By J.N. Campbell
Using some late heroics on opening day, A Fine Chardonnay (Maclean's Music–Andele, by Bernardini) popped another cork in the winner's circle at Keeneland as she captured the GII MiddleGround Capital Beaumont Stakes on Friday afternoon.
A maiden winner on debut by two lengths at Churchill Downs last September, A Fine Chardonnay took the Myrtlewood Stakes over the Keeneland main track a month later. Finishing off her juvenile campaign, the Ian Wilkes trainee was third in the Fern Creek Stakes at Churchill Downs Nov. 29.
The newly minted 3-year-old was back on the tab once the calendar turned and she hit the board in the Any Limit Stakes at Gulfstream Park Mar. 14.
The 2-1 second choice behind heavy favorite Sneaky Good (Into Mischief), A Fine Chardonnay found herself after the break alongside the chalk seeing them all up the backstretch. Meanwhile, pacesetter Wrong Shoes (Street Boss) was looking to run the field off their feet.
A Fine Chardonnay's jockey Brian Hernandez didn't flinch though as he guided his mount to the outside around the far turn. With heavy favorite Sneaky Good cutting the corner and slugging it out with Wrong Shoes down the lane, A Fine Chardonnay mounted a charge and her timing was vintage in what was her first graded victory.
“It's just something unbelievable. My son Cole, my partner, is here with us today,” said owner Philip Griesenger. “She has been something that has given us such fun and joy. She's been something special and it's been a great ride. We hope it continues. It's been a family affair, and she's a little girl that can keep running. She's awesome. It's just been something we've done as a family forever, and Cole and I, we've just gathered ourselves, and it's just been a special, special run. We just hope it continues to go. She's home in Kentucky. She loves this surface, and she's home and loves Keeneland.”
“Probably the race at Churchill [when she was third in the Fern Creek Stakes Nov. 29] was a little bit subpar for her, but then her first race back [when third in the Any Limit Stakes at Gulfstream Park Mar. 14] was very good for her,” said trainer Ian Wilkes. “I just wanted to knock the cobwebs off and have her ready for this race. I got a little worried halfway down the lane. I thought she was going to hang on me. But then she finished off the race and I was very proud.”
Pedigree Notes:
With a graded list that includes the likes of Jackie's Warrior, Complexity, Drain the Clock and Cloud Computing, A Fine Chardonnay was the 10th higher-level winner for sire Maclean Music's (by Distorted Humor).
The winner is Andele's (Bernardini) last registered foal on record. A Fine Chardonnay's dam, a $17,000 purchase by Sancal/Optimum Stud at the 2023 Keeneland November Sale while in foal to Vekoma, was sent to Turkey before the end of that same year.
A Fine Chardonnay is part of an extended female family which includes Canadian GSW Northern Causeway (Giant's Causeway) and GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile Stakes victor Du Jour (Temple City).
Under the Beaumont champ's third dam we find Horse of the Year Ghostzapper (by Awesome Again) and the passed on GISW City Zip (by Carson City).
A toast to A FINE CHARDONNAY for her rallying win in the Beaumont S. (G2) at Keeneland 🥂
Trainer: @IanWilkesRacing
Jockey: @b_hernandezjr pic.twitter.com/OJXULrrpqq— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) April 3, 2026
Friday, Keeneland
MIDDLEGROUND CAPITAL BEAUMONT S.-GII, $400,000, Keeneland, 4-3, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:23.85, my.
1–A FINE CHARDONNAY, 118, f, 3, by Maclean's Music
1st Dam: Andele, by Bernardini
2nd Dam: Getaway Girl, by Silver Deputy
3rd Dam: Baby Zip, by Relaunch
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($20,000 Ylg '24 FTKOCT; $85,000 2yo '25 EASMAY). O-Double 22 Stables, LLC; B-Alpha Delta Stables, LLC (KY); T-Ian R. Wilkes; J-Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.. $248,000. Lifetime Record: 5-3-0-2, $502,163. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Sneaky Good, 118, f, 3, Into Mischief–Gale, by Tonalist.
($450,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP). O-NK Racing and LNJ Foxwoods; B-Andrew N. Warren (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $80,000.
3–Wrong Shoes, 118, f, 3, Street Boss–War Tweet, by Data Link. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O-Waresk, Patrick, Ortiz Racing Stables LLC and Ortiz Training Stables; B-Glendalough LLC (KY); T-John Alexander Ortiz. $40,000.
Margins: 3/4, 1 3/4, 5 3/4. Odds: 2.41, 0.71, 14.29.
Also Ran: Coco Connect, Kingsolver. Scratched: Baracca, Just Bluffing.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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