Shred the Gnar Scores in the La Troienne

In the weeks that followed the most disappointing outing of Shred the Gnar's young career, trainer Brian Lynch had been quietly confident he was seeing all the signs horsemen look for to indicate they've got their equine athletes ready for the toughest ask of their competitive lives. The filly's coat was bursting. Her works, knife sharp. And each day she trained over her favorite surface, Lynch could see her attitude shifting for the better. When the time came for the daughter of Into Mischief to back up the promises she had made heading into the $1 million La Troienne Stakes (G1) May 1 at Churchill Downs, she made it known her morning touts could absolutely be trusted. An already outstanding recent run of success for Lynch's barn continued with authority Friday as Flying Dutchmen Breeding and Racing's Shred the Gnar turned back race favorite Fully Subscribed to score a 1-length victory in the 1 1/16-mile La Troienne. The victory gave the 4-year-old filly her first top-level win and handed her ebullient trainer his first triumph in a grade 1 race since 2018. Lynch, who was serenaded in the winner's circle in honor of his 62nd birthday, has seen his barn go on a tear of late, a run that featured two graded stakes wins during the Keeneland meet and more good fortune earlier on Friday's card when he sent out Moon Spun to win the Unbridled Sidney Stakes (G2T). Though Shred the Gnar was coming into the La Troienne off a sixth-place finish in the Royal Delta Stakes (G3) Feb. 14 at Gulfstream Park, she was unbeaten in two prior starts at Churchill Downs—including a victory in the Chilukki Stakes (G3) last November—and had been looking every bit her best self to Lynch in the mornings. "This filly was a bit of a disappointment in Gulfstream, but we never gave up on her," Lynch said. "We got her back here and she seemed to train well at Churchill and we just watched her coat come around and the weight come on her. We watched her get happy in her training and the way she showed up today, she was telling me she's going in the right direction." Two works back, Shred the Gnar had put in a solid move in company with graded stakes-winning stablemate Owen Almighty, the fifth-place finisher in last year's Kentucky Derby (G1). Holding her own against her barnmate sharpened her for a step up in class Friday, and she more than indicated she was ready for similar challenges ahead. Under heady handling from jockey Luis Saez, Shred the Gnar jumped well from post 5 and gained early position two wide as she pressed pacesetter Miss Justify through opening fractions of :24.01 and :48.54 with Fully Subscribed to the outside in third. "I thought she might have might have made the lead, but I've worked her a number of times sitting off horses," Lynch said. "When she was traveling like she was, it gave me a good feeling. The fractions were kind enough to where we knew if we had her ready, she was going to be able to box on." With 3 furlongs to go, Shred the Gnar delivered the winning jab when she overtook Miss Justify coming around the final turn and faced down Fully Subscribed making her own surge to the outside. With Miss Justify stubbornly trying to fight on along the rail, Shred the Gnar called upon her mettle and found more down the lane as she edged clear in the final furlong en route to stopping the teletimer in 1:42.24. "She broke pretty well today and got herself in a good position," Saez said. "She has been training to be behind horses. She was able to respond very well today in that situation. I'm so proud of the way she ran today." Fully Subscribed, ridden by Flavien Prat, held for second in her seasonal bow, finishing 1 1/2 lengths in front of Bless the Broken. "From the post I had (post 9), I thought I had a decent trip," Prat said. "From the five-sixteenths pole all the way to the wire, I had a good run out of her. She just could not go by the winner." Bred by Camas Park Stud and Lynch Bages, Shred the Gnar paid $8.42 to win and improved her record to four wins from six starts with $904,010 in earnings. In a distaff division that appears wide open this season, she made a strong case toward being one of the bigger problems her rivals will have to deal with going forward. "These fillies in the spring can get really good," Lynch said. "And she's one of them."