May 5 at CD
Grade 1 for Three-year-old Fillies
1 1/8 Mile on Dirt

All eyes were on the big guns in Friday’s KYO. Mortality went off as the 3-1 favorite after three straight in-the-money finishes in stakes company. Snow Peak had taken on the boys with style. And her own stablemate, Guest Of Honor was riding a four-race winning streak, include a victory over Snow Peak.

None of that mattered to K T D. Aer Stables filly was looking for her first graded stakes victory, switching from turf to dirt after a disappointing performance in the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf in November. She drew the inside post, which could have spelled disaster for a filly that likes to come from off the pace, but that was not the case this time.

They broke in good order, and Pip Knows Skeleton charged to the lead from the far outside, with Eastern Sky right there with her. By the time the field went under the wire for the first time, Pip Knows Skeleton was in front by a length. Eastern Sky still held on in second by a fraction of a length in front of Blackberry, First Time and French Connection. K T D was shuffled back to sixth on the rail behind the leaders.

Into the turn, Pip Knows Skeleton continued to romp on the lead, opening up by two. Eastern Sky, Blackberry and First Time ran three across the track in second with Queenwood and French Connection another length and a half behind them. K T D had a length on Musical Treat with favorite Mortality part of a length behind on the very outside.

Midway on the backstretch, Pip Knows Skeleton still held the lead, though it had been cut to a length. First Time tracked her in second, and Mortality, who made a big move on the turn, took third by part of a length over Eastern Sky. K T D ran eighth and still hugged the rail.

The field headed into the far turn and First Time cut Pip Knows Skeleton’s lead to ¼ of a length. Mortality held third five or six wide. To her inside, Blackberry and Eastern Sky ran stride for stride in fourth. It was another length back to French Connection. K T D came off the rail slightly. Snow Peak moved up from tenth to eighth, just in front of Musical Treat and Queenwood to her outside.

In the middle of the turn, First Time got in front of Pip Knows Skeleton. Blackberry, fourth behind Mortality, came off the rail and K T D shot the gap still seventh, but within 2 ½ lengths of the leader. Cut off on the inside, K T D dropped on the rail again behind the tiring Pip Knows Skeleton while Snow Peak looked for room up the middle.

At the head of the stretch, First Time pulled away by a length, but K T D managed to find an opening on the rail and moved up inside Pip Knows Skeleton. Mortality, now six wide, was second. A wall of tired but still fighting horses separated Snow Peak from daylight.

Into the stretch, K T D flew up on the inside to cut First Time’s lead to a fraction of a length. Mortality held on to third on the outside. Blackberry fought on just a whisker behind her with French Connection between them. Snow Peak found an opening and nosed out the tiring Pip Knows Skeleton.

K T D struck the lead in mid-stretch. Snow Peak and Blackberry took up the chase, while First Time held on gamely between them.

At the wire, it was K T D by a length over Snow Peak who just nosed out Blackberry for second.

It was the third career win in eleven starts for Aer’s homebred and brings her earnings to $746.600.

CONGRATULATIONS Aer Stables!

Complete Order of Finish:

K T D – Hugged the rail, saved ground and took control in the stretch

Snow Peak – Out of it early, managed to navigate traffic and get up for second

Blackberry – Stalked the lead throughout and finished a very close third

First Time – Led at the mile mark, but couldn’t hold the lead and finished fourth

French Connection – Close late but lost ground to finish fifth

Mortality – Very wide trip, close throughout but faded down the stretch

Musical Treat – Even performance, couldn’t get closer than seventh

Pip Knows Skeleton – led early but faded to finish eighth

Eastern Sky – Early challenger, ran out of steam

Guest Of Honor – Broke slowly and never fired

Cobra Kai – Never a factor

Devils Future – Never a factor

Queenwood – In the mix early, but only beat one horse

Viking Libra – Trailed througout

Categories: Grade I