A pair of Matt Winn Turf Course records marked two grade 3 events on the Kentucky Oaks (G1) undercard May 2 at Churchill Downs.
Lael Stables' She Feels Pretty went pretty fast, setting a course record as she won the $378,000 Modesty Stakes (G3T) on the Kentucky Oaks (G1) undercard.
"When I put her in the clear, she knows it's time to go," winning rider John Velazquez said after the contest for 4-year-old and up fillies and mares. "Makes it look easy."
The odds-on favorite ($3.58) rated behind the leaders to the outside of Takemetothebeach through the early furlongs and then made her move leaving the backstretch, three wide, getting the lead at the quarter pole and winning by 2 1/4 lengths. The 1 1/8 miles in 1:45.51 bested the 1:45.52 set April 29 by Call Protection.
The Modesty was She Feels Pretty's 2025 bow and third straight win—following the American Oaks (G1T) in December at Santa Anita Park and the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland in October. The three-time grade I winner has been first in six of her nine starts.
"It's great to see her back in the winner's circle again," trainer Cherie DeVaux said. "I gave her some time off to allow her to grow into herself. She's bigger and stronger. She's tenacious, she doesn't want to get beat and she has won from 5 1/2 furlongs to a mile and a quarter. So you know she is special. One of the TV guys said she's the best turf filly in the United States. I'm biased, but I agree."
Owner Roy Jackson said the goal is to get She Feels Pretty to the Breeders' Cup, but he didn't know specifically what's next for the filly purchased for $240,000 at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale from the Stone Farm consignment.
"We've been very lucky to, you know how it is in this game, to be very lucky to just happen to pick her out in the sale," Jackson said. "And, you know, the rest is history."
South African-bred 5-year-old mare Gimme a Nother finished second as the second choice in the wagering. She rated at the back and made her move following in the stretch. Saffron Moon rallied for third.
"(Jockey Jose Ortiz) just said he had to wait a little longer than he wanted to, but, you know, we got beat by a group 1 filly, and I think we're not far behind her, so pretty encouraging," Gimme a Nother's trainer Graham Motion said, suggesting that her next start could be at Saratoga Race Course in the June 6 New York Stakes (G1T) on Belmont Stakes (G1) weekend.
Bred in Kentucky by Payson Stud, She Feels Pretty is daughter of Karakontie out of the More Than Ready mare Summer Sweet. She is the first graded winner of the year for her sire, who stands the 2025 season at Gainesway in Kentucky for an advertised fee of $15,000.
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Queen Maxima Wins Fifth Straight in Unbridled Sidney
Two races later, after a storm downgraded the turf course to good, Dutch Girl Holdings and Irving Ventures' Queen Maxima won the $329,500 Unbridled Sidney Stakes (G3T), finishing the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:01.29, besting Bad Beat Brian's 1:01.53 set in 2023.
Queen Maxima ($6.28) has six wins in nine starts and now has won five straight, the previous being the Monrovia Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita.
"When she made her first start at Del Mar, we knew we had something special," trainer Jeff Mullins said, adding that jockeys had to realize how much power the daughter of Bucchero has. "They'd always have her in too much trouble."
She avoided trouble in the Unbridled Sidney.
"This horse has gears," Mullins said.
Mullins said he doesn't know the next start yet, but a Breeders' Cup start is the ultimate goal.
Queen Maxima was the second choice in the wagering behind Ag Bullet, who repeatedly encountered traffic throughout the race and finished seventh. Longshot Crown Imperial finished second with Epona's Hope third.
Queen Maxima was bred in Florida by Saul Rosas and is the second graded stakes winner for Bucchero, along with 2024 grade 1 winner Book'em Danno. Bucchero stands at Ironhorse Stallions in New York for a 2025 fee of $10,000.
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