Rail-drawn Positano Sunset (Goldencents) slipped through a gap at the top of the stretch and joined a four-wide calvary charge to the line, out-lasting the race favorite to upset the GI Resolute Racing Madison Stakes at odds of 14-1 for trainer Ian Wilkes.
After finishing out her 4-year-old season off the board in the one-mile GIII Chilukki Stakes at Churchill Downs in late November, Positano Sunset got some time off, resurfacing at Tampa Bay Downs to win a $50k handicap race at seven furlongs March 9. Clearly a fan of the 7/8's, it was her first trip to the winner's circle since taking the listed Audubon Oaks at Ellis Park over the same distance back in August of 2023. And though without a win last year, she did little to disgrace herself whilst facing some of the best in her division including a game fourth to Society (Gun Runner) in the GI Ballerina Handicap at Saratoga in the summer.
In a field that lost one of its main contenders Monday when Scylla (Tapit) scratched with a fever, Positano Sunset drew little wagering attention opposite the likes of Emery (More Than Ready) and Mystic Lake (Mo Town) with only one runner, Dazzling Move (Not This Time), taking less money at 24-1. Happy to let the race favorites go on with things from the break, Julian Leparoux kept his mount covered up on the rail at the back of the main field with closer Justique (Justify) squeezed back to last. Comfortably handled on the shortest way around, Positano Sunset had plenty of run left to offer as the main group of five swung off the turn past the half in :45.65. Bunched up in front of her, the longshot found a gap at the eighth pole to split the four-wide charge with both race favorites still involved to her inside and 7-1 shot My Mane Squeeze (Audible) coming down to bid wide. Despite receiving a bump from that outside runner, Positano Sunset held firm and just began to edge away from the embattled favorites in the final sixteenth to beat home Emery with My Mane Squeeze getting up past Mystic Lake for third.
“She dug in a lot (in the last quarter-mile),” admitted Leparoux. “We expected the two horses (Emery and Mystic Lake) to go to the front, so I was hoping to save ground and then get out. There was a little hole, and she went in there and fought back. She loves this track. She's a nice filly. Very happy for all the connections for the win.”
Wilkes added of his new Grade I winner: “The filly matured this winter. You know, she just turned into a different filly: working better, training better. Even as she trained good last year, she's a different filly this year.”
Pedigree Note:
The third winner at the top level for Goldencents (joining last year's GI Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan and dual GI Rodeo Drive winner Going to Vegas), Positano Sunset is out of a winning Consolidator mare who has produced three winners from four to race. The mare is a half-sister to MGSW Island Town (Hard Spun). After producing four straight foals from 2018-2021, Gigglin' Gal took a year off and has a now 2-year-old More Than Ready filly named More Carats. She failed to take on a cover to Maxfield for 2024 and was reported bred to Violence for this year.
Tuesday, Keeneland
RESOLUTE RACING MADISON S.-GI, $623,338, Keeneland, 4-8, 4yo/up, f/m, 7f, 1:23.39, ft.
1–POSITANO SUNSET, 123, m, 5, by Goldencents
1st Dam: Gigglin' Gal, by Consolidator
2nd Dam: Humorous Gal, by Distorted Humor
3rd Dam: Essen of Roy, by Roy
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. O-Six Column
Stables LLC, Bloch, Randall L., Seiler, John and Hall, David;
B-John Seiler, Randy Bloch, Trish Henson, Brad Stephens and
Dave Hall (KY); T-Ian R. Wilkes; J-Julien R. Leparoux. $397,963.
Lifetime Record: 16-5-4-0, $860,063. Werk Nick Rating: B+.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Emery, 123, f, 4, by More Than Ready
1st Dam: Athena (MSW, $459,222), by Street Sense
2nd Dam: Race Rocks (Ire), by Rock of Gibraltar (Ire)
3rd Dam: Artful Pleasure, by Nasty and Bold
($235,000 Wlg '21 KEENOV). O-Stonestreet Stables LLC;
B-Mary K. Grum (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $128,375.
3–My Mane Squeeze, 123, f, 4, by Audible
1st Dam: In Spite of Mama, by Speightstown
2nd Dam: Mama Theresa, by Carson City
3rd Dam: Nothing Special, by Tejabo
O-William Butler & WinStar Farm LLC; B-William Butler (NY);
T-Michael J. Maker. $49,375.
Margins: 1, 1 1/4, 3/4. Odds: 14.31, 1.09, 7.26.
Also Ran: Mystic Lake, Dazzling Move, Justique. Scratched: Harbor Springs, Scylla. Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
#1 Positano Sunset ($30.62) pulls off a thrilling upset in the Grade 1 Madison Stakes @keenelandracing!
Jockey: @JulienLeparoux
Trainer: @IanWilkesRacing🎥 TwinSpires Replay pic.twitter.com/Y6BNLz11ff
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) April 8, 2025
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