A little trial by fire can go a long way in learning about a Thoroughbred racehorse, and that fire forged a surprisingly strong come-from-behind effort by Kathynmarissa to defeat Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1T) winner Gezora May 1 in the $478,670 Modesty Stakes (G3T) at Churchill Downs.
Trainer Chad Brown's handicapping of the race saw the 5-year-old American Pharoah mare up on the lead in the early stages. However, a tardy beginning left her last out of the gate and, in Brown's mind, out of a chance.
Jockey Jose Ortiz didn't panic and settled in that last position as Stylish Sue set an expectedly slow pace of :23.97, :48.49, and 1:13.47. Flavien Prat got Gezora moving on the outside of the field at the three-eighths pole, and Ortiz followed his move.
Tipping out in the stretch, Kathynmarissa unleashed a forceful late rally, surging to a 1 1/4-length victory in 1:48.13, while Gezora beat out Proctor Street for second. Brown also trains Gezora and fourth-place finisher Whiskey Decision.
"I was expecting the horse to run very, very well. But when she missed the break, I didn't like her chances from there," Brown said. "Kudos to Jose, talk about having a plan B for a jockey—it couldn't be more of a capital B, that plan. Her last in this race in the first turn, I would have thought she wouldn't be effective from there. Off a slow pace and still ran down the center of the track and won, so quite an effort off the layoff."
Kathynmarissa showed promise in the second half of 2024, closing out the year as runner-up in the American Oaks (G1T). But in 2025, it was hard to keep her healthy. She started only twice, finishing fifth in March's Santa Ana Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Park and a Saratoga Race Course allowance win in August.
Brown said the mare doesn't show that turn of foot in her morning training, leading to her surprise victory from the last position.
"She trains steady and powerful," Brown said, "but she doesn't train like she's got turn of foot."
Now that she's displayed that ability, she has a new tool in her arsenal with bigger goals ahead.
"The fact that it's her first race of the season, if she stays healthy this time around, she can have quite a year," Brown said.
Bred in Kentucky by Don Alberto Corporation, Kathynmarissa was purchased by HR Bloodstock out of the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment for $200,000 at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. She races for the partnership of Michael Caruso and Michael Dubb and has earned $1,575,745 with a career record of 5-2-2 from 12 starts. She paid $8.58 to win Friday.
Kathynmarissa is out of the Milt's Overture mare La Dalila, a group 1 winner in her native Chile. She is the second graded winner this season for Coolmore stallion and 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, who is standing the 2026 season in Japan. She joins Final Boss, who won the Frank E. Kilroe Mile Stakes (G2T) in March.
As for Peter Brant's Gezora, who made her first start for Brown after racing in Europe and winning the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf for Francis-Henri Graffard, Brown believes she did not get a firm enough hold of the racing surface at Churchill Downs to be effective.
"From the three-eighths marker on, I didn't see her pushing quite as well as the winner was," Brown said. "I would venture to guess not only the layoff, but I think Gezora's turn of foot was a little disarmed with the ground."
Brown said the two would face a rematch June 5 in the $750,000 New York Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga.
