Youalmosthadme after her victory in the Myrtlewood Oct. 27 at Keeneland (Keeneland Photo)
Churchill Downs Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky.— Two-time stakes winning filly Youalmosthadme will attempt to cap her 2-year-old season with a victory in Saturday’s third running of the $225,000 Fern Creek at Churchill Downs.
Run at 6 ½ furlongs, the Fern Creek will go as the 12th race finale at 6:24 p.m.
Saturday’s card, dubbed as “Stars of Tomorrow II,” features all 2-year-old races. The Fern Creek is one of four stakes contests on the card. The others are the $400,000 Kentucky Jockey Club (GII), $400,000 Golden Rod (GII) and $225,000 Ed Brown. First post is 1 p.m.
Youalmosthadme was a private purchase by Qatar Racing, Swinbank Stables, Steve Adkisson and Black Type Thoroughbreds following her 8 ½-length debut victory in mid-April at Keeneland. In her first start with her new connections, Youalmosthadme defeated open company by 8 ¾ lengths in the Kentucky Juvenile at Churchill Downs. The Brad Cox trainee recently cruised to a seven-length win in the Myrtlewood Stakes at Keeneland. The speedy daughter of Oxbow will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione from the rail.
Another intriguing prospect appears to be Rigney Racing’s debut winner Halina’s Forte. Trained by Phil Bauer, the fleet-footed Halina’s Forte cruised to a 4 ½-length maiden special weight victory Nov. 5 at Churchill Downs. The Florida-bred daughter of Mitole will be ridden by Martin Garcia out of post No. 4.
Here is the field for the Fern Creek from the rail out (with jockey and trainer): Youalmosthadme (Gaffalione, Cox); Fibber (Mitchell Murrill, Bret Calhoun); Saratoga Secret (Javier Castellano, Wayne Lukas); Halina’s Forte (Garcia, Bauer); Talkn in Cursive (Ferrin Peterson, Eugene Vosler); Ma Rae’s Girl (Rafael Bejarano, Doug O’Neill); Pinotslilgirl (Edgar Morales, John Ennis); Field Lass (Julien Leparoux, Rusty Arnold II); Wellareyouhappynow (Samuel Bermudez, Erin Thompson); Sharp Tune (Joel Rosario, Steve Asmussen); Bella Haze (Adam Beschizza, Carlos Santamaria); and Irish Maxima (Luis Saez, John Servis).
