality completed the order of finish.

Four of the 10 starters – Camelot Kitten, Azar, Dressed in Hermes and Converge – competed in May in the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs.

NYRA