LEXINGTON, KY – Trainer Richard Baltas’ Gas Station Sushi rounded the far corner five-wide, rallied down the stretch, and held sway to take Sunday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Beaumont Stakes Presented by Keeneland Select at Keeneland.
Breaking a bit poorly from post 5 under Corey Nakatani, Gas Station Sushi sat in mid-pack while Uppercut and Dream It Is dueled up front through fractions of :22.50 and :45.41. Waiting for running room near the 5/16 pole, Gas Station Sushi had to dance back and forth over the dirt before finding running room. Once she found open space, she took off down the lane, passing the pacesetters before holding off a fast-closing Kelly’s Humor to take the 7-furlong event by 1 1/2 lengths in a final time of 1:26.77.
“She’s a special filly,” Nakatani said. “She didn’t get away great. I was trying to sit in and be patient with her. I have such high (regard for) her. I think she can do anything, and she proved today she can overcome adversity and put in her run.”
Uppercut tried hard to hold on in the late stages before being passed but managed to hold on for third, a neck past Happy Like a Fool. Dream It Is faded to fifth, a 1/2-length ahead of Upset Brewing, with In the Mood, Sunny Skies, and Summer Sunday completing the order of finish.
The Beaumont is part of the Road to the 2018 Kentucky Oaks prep race season. Gas Station Sushi earned 10 points for the win, with Kelly’s Humor receiving 4 for second, Uppercut 2 for third, and Happy Like a Fool 1 for fourth.
Gas Station Sushi’s win came in her first start since her maiden-breaking debut at Del Mar on August 6 and increased her career bankroll to $126,000. The daughter of Into Mischief is owned by a partnership between Riley Racing Stables, Jason Tackitt, Megan Tackitt, and Mike Hensen.
“I think it was key,” said David Meah, assistant to Baltas. “It helped that she got a good feel of it and she (was) quite confident having a go over it.”
Gas Station Sushi returned $6.20 to win, $4.80 to place, and $3.80 to show. Kelly’s Humor brought back $9.60 to place and $5.80 to show, while Uppercut paid $4.40 to show.
