Owner-breeder Sol Kumin has enjoyed success buying into percentages of some top horses over the years—including Triple Crown winner Justify —but his Head of Plains Partners picked up a grade 2 win May 6 at Churchill Downs with Fluffy Socks , who couldn’t be more thoroughly Kumin’s own.
Fluffy Socks surged between horses in early stretch and then put away a determined Spendarella to win the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes (G2T) by a length Saturday, completing the race in 1:35.53 on firm turf.
Not only is Fluffy Socks campaigned by Kumin’s Head of Plains Partners, she’s a homebred out of a sire that Kumin raced and stands in Slumber . Kumin’s Sheep Pond Partners campaigned the dam of Fluffy Socks, Breakfast Time , by Kitten’s Joy.
“It was amazing. I raced the mom, raced the dad,” Kumin said of Saturday’s win by the 5-year-old mare named by his youngest child, Sam. “The little guy named her, it’s his favorite horse. So, it’s just pretty sweet.”
The victory follows a 2022 in which Fluffy Socks failed to secure a victory, even though she finished second four times, with three of those runner-up finishes coming in graded stakes. She wouldn’t be denied Saturday.
In her seasonal debut, Fluffy Socks rated in fifth under Irad Ortiz Jr. in the field of six older fillies and mares as Chad Brown stablemate Haughty led through a half-mile in :47.84 and six furlongs in 1:11.68 while tracked by the about 4-5 favorite Spendarella, a grade 1 winner making her 4-year-old debut. Spendarella would take the lead in early stretch but Fluffy Socks, who had split horses in early stretch, poked her head in front a furlong out and edged away for the victory.
Spendarella held second, a length ahead of a third Brown-trained runner in Speak of the Devil , who won the 2022 edition of this race. Spendarella returned $11.96, $3.92, and $2.64 across the board.
“She’s always been a bit of a bridesmaid and I started to wonder if she just prefers to be a bridesmaid but she was able to punch through today and finish her race off,” Brown said. “I’m very proud of her.”
Ortiz raised his riding crop in celebration a stride or two before the wire to acknowledge the first win by Fluffy Socks since October 2021.
“We really liked our (post) position. That was a key to it,” Ortiz said. “She broke sharp and I was able to get her right in the race.”
Grade 1 winner Slumber, who Kumin raced in partnership, stands for $7,500 at Rockridge Stud near Hudson, N.Y.
“We bred 20 mares to him this year and 20 last year,” Kumin said. “We believe in him and we’ll see what happens.”
Brown said Kumin opted for the chance to run on the Derby day undercard over a possible start in the May 7 Beaugay Stakes (G3T) on the turf at Belmont Park. Brown said the owner told him it would be fun to start before the big crowd at Churchill and, sure enough, Fluffy Socks found her best as the grandstand roared.
