Sunny Skies (Animal Kingdom) became the first stakes winner for her freshman sire (by Leroidesanimaux {Brz}) and second juvenile stakes winner of the night for trainer Ken McPeek with a decisive score in the Debutante S. at Churchill Downs. The ironically named filly proved no worse for wear after a severe thunderstorm delayed the race, keeping the juveniles in the paddock for almost an hour, and quickly turned the track from fast to sloppy. The Normandy Farms homebred, who romped by nine lengths in her Keeneland unveiling Apr. 27 to become her sire's first North American winner, was sent postward as the 6-5 favorite while receiving Lasix for the first time here.
Away without incident from the one-hole, the chestnut quickly moved up to duel longshot Rockin Royalty (Early Flyer) on the front end through a sharp first quarter in :21.48. Edging away a bit as she hit the half in :46.09, Sunny Skies kept on finding in the lane, skipping clear to a 1 1/2-length victory. Maiden and 17-1 shot Upset Brewing (Justin Phillip) was second and 10-1 chance Waki Patriot (Awesome Patriot) checked in third.
McPeek and jockey Robby Albarado teamed up to win the GIII Bashford Manor S. two races earlier with “TDN Rising Star” Ten City (Run Away and Hide). The conditioner also won race seven with Harlan Strong (Arg) (Harlan's Holiday).
“A lot of credit goes to our staff at Keeneland,” McPeek said. “This filly has been a bit of a handful to train. She doesn't like the stalls that are at Keeneland, so we were shipping her back and forth to my training center [Magdalena Racing], but would bring her back to the track to breeze. She's coming around very well.” He continued. “Robby [Albarado] did a great job to get her in position and to nurse her speed around the turn. We'll probably keep her here this summer and point towards the [GII] Pocahontas [S. Sept. 19]. I think you'll see her and Ten City as workmates this summer.”
Owner/breeder Nancy Polk's Normandy Farm captured last year's Pocahontas with Daddy's Lil Darling (Scat Daddy), who was runner-up in the GI Kentucky Oaks May 5.
Pedigree Notes:
Sunny Skies is the first black-type winner for Darley's first-crop sire Animal Kingdom, who proved to be quite versatile with wins on dirt, turf and synthetic. Winner of the 2011 GIII Spiral S., the Graham Motion pupil scored a 20-1 upset in that year's Kentucky Derby, finished second in the 2012 GI Breeders' Cup Mile and won the 2013 G1 Dubai World Cup. Sunny Skies is a half-sister to GII La Jolla H. winner Sky Cape. Her now 22-year-old dam produced a Union Rags colt in 2016 and foaled an American Pharoah filly Apr. 25 of this year.
Friday, Churchill Downs
DEBUTANTE S., $100,000, CD, 6-30, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:11.83, sy.
1–#SUNNY SKIES, 120, f, 2, by Animal Kingdom
1st Dam: Skyscape, by Marquetry
2nd Dam: Emley's Hill, by Dewan
3rd Dam: Matane, by Avatar
($47,000 RNA Ylg '16 KEESEP). O/B-Normandy Farm LLC (KY);
T-Kenneth G. McPeek; J-Robby Albarado. $57,660. Lifetime
Record: 2-2-0-0, $93,660. *1/2 to Sky Cape (Najran), GSW,
$452,208.[bullet ad=”gainesway-hip59-ftsaug2017″]2–Upset Brewing, 118, f, 2, Justin Phillip–Tipperary Moon, by
Malibu Moon. ($30,000 Ylg '16 KEESEP). O-Allied Racing Stable,
LLC; B-Castleton Lyons & Kilboy Estate (KY); T-William Bradley.
$18,600.[bullet ad=”selected-by-j-stevens-bloodstock”]3–Waki Patriot, 120, f, 2, Awesome Patriot–Tacky Waki, by
Miswaki. ($1,200 RNA Ylg '16 KEESEP). O-Donna Hancock &
Charles W. Brown; B-Brandywine Farm (Jim & Pam Robinson)
(KY); T-John A. Hancock. $9,300.[bullet ad=”brandywine-bredraised”]Margins: 1 3/4, NK, 4HF. Odds: 1.30, 17.60, 10.70.
Also Ran: Red Dread, Lady O'Toole, Amberspatriot, She's a Julie, Patrona Margarita, Genuwine, Caroline the Great, Chelada, Rockin Royalty. Scratched: Therighttobeararms. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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