Pin Up Betty victorious in the Regret (Jenny Doyle/Past The Wire)
Churchill Downs Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky.— Three Diamonds Farm’s Pin Up Betty launched an impressive four-wide rally from last around the final turn, kicked home to collar Gavea (GER) with three-sixteenths of a mile to run and easily held off a charging Buchu to win Saturday’s 55th running of the $272,500 Regret Stakes (Grade III) at Churchill Downs by 1 ½ lengths.
Trained by Mike Maker and ridden by Luis Saez, Pin Up Betty covered 1 1/8 miles on “firm” turf in 1:50.70.
Way to Be Marie, the 3-2 favorite in the field of seven 3-year-old fillies, dictated the terms as she clipped off modest fractions of :23.82, :49.10 and 1:14.01. Gavea (GER) tracked in second, Buchu raced in fifth and Pin Up Betty was last down the backstretch. In the final turn, Pin Up Betty made the first run and shot towards the leaders as Way to Be Marie gave way down on the inside. Buchu, the 2-1 second betting choice, made a late charge but Pin Up Betty made the first run and kicked on for the win.
Pin Up Betty, at odds of 6-1, paid $15.30, $6.56 and $4.92. Buchu, under Martin Garcia, returned $3.88 and $3.26. Gavea (GER), with Julien Leparoux in the saddle at odds of 27-1, finished another 1 ½ lengths back in third and paid $7.40.
Everland, Way to Be Marie, Hello Hollywood and Sassy Princess completed the order of finish. Dancing N Dixie, Poolside With Slim (IRE) and Faith Understood were scratched.
With her victory worth $166,900, Pin Up Betty boosted her career earnings to $319,365 from a record of 2-4-1 in nine starts. In her prior start on May 9, Pin Up Betty broke her maiden over the Churchill Downs turf by five lengths.
Pin Up Betty is a daughter of Constitution out of the Into Mischief mare I’m Betty G and was bred in Kentucky by her owner Kirk Wycoff.
“We’ve tried to get her to the turf a couple of times last year but got excluded from some races,” Maker said. “Her dam, I’m Betty G, was a really nice turf mare for us. So, I think once we switched her to the turf she’s really improved for us. Being a homebred for Three Diamonds Farm, it’s really special to win with her.”
The Regret honors the 1915 Kentucky Derby-winning filly.
