LEXINGTON, Ky.—Stonestreet Stables’ Campanelle (IRE) swept to the lead with a three-wide move at midstretch and drew off by 2 1⁄2 lengths to win the 25th running of the $200,000 Giant’s Causeway (L) for fillies and mares.
Trained by Wesley Ward and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., Campanelle covered the 5 1⁄2 furlongs on a turf course rated as good in a stakes-record 1:01.98. It is the third victory in the race for Ward, who won in 2017 with Stonestreet’s Lady Aurelia and in 2011 with Holiday for Kitten, and the second for Ortiz, who rode Morticia to victory in 2019.
Elle Z was fastest out of the gate and quickly established a daylight advantage as she led the field through fractions of :21.99 and :44.81 as Ortiz took Campanelle off the pace and off the inside for clear running.
Elle Z led into the stretch, but Campanelle had all the momentum and quickly sealed the outcome of the race when she assumed the lead.
A two-time Group 1 winner in Europe, Campanelle improved her record to 8-5-0-1 and increased her earnings to $644,789 with Saturday’s $83,700 check. Campanelle is a 4-year-old daughter of Kodiac out of the Namid mare Janina.
Sent off as the favorite, Campanelle returned $5.80, $4.20 and $3.20. Star Devine (IRE), ridden by John Velazquez, returned $14.80 and $9.40 with Goin’ Good finishing third, another 1 1⁄2 lengths back under Tyler Gaffalione and paying $6 to show.
Defending champion Change of Control finished another nose back in fourth and was followed in order by Elle Z, Jouster, Risky Reward, Phantom Vision, Violenza, A G Indy, Hear My Prayer, Headline Hunter and Ghosting Kim.
Keeneland will be closed for racing tomorrow, Easter Sunday. Racing resumes Wednesday with an eight-race program that begins at 1 p.m. ET.
Quotes from the $200,000 Giant’s Causeway (L)
Irad Ortiz Jr. (winning rider of Campanelle [IRE])
“I just followed the instructions. (Trainer) Wesley (Ward) told me to try to be close to the speed horses, and that’s what I did. She flew home when I asked her to run.”
Wesley Ward (winning trainer)
“She’s just gotten big and powerful. She’s just really grown into herself. So I was really impressed with that; I told (owner) Barbara (Banke of Stonestreet Stables) that. It was a big, big performance today. It was huge. It was really impressive.
“We’re going to the (Diamond) Jubilee (Stakes-G1), 6 furlongs (in June at Royal Ascot in England). She has a big, long stride like you saw today and I’m really excited about it.”
Colby Hernandez (rider of defending champion and fourth-place finisher Change of Control)
“She broke good and we got squeezed a little at the beginning but around the turn, we had a good trip. She was running at the top of the stretch. She ran a hard race.”
Michelle Lovell (trainer of Change of Control)
“There were a lot more fillies and mares in the race this year compared to last year. Really good company we are keeping. We were further back than where we usually sit, but she rallied really hard.”
Keeneland Press Release
Photo: Ortiz gives Campanelle a thankful pat. (Coady Photography)
