A Fine Chardonnay uncorks a win on a fine Fall day at Keeneland. (Keeneland Photo)
Keeneland Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Double 22 Stables’ A Fine Chardonnay uncorked a winning rally to pass favored On Time Girl in the stretch and score a 1-length victory in the $250,000 Dean Dorton Myrtlewood at Keeneland on Friday, the penultimate day of the Fall Meet.
Ridden by Tyler Gaffalione for trainer Ian Wilkes in the 6-furlong race for six 2-year-old fillies, A Fine Chardonnay is now unbeaten in two races. Her time was 1:11.80.
A Fine Chardonnay paid $6.26, $3.64 and $3.08. On Time Girl, ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., returned $3.32 and $2.38 and finished a neck in front of Woodstock, who paid $4.04 to show under Luis Saez.
They were followed in order by Kingsolver, Counting Stars and Storm Cloud Rising.
By Maclean’s Music, A Fine Chardonnay is a Kentucky-bred filly out of the Bernardini mare Andele. She earned $153,063 for today’s win, increasing her earnings to $222,363.
Quotes for the $250,000 Dean Dorton Myrtlewood
Tyler Gaffalione (winning rider of A Fine Chardonnay): “First, I’d like to give credit to the connections. I’m so thankful for this opportunity. She’s a really nice filly and a lot of fun to ride. I’m thrilled for the owner (Philip Griesinger of Double 22 Stables) — his first win on his own — so it’s a big opportunity for them. The filly is very push-button. She likes to do her own thing early and I kind of left her alone, but by the time we got to the three-eighths pole she was well under herself, and she’s got a really nice turn of foot. I chirped at her about the three-eighths pole, and she perked up nicely. From then on, I was pretty confident.”
Ian Wilkes (winning trainer)—On whether he knew he had this kind of filly before her debut Sept. 11 at Churchill Downs, which she also won: “Would I have thought she was this kind? No. I’m going to have to say no. She did work good going into the first race, but she didn’t train the way she trained coming into this race. I was quite comfortable (with how far back she was in the race) because they were all going, and she was traveling—she looked good to travel. I watched her work, and her turn of foot to finish is really good.”
Philip Griesinger (of winning owner Double 22 Stables): “It’s almost impossible to even think about being at this point in our lives, and to win our first two races with our first horse. It’s just incredible. I just wish my son, who’s my partner, and my family were here with me. I just can’t put it into words. It’s just amazing. I probably can’t say on air (what I was thinking when she dropped so far back in the race), but I looked at (trainer) Ian (Wilkes) and he said, ‘She’s fine, she’s fine,’ and then Charlie, the farm manager, said, ‘You’ve got this.’ And that’s when I started to go ballistic. I’m going to (celebrate with) a couple bottles (of a fine chardonnay). I’m not going to feel good tomorrow.”
Irad Ortiz Jr. (rider of runner-up and beaten favorite On Time Girl): “I broke good, and I was where I was without using too much. I had to let her be there (on the lead). I am happy with the race. She kept fighting down the lane, so I am happy with that.”
Brad Cox (trainer of On Time Girl): “She ran well. Probably took a little too much pressure early on to be able to hang on (for the win). Big effort, and she is now stakes-placed. Proud of the way she continues to get better each race. There is a stakes for her at the end of the Churchill meet. We might try that or give her a little time off.”
Luis Saez (rider of third-place finisher Woodstock): “Good trip, beautiful trip. She was traveling nice in a great spot coming into the top of the stretch. She had a lot of speed. She made a movement when I asked her but just got beat by two good horses.”
