Carriage Trail Wins Juddmonte Spinster In Record Time

Despite drifting far past the center of the racetrack under jockey Kent Desormeaux, Carriage Trail won the $500,000, Grade 1 Juddmonte Spinster Sunday at Keeneland in record time.

The 5-year-old daughter of Giant’s Causeway took the lead at the top of the stretch and then proceeded to steadily drift far away from the inside rail.  She was timed in 1:46.77, the fastest clocking for 1 1/8 miles since Polytrack was installed in 2006.

“She will drift out in her races a little bit,” said trainer Shug McGaughey.  “I talked to Kent about that in the paddock.  Sometime it might have cost her, but she was in front and there wasn’t any sense in fooling with her.”

The previous record time on Polytrack was 1:47.97 set by Go Between on October 27, 2007.

“I wasn’t going to hinder her by correcting her path,” said Desormeaux.  “I just let her drift, and she was happy and she was going fast.”

California-based Model rallied from last place in the field of 10 fillies and mares to finish second, 7 ¾ lengths behind Carriage Trail.  Rosinka (IRE), who held the lead briefly, was another 1 ¼ lengths back in third.

Unbridled Belle, the 2007 Delaware Handicap (G2) winner and 5-2 favorite, never threatened and finished ninth.

Carriage Trail returned to the site of her victory in Keeneland’s Doubledogdare (G3) last April and gave McGaughey, a native of Lexington, his fourth win in the Spinster.  That ties him with Ron McAnally for the most wins by a trainer in the race.

McGaughey earned his first Grade 1 win as a trainer with Try Something New in the 1983 Spinster.

It was the sixth win in 15 career starts for Carriage Trail, who is owned by Stuart Janney III and Phipps Stable.  She earned $310,000 for the decisive win, increasing her lifetime earnings to $644,628.

The winner paid $9.20, $5 and $3.40 as the second choice in the betting.  Model, ridden by Calvin Borel, returned $9.20 and $6 and Rosinka, with Jeremy Rose aboard, paid $7.80.

Little Belle, the winner of Keeneland’s Ashland (G1) in April, finished fourth followed, in order, by Wake Up Maggie (IRE), Say You Will (IRE), Jibboom, Sharp Susan, Unbridled Belle and Rolling Sea.

In the supporting feature, favored Bittel Road rallied from next-to-last in the field of 12 2-year-olds to win the $200,000, Grade 3 Woodford Reserve Bourbon on the turf.

The son of Stormy Atlantic caught Driving Snow (GB) in the final strides to win for the third time in as many starts and earn an automatic berth in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf on October 25 at Santa Anita.

Trainer Todd Pletcher named Rajiv Maragh to replace the injured John Velazquez aboard Bittel Road, who ran the 1 1/16 miles on the firm turf in 1:44.29.

“This colt is one that we liked all along,” said Pletcher.  “He was able to break his maiden going three-quarters and go to the front doing that (on July 11) and overcame some adversity at Saratoga to win (the With Anticipation
Stakes on August 29).  So we knew he was a quality colt, but I thought today he was very, very good.”

A head separated Bittel Road and Driving Snow at the finish with Ninth Client another 1 ¼ lengths back in third.  Vaquero, who competed with Ninth Client for the early lead, faded to fourth.

Bittel Road earned $124,000 for owners James T. Scatuorchio and John Iracane and paid $4, $3 and $2.80.  Driving Snow, a recent arrival from Europe where he made his first four starts, returned $5 and $4.20. Ninth Client paid $6.

The victory increased Bittel Road’s earnings to $204,640.