Rags to Riches Stakes

Hardly a secret while attempting to extend her winning streak to three, Good Cheer produced more of the same Sunday afternoon with yet another sparkling victory in the Rags to Riches Stakes at Churchill Downs. Squeezed back at the break, the Godolphin homebred found herself back in last as 8-5 second choice Claire's Charm took to the lead. With the leading taking the compact field through a :23.88 initial quarter, Good Cheer positioned herself in a ground-saving fourth, only three lengths from the lead. Continuing to bide her time along...

West Sunset (f, 2, West Coast--Vindicated Ghost, by Vindication) didn't let the Kentucky rain slow her down en route to a stylish coast-to-coast victory in a sloppy rendition of the Rags to Riches S. beneath the Twin Spires. Coming into the race with a neck victory over a fast main track at this venue Sept. 16 after being forced to close from the back of the field, she took a diametrically opposed trip here, immediately establishing a clear lead right from the jump. Well in hand on a loose lead...

Churchill Downs will host 26 stakes races worth $8.31 million during its upcoming September and Fall meets. The 14-day September meet, which runs from Sept. 15-Oct. 2, will include 11 stakes races worth a total of $3.36 million. The line-up is led by the $400,000 GII Lukas Classic for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles and the $300,000 GIII Ack Ack S. for 3-year-olds and up at one mile--a Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" race for the GI Dirt Mile--Oct. 1. The meeting also hosts the first races...

Sandstone earned her second straight open-lengths win under the Twin Spires with a wire-to-wire victory in the Rags to Riches S. at Churchill Sunday. The dark bay filly  took the lead early was shadowed by favorite Yuugiri through an opening quarter in :24.51. Favored Yuugiri rolled up to challenge the pacesetter after a half in :48.55 and appeared to gain a slim advantage in upper stretch, but Sandstone battled back and powered clear to an authoritative victory. Freshened up after finishing a well-beaten fifth in her 5 1/2-furlong debut at...

Coach took her record to a perfect three-for-three with an authoritative victory in the Rags to Riches S. at Churchill Downs Sunday. The dark bay filly, a 4 1/2-length debut winner sprinting six furlongs at Indiana Grand Aug. 10, romped home by 9 3/4 lengths going 5 1/2 furlongs at that oval in a Sept. 15 allowance contest. Hustled up to keep pace with the early frontrunners, Coach was a tracking third down the backstretch. She strode up to challenge for the lead with a three-wide move on the far...