Kallio Kicks Clear in Cardinal

LOUISVILLE, KY – Jockey Tyler Gaffalione took home both Thanksgiving stakes at Churchill Downs on Thursday after his steed Kallio kicked clear to win the $175,000 Cardinal Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs.

Dismissed at 14/1 odds as she broke from post 2 under Gaffalione, Kallio took back and settled along the inside near the rear. Up front, Limari ran off to a considerable early lead while posting fractions of :24.58, :50.02, and 1:15.87 through the first 6 furlongs.

Midway through the far turn, Gaffalione tipped Kallio out and began navigating her through traffic. Running wide at the top of the stretch, Kallio followed the 1/2 favorite Starship Jubilee as that foe swept to the lead.

Collaring the bettors’ choice at the 1/8 pole, Kallio continued kicking away strongly in the stretch for her first graded score. The Brendan Walsh trainee crossed 3 lengths clear in a final time of 1:55.07 for the 1 1/8-mile event over the yielding turf course.

“She’s seemed to run everywhere this year and keeps performing well,” said Gaffalione, who also won the Falls City Handicap (G2) earlier on the card. “I think she’s continuing to improve with age and she really stayed into the bit today. We were cruising in the stretch.”

While no match for the winner in the stretch, Starship Jubilee was 1 3/4 lengths ahead of English Soul for second. Stave took fourth over Smart Shot, while Tweety Show did her best moving late to finish past a fading Limari. Area, Maroubra, Notapradaprice, and Cash Out completed the order of finish. Smart Emma was a trainer scratch.

Kallio’s win was her second at the stakes level after taking the Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Turf Stakes at Ellis Park in August. The 4-year-old daughter of Scat Daddy improved her record to 16-4-2-3 with $336,095 earned for co-owners Madaket Stables, Tim Cambron, Anna Cambron, and Bradley Thoroughbreds.

“She’s a bit of a difficult filly,” Walsh said. “She’s sometimes not always there mentally, but when she puts things together, she runs very well. She had a good setup today and seemed to have really relished the ground. She’s getting better with age.”

Kallio returned $31.20 to win, $7.20 to place, and $5.80 to show. Starship Jubilee brought back $3.20 to place and $2.80 to show, while English Soul paid $10.60 to show.