Chop Chop wins the Bewitch (G3) April 26 at Keeneland (Courtney Snow/Past The Wire)
Churchill Downs Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky.— Selective LLC’s recent Bewitch Stakes (Grade III) winner Chop Chop finalized her serious preparation ahead of Saturday’s $250,000 Keertana Stakes (Listed) by schooling in the paddock Thursday morning after training hours.
Run at 1 ½ miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course, the Keertana Stakes sets the stage for a rematch between the top four finishers from Keeneland’s Bewitch Stakes, held one month ago. Chop Chop finished 2 ¼ lengths clear of runner-up Atomic Blonde (GER) in the Bewitch, marking a successful return to turf after 13 months competing on either the dirt or Tapeta. The third and fourth place finishers of the Bewitch, Vegara and Tower Bridge, respectfully, are also entered in the Keertana.
Trained by Brad Cox, Chop Chop was tabbed as the 9-5 morning line choice against six rivals in Saturday’s race. The filly emerged as one of the top prospects on the Road to Kentucky Oaks 149 following her game runner-up finish to Wonder Wheel in the Alcibiades (GI) as a 2-year-old. In her 3-year-old season, Chop Chop went on to finish second to The Alys Look in the Silverbulletday Stakes before her disappointing fifth-place effort in the Rachel Alexandra (GII). Following that start, Cox briefly switched Chop Chop back to turf, where she finished third in the Allen “Black Cat” LaCombe Memorial. Chop Chop would compete on dirt in her next three starts before switching to Tapeta for her next four.
Jockey Axel Concepcion will pilot Chop Chop in the Keertana from post No. 2.
Here is the complete field for the Keertana Stakes from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds):
- Heavenly Appointed (Kevin Gomez, Graham Motion, 8-1)
- Chop Chop (Concepcion, Cox, 9-5)
- Tower Bridge (Brian Hernandez Jr., Cherie DeVaux, 10-1)
- Atomic Blonde (Tyler Gaffalione, Christophe Clement, 3-1)
- Vegara (Jose Ortiz, Graham Motion, 5-2)
- Sand and Sea (Rey Gutierrez, Riley Mott, 15-1)
- Holey Foley (Frankie Dettori, Brian Lynch, 10-1)
Carded as Race 10 of 11, the Keertana is set to take place in Lane 2 on the Matt Winn Turf Course, positioned 12 feet from the inner rail. First post is 12:45 p.m. (all times Eastern) and the featured Keertana will go at 5:27 p.m.
