In a display of theatrical sporting symmetry, Crazy Beautiful signed off her career with owners Phoenix Thoroughbreds the way she started it, with a victory.
Kenny McPeek’s multiple graded stakes winner added the inaugural Seneca Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs to her already bulging resume thanks to an uncompromising performance under jockey Brian Hernandez Jr.
Breaking well from gate six, the Liam’s Map filly settled in behind the race and market leader Played Hard and the pair set out to set some quick fractions. Nevermore than three-quarters of a length between them, the rivals turned into the stretch on equal terms. What proceeded was an epic duel with neither filly giving an inch until Crazy Beautiful finally bested her adversary in the shadow of the post.
“Looking at it on paper, it looked like if Played Hard got her own way, she’d be hard to run down,” explained the victorious Hernandez Junior post-race. “Knowing how Kenny and his team condition their horses for these races, I knew I would be able to use our filly early and still have some horse left to finish with. I just had to ride my horse with confidence and like she was the best horse in the race.
“This filly has raced in some Grade One’s and against some of the best horses in the country and she just had a little more class in her than her rivals today.”
The gorgeous galloping grey girl will now go to Fasig-Tipton’s November Sale, where Denali Stud will consign her. She heads to the ring, boasting wins at G2 level in the Gulfstream Park and Summertime Oaks and success in the G3 Delaware Oaks. Two more wins at Stakes level plus her debut success sees her carry forward a record of six wins from 12 starts with additional placed efforts in the G1 Alcibiades Stakes, G2 Davona Dale and G3 Pocahontas Stakes.