1st-Churchill Downs, $118,636, Msw, 6-28, 2yo, 5f, :58.10, ft, neck.
PAPA KEN (c, 2, Yaupon–Whatashame, by Blame) took on a field of entirely first-time starters as the 5-2 second choice behind the son of another first-crop sire in 4-5 favorite I C Light (Charlatan). 8-1 longshot Spirit of Royal (Global Campaign) flashed speed from the outside and led this field as far he could through fractions of :22.46 and :45.67 but Papa Ken loomed off the turn from second as I C Light yielded at the quarter pole. In a driving stretch run, Papa Ken surged past Spirit of Royal late and just held on ahead of a charging The Standard (By My Standards) to graduate by a neck. The second winner for Yaupon (by Uncle Mo), Papa Ken was a $160,000 OBS April buy for Ken Reimer. This is the family of MGISW Point of Entry (Dynaformer) and MGISW Pine Island (Arch). Whatashame, who now has a winner from her first runner, sold to Girvin's Girls for $120,000 at FTKFEB and has since twice visited Girvin, producing fillies in both 2024 and 2025. Sales History: $160,000 2yo '25 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $69,300. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Ken T. Reimer; B-Brad & Misty Grady (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen.
On debut #8 PAPA KEN ($7.04) used a nice stalking trip under @jose93_ortiz to win the opener at @ChurchillDowns. The 2yo son of Yaupon (@spendthriftfarm) is trained by Steve Asmussen and owned by Ken Reimer.
Watch more on @FanDuelTV. pic.twitter.com/grUU436m8K
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) June 28, 2025
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