LOUISVILLE, KY – Jockey Tyler Gaffalione piloted a perfect trip aboard Sather Family’s homebred Mylady Curlin, who won her sixth of the year in Thursday’s $300,000 Falls City Handicap (G2) at Churchill Downs.
Breaking from post 3 as the 5/2 favorite, Mylady Curlin settled into mid-pack along the rail-drawn Moonlit Garden, her Brad Cox stablemate. Up ahead, Ratajkowski led into the clubhouse turn before posting opening fractions of :23.84, :47.60, and 1:12.24.
Given the green light heading into the far turn, Mylady Curlin quickly advanced past Moonlit Garden and the fading stalker Princess Causeway before tipping out three-wide at the top of the stretch. With 2 furlongs remaining, the bettors’ choice sidled past new leader Go Google Yourself, then drew clear late. Mylady Curlin crossed 2 1/4 lengths the best in a final time of 1:50.11 for the 1 1/8-mile event over the fast main track.
“She was a really fun ride this afternoon,” Gaffalione said after his first trip on the Cox trainee. “She was sitting in a perfect spot the entire race and was cruising comfortably the entire time. She seemed to really handle the distance well and responded very well when I asked her for her best run.”
Despite getting caught late, Go Google Yourself was 3 1/2 lengths clear of Moonlit Garden in third. Ratajkowski faded to just neck out fourth ahead of Over Thinking. Completing the order of finish came Vevina, the dead-heating duo of Sally’s Curlin and Princess Causeway in seventh, and Grandaria.
Mylady Curlin’s win was her second at the graded level and improved her record to 15-8-3-2 with $718,063 earned. The 4-year-old daughter of Curlin was stretching back out to 1 1/8 miles for the first time since her one prior graded score in May’s Allaire DuPont Distaff Stakes (G3) at Pimlico.
“Being from Louisville, it’s really fun winning a race like this on Thanksgiving,” said the local native Cox. “The extra distance seemed to be the key this afternoon. Both of our horses ran great today. Moonlit Garden was solid finishing third and we’re very proud of both of them.”
Mylady Curlin returned $7 to win, $3.80 to place, and $2.80 to show. Go Google Yourself brought back $5.60 to place and $3.20 to show, while Moonlit Garden paid $4.40 to show.
