Negligee won the $500,000, Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades Stakes Friday at Keeneland, earning a trip to California for the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) in four weeks at Santa Anita.
Purchased by Matthew Gatsas’ Sovereign Stable following a second-place finish in the Ontario Debutante Stakes on August 15 at Woodbine, the daughter of Northern Afleet ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.76 and gave jockey Rajiv Maragh his third win of the afternoon.
Negligee was entered in the $141,000 Miss Grillo Stakes five days ago at Belmont Park but was scratched after the race was taken off the turf. Trainer John Terranova then shipped her to Keeneland, where she earned $300,000 for the win.
The winner’s two previous starts came at sprint distances. “She didn’t break as fast like a true sprinter, so that was good,” said Maragh. “She kind of relaxed and got behind horses and was pretty much settled behind horses so it made her finish better.”
She Be Wild, the 13-10 favorite who went into the race undefeated in three starts, held on to be second, a half-length behind the winner. “She ran really well,” said jockey Garrett Gomez. “I was closer than I wanted to be, but the pace wasn’t all that enthusiastic.”
Amen Hallelujah finished third, another 2 ¼ lengths back.
Negligee, a $52,000 product of the 2008 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, improved her record to two wins in three starts, increased her earnings to $348,007 and paid $27.40, $8.40 and $5.60. She Be Wild returned $3.40 and $2.40 and Amen Hallelujah paid $6.
Zilva finished fourth in the field of 12 2-year-old fillies and was followed, in order, by Beautician, Tidal Pool, Decelerator, Sassy Image, Kid Kate, Screen Legend, Blackwell and Quick Breeze.
In the supporting feature, Canadian-based Fatal Bullet traveled south to win the $250,000, Grade 3 Phoenix Stakes in a successful prep for the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1).
Jockey Eurico Da Silva raised his whip in triumph as last year’s Canadian Horse of the Year reached the finish of the six-furlong sprint a half-length in front of the fast-closing Capt. Candyman Can.
It was a neck back to third-place Ez Dreamer in the field of 10 3-year-olds and upward. Sing Baby Sing, seeking a second consecutive victory in the Phoenix, finished fourth. Time for the distance on the Polytrack was 1:09.
Fatal Bullet earned $150,000 for Danny Dion’s Bear Stables and improved his record to nine wins in 14 starts. Trained by Reade Baker, he paid $4.40 as the 6-5 favorite.
“We need that one to confirm to us that we belong with those horses,” said Dion. “We’ll be back for the Breeders’ Cup. He really doesn’t like the dirt so we are very happy the Breeders’ Cup will be back at Santa Anita.”
Fatal Bullet finished second in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint last year.