Dubai Majesty, the favorite, wore down Libor Lady to win the featured $116,700 Buffalo Trace Franklin County Stakes Friday at Keeneland.

 

Kept in a contending position early by jockey Jamie Theriot, the 4-year-old daughter of Essence of Dubai collared Libor Lady in the stretch and gradually pulled away to a 1 ¼-length victory.

 

“She’s relaxing a little bit more on the grass,” said Theriot.  “She can finish a lot stronger, and I think she can go a lot of ground on the grass.”  It was Theriot’s second straight win in the Franklin County.  He rode Sly Storm to victory last year.

 

Libor Lady, who had a 2 ½-length lead at one point in the 5 1/2–furlong turf race, held on for second.  She was 8 ¼ lengths in front of third-place Nadeshiko in the field of 11 fillies and mares.  Time for the distance on the “soft” course was 1:03.64.     

 

Dubai Majesty, who is owned by Martin Racing Stable and Dan Morgan, won for the eighth time in 23 career starts and increased her earnings to $491,477 with the winner’s purse of $70,020.

 

The winner, trained by W. Bret Calhoun, paid $6.20.