Pure Prize Filly the ‘Queen’ of Churchill

Dothraki Queen punched her ticket to the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies with a smart come-from-behind win at second asking here. The bay posted a visually impressive seven-length debut score over the Ellis Park lawn July 12 and was freshened since. Adding Lasix for this switch to dirt, she was immediately taken over to the rail entering the clubhouse turn. Saving ground throughout with Corey Lanerie aboard, Dothraki Queen was always traveling smartly while seventh through fractions of :24.13 and :49.71. Awaiting racing room while hard held off the turn for home, she shot through a narrow opening along the rail into the stretch and quickly opened daylight. Bold Quality made a nice run at here late, but Dothraki Queen wasn’t for catching and held safe for a narrow decision.

Bold Quality, who was angled out sharply directly into Dream Dance at the top of the stretch, was disqualified from second and placed third for the infraction. Heavily favored Just Wicked (Tapit), heroine of Saratoga’s GII Adirondack S. Aug. 15, failed to land a serious blow after enduring a wide trip.

“She’s a really brave filly,” owner/trainer Ken McPeek commented. “When you’re in the barn with her, she’s extremely intelligent; she’s a little bit mean, which I like. She’s always done everything right. I wasn’t so sure she would take to the dirt the way she would the turf, but we’re thrilled. Obviously, I got my butt kicked in New York this summer. A lot of that is because I left all of my best young horses in Kentucky and I think Dale [Romans] did a lot of the same thing. On the turn, I said to the box, ‘She’s going to live and die by the rail here. If she gets through we’re good, but if not, we’re fifth.'”

As for what’s next, McPeek continued, “We’ll go to the [GI Darley] Alcibiades [at Keeneland Oct. 2] next. If she’s doing well, she’ll run. I needed a graded win, I haven’t had one in a while. I’ve been kind of quiet in that department for some reason. It seems like all of our good horses are hurt, and we’ve been second and third in a lot of stakes. It’s nice to have a nice drink of water there.”

Lanerie added, “When I got through I thought we were going to win by five. She quickened that much and I was surprised. [Bold Quality] was heads up with me turning for home and I just kind of took the hole from her and I didn’t expect her to be running at me towards the end, but she made it close. I thought they were going to get me for one minute. I don’t think my filly was going to let her by. She got to the front so quick and she’s a nice filly. With her having been on the grass this was my first time having ridden her on dirt, I didn’t know how she would take it in her face, but all the way down the backside I didn’t have much, but for a couple of times she had it and she pulled me forward.”

Dothraki Queen was produced by the Saint Ballado mare Sharaiji Blossom, a $575,000 KEESEP yearling purchase by Darley. A maiden winner on grass at Nottingham in one of her two career starts as a juvenile overseas, Sharaiji Blossom is a half-sister to GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Blushing K.D. (Blushing John) and Canadian champion Ambitious Cat (Storm Cat). She produced a filly by War Chant in 2014 and a filly by Storm Wolf in 2015. Sharaiji Blossom was bred back to U S Ranger this spring.

For a recent ‘In Sharper Focus’ on Dothraki Queen and trainer Ken McPeek’s success with Ellis Park maiden winners, click here.

Saturday, Churchill Downs
POCAHONTAS S.-GII, $200,000, CD, 9-12, 2yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:45.80, ft.
1–#@DOTHRAKI QUEEN, 118, f, 2, by Pure Prize
1st Dam: Sharaiji Blossom, by Saint Ballado
2nd Dam: Lilac Garden, by Roberto
3rd Dam: Balletomane, by Nijinsky II
($35,000 Ylg ’14 KEESEP). O-Magdalena Racing (Kenneth G McPeek et al.); B-Liberty Road Stables (KY); T-Kenneth G McPeek; J-Corey J Lanerie. $120,280. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $137,680. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
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2–Dream Dance, 118, f, 2, Afleet Alex–This Cat Can Dance, by Vindication. ($50,000 Ylg ’14 FTKOCT). O-Stoneway Farm; B-George Waggoner Stables Inc. (KY); T-Neil J Howard. $38,800.
3–Bold Quality, 118, f, 2, Elusive Quality–Bold Union, by Dixie Union. ($120,000 RNA Ylg ’14 KEESEP). O-George & Lori Hall; B-K & G Stables (KY); T-Kelly J Breen. $19,400.
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Margins: HF, 3 1/4, 2 1/4. Odds: 7.40, 19.70, 5.50.
Also Ran: Just Wicked, Decked Out, Princess Kennedy, Put Da Blame On Me, Vivid Storm.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.