Miss Yearwood was a promising filly around two turns, winning two such races and earning an initial stakes placing. But her calling is proving to be three-turn turf marathons.
The 4-year-old daughter of Will Take Charge improved to 2-for-4 under such conditions in taking the $223,678 Keertana Stakes at Churchill Downs May 27, rallying from 11th and catching Lovely Princess for her first stakes win. The Ian Wilkes trainee scored her second consecutive victory at 1 1/2 miles after capturing a second-level allowance race last month at Keeneland.
A quick pace of :48.38,1:13.57, and 1:38.97 established by Exit Soul and Sinfiltre set Saturday’s race up for a closer, and no one finished better than Miss Yearwood, who circled the field wide on the final turn under Chris Landeros. She collared early stretch leader Lovely Princess , who had taken command in early stretch from third, and gradually drove clear by a length. The winner was timed in 2:27.45 on firm turf and returned $5.98 for a $2 win wager.
“She came with a huge run and really exploded late down the lane,” Landeros.
Grade 3 winner Sparkle Blue ran third, 2 1/2 lengths behind runner-up Lovely Princess .
Owned and bred by Roger Keith Long, Miss Yearwood is the first stakes winner from the Phipps Stable-raced mare Satisfaction (Awesome Again ) from four foals to race. She is one of two foals produced from her dam to have graded placings.