Brotha Keny pulls off a frontrunning score in the Bourbon Flight (Jenny Doyle)
Churchill Downs Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – “Pace makes the race” is an old horseracing adage and that popular strategy benefitted front-runner Brotha Keny in Saturday’s fifth running of the $275,000 Bourbon Flight for 3-year-olds as he defeated odds-on 1-5 favorite Chunk of Gold by 1 ½ lengths at Churchill Downs. Run Quiet Run Fast was another 7 ¾ lengths behind in third.
Trained by Bill Morey and ridden by Jose Ortiz, Brotha Kenny collected his first stakes win as he covered the 1 3/16 miles on a fast track in 1:55.89.
In a field reduced to three 3-year-olds after five scratches, Brotha Kenny, third in the Indiana Derby (GIII) and West Virginia Derby (GIII), went straight to the front with West Virginia Derby winner Chunk of Gold tracking to his outside a half-length back and 7-1 longshot Run Quiet Run Fast about five lengths back in third.
“In a short field like that, I told Jose to take it to Chunk of Gold if he could and make it a match race,” Morey said. “He rode a great race and we were able to get the job done today.”
Brotha Keny set comfortable fractions of :23.62, :47.78 and 1:12 before spurting 1 ½ lengths clear at the top of the stretch. Chunk of Gold angled to the inside in upper stretch and then switched back to the outside with a furlong to run but could not close into Brotha Keny.
“He broke really well today and Bill (Morey) told me to make it a match race with Chunk of Gold,” Ortiz said. “After breaking that well, I was able to put him on the lead and he did the rest.”
The victory was worth $185,000 for owners Lance and Steve Kinross and increased Brotha Keny’s earnings to $318,900 with a record of 3-1-3 in 11 starts.
Brotha Keny is a Kentucky-bred gelded son of Mo Town out of the Northern Afleet mare Raramuri and was bred by Terrazas Thoroughbreds.
Brotha Keny, the 2-1 second betting choice, returned $6.92 for the win. There was no place or show wagering.
“He ended up being second best today,” said Chunk of Gold’s trainer Ethan West. “He broke maybe a step slow but was in a good spot going into the first turn just off the hip of Brotha Keny. It’s disappointing but we’ll live to fight another day.”
Admiral Dennis, Excite, Hypnus, Just a Fair Shake and Whiskey Shot were scratched.
