Simply in Front captures the Music City (Courtney Snow/Past The Wire)
By Jen Hoyt – Kentucky Downs
FRANKLIN, Ky.— The aptly named Simply in Front ($14.62) was in front when it mattered, getting up late to prevail by half length over Pipsy (IRE) in Saturday’s $2 million AGS Music City Stakes (G2) at Kentucky Downs. Vive Veuve was third.
Kairyu (IRE) was the fastest out of the gate and took the early lead, but was quickly passed by Pipsy before an opening quarter mile in :22 3/5 and she held the lead through a half-mile in :46 1/5.
Winning jockey Luis Saez brought Simply in Front, who was coming from last, wide into the stretch for the cavalry charge to the wire and was able to get up in the final strides to prevail in a final time of 1:16 for 6 ½ furlongs over a firm course.
Trainer Eddie Kenneally was rewarded for his confidence in the filly.
“The filly is getting good right now,“ said Kenneally, who also won Thursday’s Jeff Ruby One Dreamer with Safeen. “We liked her coming in here, we liked her cutting back to 6 ½. I knew she would like this new setup here, Kentucky Downs. She hadn’t run here before but I knew she would like it. Luis rode her with patience. There was some speed in the race. It set up nicely for us. She came home really strong.”
#10 Simply in Front cuts back and scores at 6/1 in the G2 Music City at Kentucky Downs for trainer Eddie Kenneally with @luissaezpty in the saddle!
— TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) September 7, 2024
#TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/vux2AlcnlY
“(She broke) really slow,” Saez said. “She kind of fell asleep a little bit there. But we know they have a lot of speed and she always came with a big turn of foot, and she did today. Today she ran a big race.”
Buttercream Babe, the 3-1 favorite, had a troubled trip from the beginning and finished sixth. She was second to last at the break and ran into traffic through the stretch.
Simply in Front, a 3-year-old Summer Front filly, was coming off a second in Woodbine’s Ontario Colleen Stakes (G3) last out on July 27. She has now won three of nine career starts and improved her earnings to $1,412,788 for owner Colebrook Farm.
Time to Dazzle, Kairyu (IRE), Buttercream Babe, Pharoah’s Wine, Amidst Waves, Pounce, Visually, Gavea (GER), and Regulatory Risk crecompleted the order of finish. Crown Imperial (#1) was scratched as well as also-eligibles Uphill Dance, Twirling Queen, and Toupie.
