Dunbar Road, last year's GI Alabama S. winner, did herself no favors at the start, but asserted her superiority just the same to kick off her 4-year-old season successfully. Guided to the rail at the back of the pack following a stutter-step start, the bay scraped paint while biding her time under stout Jose Ortiz restraint before coming off the fence and creeping closer midway down the backside. She started to rev up leaving the home bend, and swept up to take a narrow advantage after six panels in 1:13.06. Chocolate Kisses boxed on gamely to keep the favorite honest to midstretch, but Dunbar Road found another gear late to edge away. Second in the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks last March, Dunbar Road was excluded from the GI Kentucky Oaks on points, but reeled off back-to-back-to-back victories in New York, including the GII Mother Goose S. in June and Alabama in August. Third against elder rivals for the first time in Keeneland's GI Juddmonte Spinster S. Oct. 6, she was fifth in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff when last seen Nov. 2. The winner hails from the family of MGISW Secret Status (A.P. Indy). Her dam's last listed progeny, the still-unraced 3-year-old On the Good List (Speightstown), sold for $230,000 to Repole Stables as a racing or broodmare prospect at KEENOV '19.
SHAWNEE S., $100,000, Churchill Downs, 5-23, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16m, 1:43.65, ft.
1–DUNBAR ROAD, 120, f, 4, QualityRoad–Gift List, by
Bernardini. ($350,000 Ylg '17 KEESEP). O-Peter M. Brant;
B-Jeffery J. Drown (KY); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Jose L. Ortiz.
$60,140. Lifetime Record: GISW, 8-5-1-1, $758,040.
2–Chocolate Kisses, 120, f, 4, Candy Ride (Arg) (Arg)–Brownie
Points, by Forest Wildcat. ($410,000 Ylg '17 FTSAUG). O-Debby
Oxley; B-Pin Oak Stud, LLC (KY); T-Mark E. Casse. $19,400.
3–Vault, 120, f, 4, Jump Start–Di's Delight, by French Deputy.
O-Kueber Racing, LLC, Barlar LLC, Madaket Stables LLC & Little
Red Feather Racing; B-Barlar, LLC (PA); T-Brad H. Cox. $9,700.
Margins: 1 3/4, 1 1/4, 3/4. Odds: 0.70, 27.30, 4.70.
Also Ran: Awe Emma, Another Broad, She's a Julie, Moonlit Garden, Flower Party (Ire).
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