LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Benner Island repeatedly came up short at Oaklawn Park but here Friday grabbed a consolation prize on the Kentucky Oaks undercard at Churchill Downs.
Shortleaf Stable's 3-year-old filly led all the way in the Grade 2 $200,000 Eight Belles, fighting off a challenge from Golden Mischief and a late kick by Union Strike for a head decision. Ridden by Javier Castellano, and clocking seven furlongs in 1:24.28 over a sloppy track, Benner Island returned $8.80, $5 and $3.80.
Brice Blanc, aboard runner-up Union Strike, claimed foul against the winner and said, "I don't understand why they didn't take her (Benner Island) down. She broke my momentum twice."
Castellano said he took advantage of a speed-favoring surface to give Benner Island a good position. "She fought very hard down the stretch and I know once I was past the wire that I was confident she stayed in her path."
Hot Springs lumberman John Ed Anthony is owner and breeder of Benner Island, a daughter of Speightstown and Spacy Tracy. With $112,840 from the Eight Belles, her third win, the filly has earned $235,863 from eight starts.
A November allowance winner at Churchill Downs, where trainer Brad Cox is based, Benner Island twice ran out of the money in Oaklawn stakes, closing strongly for second in the Grade 3 Honeybee March 11 but a troubled fifth as 6-5 favorite in the Grade 3 Fantasy April 14. (Fantasy winner Ever So Clever and third-place finisher Vexatious ran later Friday in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks.)
Cox was concerned about fast early fractions but that "knowing the filly ... she would fight and was fit. She's running back on three weeks and had two solid works since. It was a big effort and a great job."
Cox looked ahead to the Grade 1 Acorn June 10 at New York's Belmont Park.
"That would be ideal for her next, but we'll let her tell us," he said. "I think one turn is what she is best at and I think she proved that when she flattened in the Fantasy after ranging up."
Sports on 05/06/2017