Deep Roots in Woodford Girl’s Keeneland Win 

April 24, 2009

For a Kentucky breeder, the only thing better than a homebred filly’s win at Keeneland is still being the owner of that filly when she’s standing in the winner’s circle. 

Woodford Girl (Honour and Glory-Shawgatny, by Danzig Connection) closed out Keeneland’s Spring Meet with a win in The Diamond A, a 1 3/16 m. turf allowance test.

The Ian Wilkes pupil was bumped leaving the first turn, but made a good middle move under Robby Albarado while racing off the rail, angled wider for the drive and gained a short lead at the top of the stretch, which she extended in the run to the wire to win by three parts of a length.  She withstood a late challenge by the Phipps Stable’s regally bred With Flying Colors, (A.P. Indy- My Flag, by Easy Goer).

Four year old Woodford Girl broke her maiden in her second career start last year, winning a mile maiden special at the Fair Grounds in February by three plus lengths, going away.  She likes to put on a show through the stretch and that day she trailed the field with less than a half mile to go, split foes when given her head and rallied strongly for the win. 

The hometown win is especially sweet because the dark bay filly’s family goes back three generations at Lantern Hill Farm. Grand dam Star Empress (*Young Emperor-Questar, by Requested) provided a down payment for our original farm acreage through her 1991 Keeneland July Selected Yearling sales topping daughter Shawgatny, who since her return to the farm has produced SATULAGI (L) as well as Woodford Girl.

Photo credit: Pat Lang Photography