Out For A Spin Bombs Away In Ashland

LEXINGTON, KY – Commonwealth Stable’s Out for a Spin pressed the early pace incessantly but still had enough left to prevail gamely for the win in Saturday’s Central Bank Ashland Stakes (G1) at Keeneland.

Breaking from the far outside post 8 under Paco Lopez as the longest shot on the board at 52/1, Out for a Spin was able to clear most of her inner foes and sat less than a length off of the right hip of the even-money favorite Jaywalk. Together, they posted early fractions of :23.19, :46.46, and 1:11.60. Restless Rider joined the fray when she chose to run three-wide in the far turn. Soon after, Jaywalk began yielding along the rail, and at the top of the stretch, it was a two-horse race to the finish line.

Restless Rider posed a serious foe, but her four-month layoff may have prevented her from giving the necessary closing kick, and she hung late, allowing Out for a Spin to squirt forward in the shadow of the wire. The Dallas Stewart trainee crossed with a neck advantage in a final time of 1:44.95 for the 1 1/16-mile event over the fast main track.

“Dallas told me out of the gate, this filly is fast,” Lopez said. “I’m really lucky winning races like that.”

Despite weakening steadily in the stretch, Jaywalk still was much the best of the rest, taking third over Bizwhacks by 4 1/4 lengths. Lady Kate, Chocolate Kisses, and an eased Bell’s the One completed the order of finish.

Feedback scratched, with her connections opting instead to run in Sunday’s Beaumont Stakes (G3) here at Keeneland.

The Ashland is part of the Road to the 2019 Kentucky Oaks prep race season. Out for a Spin earned 100 points for the win, with Restless Rider receiving 40 for second, Jaywalk 20 for third, and Bizwhacks 10 for fourth.

Out for a Spin’s score was her second straight and her third in four starts, having won both a maiden special weight and an allowance event at Fair Grounds prior to today. The 3-year-old Virginia-bred daughter of Hard Spun now sports a record of 5-3-0-1 with $354,903 earned.

“In this great game that we have, there are ups and downs, and this is an up,” said Stewart, whose trainee Cathedral Reader unfortunately broke down in the Madison Stakes (G1) one race earlier. “Great to have a win today with this big, beautiful filly. She hasn’t done much wrong. She’s won her last 2 out of 3, and she did it impressively. She trains great. She took it (almost) wire-to-wire, and Paco gave her a great ride. We’re going take it to the Kentucky Oaks from here.”

Out for a Spin returned $106.20 to win, $23.40 to place, and $6.60 to show. Restless Rider brought back $4.20 to place and $2.60 to show, while Jaywalk paid $2.60 to show.