Godolphin homebred East Avenue got back to winning ways with a gutsy wire-to-wire victory in the GIII Matt Winn Stakes Sunday at Churchill Downs. Facing just three rivals, the 7-5 favorite stepped right out to the early lead and was tracked by Coal Battle and Burnham Square through an opening quarter in :24.41 and a half in :47.66. Burnham Square, Coal Battle and second choice Final Gambit lined up across the track behind him as East Avenue turned for home a length in front. Final Gambit's rally never materialized, leaving Coal Battle to box on to the pacesetter's outside as Burnham Square attempted to rally to his inside, but East Avenue refused to let either rival by, maintaining a half-length advantage to the wire.
“Our plan was to go to the lead,” said winning rider Luis Saez. “He broke well and got in a good rhythm down the backside. Turning for home, he had to fight back against [Burnham Square and Coal Battle]. I was impressed how he held them off.”
Winning trainer Brendan Walsh added, “I think the distance today was right in his wheelhouse. He's a gutsy horse when he makes the lead like he did today. I was very impressed how he battled back against Burnham Square, who came up to his inside, and Coal Battle on his outside.”
Tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' following his eight-length debut victory at Ellis Park last August, East Avenue was all-but awarded a championship after his dominating victory in the Oct. 5 GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland. But he was 13 1/4 lengths adrift of Citizen Bull (Into Mischief) after a stumble at the start of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile and was soundly beaten while making his sophomore debut in the Feb. 15 GII Risen Star Stakes. He worked his way back into Kentucky Derby consideration when second, a nose short of Burnham Square, in the Apr. 8 GI Toyota Blue Grass Stakes. He was eighth behind Sovereignty in the May 3 Derby last time out.
Pedigree Notes:
The unraced Dance Music, out of Grade I winner Dance Card (Tapit) and a half-sister to Horse of the Year Cody's Wish (Curlin) and to multiple graded winner Endorsed (Medaglia d'Oro), has a 2-year-old colt by Hard Spun and a yearling filly by Authentic. She was bred back to Not This Time last spring.
Sunday, Churchill Downs
MATT WINN S.-GIII, $387,000, Churchill Downs, 6-8, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:42.12, ft.
1–EAST AVENUE, 123, c, 3, by Medaglia d'Oro
1st Dam: Dance Music, by Ghostzapper
2nd Dam: Dance Card, by Tapit
3rd Dam: Tempting Note, by Editor's Note
'TDN Rising Star'. O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brendan P. Walsh; J-Luis Saez. $247,000. Lifetime Record: GISW & GISP, 7-3-1-0, $901,395. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Burnham Square, 123, g, 3, Liam's Map–Linda, by Scat Daddy. O-Whitham Thoroughbreds LLC; B-Whitham Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Ian R. Wilkes. $80,000.
3–Coal Battle, 123, c, 3, Coal Front–Wolfblade, by Midshipman. ($70,000 Ylg '23 TTAYRL). O-Norman Stables LLC; B-Hume Wornall & Jay Adcock (KY); T-Lonnie Briley. $40,000.
Margins: HF, 3/4, 3HF. Odds: 1.47, 2.65, 6.73.
Also Ran: Final Gambit. Scratched: Chunk of Gold, Gaming, Just a Fair Shake.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
East Avenue ($4.94) and jockey @luissaezpty take them all the way around at 7-5 in the G3 Matt Winn Stakes @ChurchillDowns.
Trainer: @brenpwalsh
Owner & Breeder: @godolphin🎥 TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/RB3JWIpNkR
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) June 8, 2025
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