By J.N. Campbell
Looking to repeat as the winner of the GII Never Say Die Ladies Turf Sprint Stakes at Kentucky Downs, Ag Bullet once again set the tone from the bell and got to the wire first as she broke the track record going 6 1/2 furlongs on Saturday.
A year ago, the Calvin Nguyen and Joey Tran-owned gray set the pace and torched the Ladies Turf Sprint field by a comfortable 5 1/4 furlongs. After finishing off the board in the GI First Lady Stakes at Keeneland in early October, the Ag Bullet was third at Del Mar in the GI Prevagen Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Nov. 2 and in the GI Matriarch Stakes a month later. Shut down until she was well-beaten in the GIII Unbridled Sidney Stakes at Churchill Downs May 2, the 5-year-old returned to the winner's circle by successfully taking on the boys in the GI Jaipur Stakes at Saratoga June 8, which earned her another shot at the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar.
Given a break from racing for nearly three months, Ag Bullet was made the 8-5 choice in Franklin here. Blowing and going from the gate, the Richard Baltas trainee used her early foot to her advantage up the backstretch and continued to let out the throttle around the far turn. Ag Bullet kept her foot on the gas down the lane, but in the final jumps she was starting to get leg weary. Simply in Front and Jody's Pride though were unable to get to the eventual winner.
Pedigree Notes:
Ag Bullet is one of several higher-level winners for her sire (by Candy Ride {Arg}). The list includes turf stars like Walkathon, Gear Jockey and Concrete Rose.
Dam Noble Grey has a 2-year-old colt in-training named B G Bullet by Mendelssohn, who sold to Hector Palma for $32,000 at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton September California Yearling Sale, and she produced a filly by Army Mule last spring. She was entered in McKinzie's book for next term.
Under Ag Bullet's third dam Peaceful Intention (Hold Your Peace) we find GII Schuylerville Stakes heroine How About Now (Pentelicus), who claims GSW Lovely Lil (Tiznow), plus the dam of graded winners and Leelanau and Abraaj.
Saturday, Kentucky Downs
NEVER SAY DIE LADIES TURF SPRINT S.-GII, $1,994,300, Kentucky Downs, 8-30, 3yo/up, f/m, 6 1/2fT, 1:13.13, fm.
1–AG BULLET, 125, m, 5, by Twirling Candy
1st Dam: Noble Grey, by Forestry
2nd Dam: Never Fail, by Holy Bull
3rd Dam: Peaceful Intention, by Hold Your Peace
($30,000 Wlg '20 KEENOV; $220,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Calvin Nguyen and Joey C. Tran; B-H & E Ranch (KY); T-Richard Baltas; J-Luis Saez. $1,154,900. Lifetime Record: GISW, 15-8-0-2, $2,771,228. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Simply in Front, 125, f, 4, Summer Front–Complicated, by Blame. ($115,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-Colebrook Farms; B-William Harrigan & Mike Pietrangelo (KY); T-Eddie Kenneally. $379,000.
3–Jody's Pride, 121, f, 4, American Pharoah–Jody's Song, by Scat Daddy. O-Parkland Thoroughbreds and Sportsmen Stable; B-Mr. Steve Weston (KY); T-Jorge R. Abreu. $189,500.
Margins: 3/4, HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 1.67, 15.41, 23.39.
Also Ran: Time to Dazzle, Zeitlos, Ocean Club, Kehoe Beach, Danse Macabre, Oujda (Fr), Asternia, Irish Maxima, Lunar Impact (GB).
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
Ag Bullet takes the F2 Ladies Turf Sprint at @kydownsracing under @luissaezpty for trainer Richard Baltas! 🍀🌟
🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/9weI5FwxUL
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) August 30, 2025
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