Pin Up Betty storms home in the Anchorage Stakes, Courtney Snow/Past the Wire
Churchill Downs Press
Three Diamond Farm’s 5-year-old homebred filly Pin Up Betty won for the first time in a year when she repeated in Saturday’s fifth running of the $275,000 Anchorage Stakes (Listed) at Churchill Downs with a two-length victory over Way to Be Marie.
Ridden by Flavien Prat for trainer Mike Maker, Pin Up Betty covered 1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:48.45, which was the fastest time recorded over the distance and surface at the Spring Meet despite being labeled “good” after area rainfall.
This was the fourth stakes victory of her career, and all have come over the course at Churchill Downs. At 3, she won the $275,000 Regret (GIII). Last year, she prevailed in the $250,000 Old Forester Mint Julep (GIII) and $175,000 Anchorage.
Pin Up Betty went winless in six starts – five against graded stakes company – prior to Saturday’s triumph.
Stylish Sue led the field of nine fillies and mares through an opening quarter in :24.34 did as Pin Up Betty relaxed in seventh. After a half mile in :48.88, Pin Up Betty moved up to fifth and raced comfortably along the two-path about four lengths off the leader. Stylish Sue clocked six furlongs in 1:12.60 as the field turned for home and Pin Up Betty tipped out at the top of the stretch to commence her winning move. She surged past Stylish Sue and a chasing Unmerited Favor with a furlong to the finish and was well clear late as Way to Be Marie and Warming closed late for podium positions.
“She got into a nice rhythm today off the pace and was able to make a big run to the front and get the job done,” Prat said.
Pin Up Betty paid $7.42, $4.72 and $3.04 as the 5-2 betting choice. Way to Be Marie, at 4-1 under Luis Saez, returned $5.08 and $3.26. Warming, ridden by John Velazquez, was another half-length back in third and paid $3.96 to show.
Unmerited Favor, Just Basking, Stylish Sue, Vive Veuve, Settling Storm and Footnote completed the running order. Tirupati was scratched.
Pin Up Betty, who rebounded from a seventh-place finish in the $275,000 Old Forester Mint Julep while forwardly-placed in the early stages, improved her record to 5-6-2 in 24 starts and the $163,920 first prize jumped her earnings to $1,212,015. All five wins have come at Churchill Downs on turf in 10 local starts.
“She has a knack for winning this race,” Maker said. “I’m glad she was able to get the job done again this year. Flavien gave her a good trip. Last time the race was void of speed and we asked her to do something she really didn’t want to do.”
She 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.
The Anchorage honors the suburb of Louisville, a heavily shaded city in eastern Jefferson County, Ky.
