Percy's Bar topples Zany in Ashland

Disqualified from victory in the Alcibiades (G1) at Keeneland last October, the three-year-old filly Percy's Bar made things right Friday on her return to the Lexington, Kentucky, track, dominating the $750,000 Ashland (G1) by 2 1/4 lengths over odds-on favorite Zany.

Not only did the win serve as redemption for the daughter of Upstart, but ensured her spot in the starting gate for the May 1 Kentucky Oaks (G1). She earned 100 qualifying points toward that nine-furlong test.

"I'd still rather have the Alcibiades, too, but it takes the sting out for sure," said Ben Colebrook, who trains the filly for Hat Creek Racing.

Stuck behind a slow pace set by French Friction, Percy's Bar hugged the rail much of the way under Luan Machado. When a gap opened up for Percy's War approaching the turn for home, she seized it readily and accelerated.

The previously unbeaten Zany, who in contrast raced in the two- and three-path, could not seriously threaten Percy's Bar in the final furlong. She did, however, finish a clear second, 3 1/2 lengths ahead of Star Actress. The strung out field was completed by French Friction, Omaha Bay, and Hollybygolly.

"I thought she ran very well," said Zany's trainer Todd Pletcher. "I liked the way she finished, I liked the way she was gaining at the end, I liked the way she galloped out. She got a good education in it, got a lot of kickback, got some cover, a lot of things that I think will help her at Churchill."

Percy's Bar covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.72 over a track upgraded to good from its original sloppy. The second choice, Percy's Bar paid $7.12.

Percy's Bar has now earned 114 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points. Zany, the Oaks favorite prior to the Ashland and perhaps still, given her solid run, increased her total from 30 to 80. Star Actress earned 25 points, Omaha Bay 20 points, and French Friction 15 points, but all would need many defections to make the Oaks field.

The Ashland was Percy's Bar's second official stakes win and first at graded level. She's crossed the wire first in all three runs at Keeneland, beginning with a four-length decision in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden last April. She went on to capture the Debutante S. at Churchill by five lengths, but was easily defeated by Tommy Jo in the Spinaway (G1) at Saratoga.

Percy's Bar was judged to have cost Tommy Jo the Alcibiades after bumping that rival in the stretch, though the margin between the two was 2 3/4 lengths. The pair met for a third time in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Del Mar, where Percy's Bar finished third and Tommy Jo fifth. The Ashland was Percy's Bar's first start since the Breeders' Cup.

Three-year-old fillies also competed in the $400,000 Beaumont (G2) over seven furlongs, where A Fine Chardonnay won for the second time in as many starts over the Lexington track.

Victorious in her first two starts, including the Myrtlewood S. at Keeneland in October, A Fine Chardonnay finished a distant third in her next two starts, the Fern Creek S. at Churchill and Any Limit S. at Gulfstream. In the Beaumont, she rallied to defeat odds-on choice Sneaky Good by three parts of a length under Brian Hernandez.

Owned by Double 22 Stables and trained by Ian Wilkes, the daughter of Maclean's Music won in a time of 1:23.85 over a muddy strip and paid $6.82.

Remember Mamba maintained his perfect record with a stakes debut score in the $589,500 Transylvania (G3) for three-year-olds, contested over a turf course rated good.

A comfortable winner of his maiden debut at Keeneland in October and a Fair Grounds allowance in January, Remember Mamba made it 3-for-3 with a rallying half-length decision under Jose Ortiz.

Owned by C R K Stable and trained by Cherie DeVaux, Remember Mamba covered 1 1/16 mile in 1:44.49. The son of Kitten's Joy paid $6.88 as the 2-1 favorite in a field of 11.

Trouble Calling needed five attempts to break his maiden but only one to capture his first stakes in the $393,875 Lafayette S. for three-year-olds.

Exiting a 6 1/4-length graduation at Fair Grounds on Feb. 14, Trouble Calling made a wide, sustained rally from near the tail of the seven-horse field to defeat Oscar's Hope by a head in the seven-furlong test. Knock It Off, the 2-1 favorite, finished sixth.

A homebred racing for Donamire Farm, Trouble Calling finished up in 1:24.03 under Luis Saez over the sloppy going. The Greg Foley-trained son of Dialed In paid $11.40.