World Beater (outside) makes his move). (Jenny Doyle/Past The Wire)
Eclipses Stakes Record
Darren Rogers/Churchill Downs
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – World Beater, owned by Jim and Dana Bernhard’s Pin Oak Stud LLC, collected his first stakes victory when he surged past longshot King of Ashes in the final yards to win Saturday’s sixth running of the $273,500 Audubon Stakes (Listed) for 3-year-olds at Churchill Downs by a neck.
World Beater, ridden by Jaime Torres and trained by Riley Mott, covered 1 1/8 miles over “firm” turf in 1:47.39, which eclipsed the 2020 stakes record of 1:47.99 established by Field Pass.
The $165,315 first prize jumped World Beater’s earnings to $263,914 from a record of 2-1-1 in six starts.
Charlie’s to Blame led the field of eight sophomores through comfortable early splits of :23.42 and :47.71 as Tomasello sat second, King of Ashes tracked in third and World Beater rated in fifth along the rail. Into the final turn, Charlie’s to Blame faded as King of Ashes ranged into the lead over Tomasello. World Beater angled out at the top of the lane and kept coming to surge past King of Ashes inside the final 100 yards for the win.
“He’s a pretty easy horse to ride because he’ll take you to where you need to go,” Torres said. “He was traveling well, and he really kicked it into gear down the lane. I’m very thankful for Riley (Mott) and his whole team. I rode him two starts ago at Keeneland on the turf and he ran well that day. He was impressive stretching out more in distance when he broke his maiden last time. I think that definitely helped him.”
World Beater paid $15.40, $8.56 and $5.82 as the 6-1 fifth betting choice. King of Ashes, with Frankie Dettori up at odds of 16-1, returned $16.06 and $8.84. Tomasello was another 2 ¼ lengths back in third under Jose Ortiz at 7-1 and paid $6.06 to show.
Scipio, Early Adopter (GB), Discreet Dancer, Charlie’s to Blame and Mesero rounded out the placings.
Prior to the Audubon, World Beater broke his maiden in his fifth attempt in a 1 1/8-mile grass event at Churchill Downs on the Kentucky Oaks undercard.
World Beater, a son of Oscar Performance out of the Blame mare Dabinett, was bred in Kentucky by Dr. John A. Chandler.
The Audubon is named after a Louisville neighborhood located nearby Churchill Downs.
