Taken by the Wind takes flight in the Pocahontas to score Kentucky Oaks points (Jenny Doyle/Past The Wire)
Churchill Downs Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Taken by the Wind, co-owned by four-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback and NFL Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw, scored a touchdown Saturday at Churchill Downs with a runaway 5 ¼-length win over Miss Complicated in the 57th running of the $251,250 Pocahontas (Grade III) for 2-year-old fillies.
Purchased for only $20,000 at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale, Taken by the Wind ran one mile in 1:36.50 for jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., trainer Kenny McPeek and owners Magdalena Racing (Sherri McPeek et al), Bradshaw and Graham Leveston.
A Florida-bred daughter of Rock Your World out of the First Samurai mare Up for Grabs, Taken by the Wind banked $136,710 for the win and is the early points-leader on the “Road to the Kentucky Oaks” after collecting 10 points. The Pocahontas was the first of 33 qualifying races to the Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) to be run next May, and points were awarded to the top five finishers on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale.
Breaking from post No. 3 in the field of seven 2-year-old fillies, Taken by the Wind relaxed along the inside in fourth as Embrace the Moment led the field through early fractions of :22.75 and :45.57 with Our Two Girls in second and Dazzling Dame in third. As Embrace the Moment began to tire around the turn, Taken by the Wind tipped out and found room between Our Two Girls and Dazzling Dame to assume command with three-sixteenths of a mile to run. She kicked clear of the field approaching the final furlong.
“She broke well,” Ortiz said. “I just let the speed go after that. I tried to let her settle on the rail like she did in her last start. Turning for home, there was an opening and she went through there and opened up. She ran like an older filly today. She’s very exciting.”
In her previous start on Aug. 21 at Saratoga, Taken by the Wind won her debut by three lengths in an off-the-turf maiden special weight over seven furlongs.
“She’s only been here a few days,” said McPeek’s local assistant Greg Geier. “Kenny said she was training well and she backed it up today.”
For McPeek, who attended the Keeneland September Yearling Sale on Saturday, it was his record-extending fifth Pocahontas victory. Previously, he won with Dothraki Queen (2015), Daddys Lil Darling (2016), Fun and Feisty (2022) and VV’s Dream (2023).
Taken by the Wind (2-2-0-0—$180,710) paid $14.10, $5.18 and $3.82 as the 6-1 fourth betting choice. Miss Complicated, who rallied into second under Julien Leparoux after being squeezed at the start as the 9-5 favorite, returned $3.78 and $2.72. Joke Maker, with Luan Machado aboard, was another 2 ½ lengths back in third and paid $3.62 to show at odds of 12-1.
Dazzling Dame, Our Two Girls, Embrace the Moment and Starlit Sky completed the order of finish.
Taken by the Wind was bred by Courtney L. Meagher.
