By Alan Carasso
Exiting a strong defeat of an international field when last seen in Woodbine's GI E. P. Taylor S. in October, Starship Jubilee (Indy King) was a warm item against what appeared a far inferior group in Thursday's GIII Cardinal S. beneath the Twin Spires. But at the end of nine furlongs over a turf course with plenty of juice in it, Kallio (Scat Daddy) got a terrific ride from Tyler Gaffalione and did the best work late to cause a 14-1 upset. Recent Keeneland November purchase English Soul (English Channel) recouped some of her purchase price with a good run to be third.
Away without incident from her inside draw, Kallio raced in the latter third of the field and held a spot at the rail into and around the first turn as 9-2 Limari (Medaglia d'Oro) took them through an opening half-mile of :50.02 over the easy ground. Angled off the inside to split rivals leaving the three-furlong pole, Kallio was waited with behind horses, then followed the move of Starship Jubilee into the lane. Pulled off the favorite's heels in upper stretch, Kallio swept to the front a sixteenth from home and inched clear. Starship Jubilee was three and four wide the trip and just could not summon the necessary late energy while appearing to struggle with the underfoot conditions to some degree. The victory gave Gaffalione a sweep of the afternoon's graded events.
Along late to win the Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies' Turf S. at Ellis in August, Kallio made some late progress into fifth in the GIII Ladies' Turf at Kentucky Downs Sept. 7 and was most recently a never-nearer seventh in an Oct. 19 allowance at Keeneland.
“She's a bit of a difficult filly,” said winning trainer Brendan Walsh. “She's sometimes not always there mentally, but when she puts things together she runs very well. She had a good setup today and seemed to have really relished the ground. She's getting better with age.”
Pedigree Notes:
Kallio was providing her late sire Scat Daddy with his 75th worldwide graded/group winner and hails from the extended female family of champion Oratorio (Ire) (Danehill). Smokey Diplomacy is the dam of a yearling filly by Frosted who was bought back on a bid of $120,000 at this year's Keeneland September sale and she produced a Hard Spun colt this year before being bred back to Frosted.
Thursday, Churchill Downs
CARDINAL S.-GIII, $175,000, Churchill Downs, 11-28, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/8mT, 1:55.07, yl.
1–KALLIO, 121, f, 4, by Scat Daddy
1st Dam: Smokey Diplomacy (SP), by Dynaformer
2nd Dam: Attractive Missile, by Relaunch
3rd Dam: Montage, by Alydar
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($100,000 Ylg '16 KEESEP; $160,000 2yo '17 OBSAPR). O-Madaket Stables LLC, Tim & Anna Cambron & Bradley Thoroughbreds; B-Nolan Creek Farm (KY); T-Brendan P Walsh; J-Tyler Gaffalione. $101,990. Lifetime Record: 16-4-2-3, $336,095. *1/2 to Clear the Runway (Broken Vow), SW, $222,131; and Sallisaw (Exchange Rate), MSP, $169,863. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A.
2–Starship Jubilee, 125, m, 6, Indy Wind–Perfectly Wild, by Forest Wildcat. ($6,500 Ylg '14 OBSAUG; $34,000 RNA 2yo '15 OBSAPR; $425,000 RNA 5yo '18 KEENOV). O-Blue Heaven Farm; B-William P Sorren (FL); T-Kevin Attard. $32,900.
3–English Soul, 121, f, 4, English Channel–Soul Possession, by Belong to Me. ($40,000 Ylg '16 SARAUG; $55,000 2yo '17 EASMAY; $170,000 4yo '19 KEENOV). O-Calumet Farm; B-Mia Gallo, Dave Stack & Arlene Wilkins (NY); T-Jack Sisterson. $16,450.
Margins: 3, 1 3/4, 3/4. Odds: 14.60, 0.50, 32.40.
Also Ran: Stave, Smart Shot, Tweety Show, Limari, Area, Maroubra (Fr), Notapradaprice, Cash Out. Scratched: Smart Emma.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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