Churchill Distaff Turf Mile goes to Simply in Front, Twin Spires to Think Big

Simply in Front was barely that at the conclusion of Saturday’s $740,670 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (G2) at Churchill Downs, but that was just enough against this highly competitive and compact field. After running near the back of the pack for the first bit of the one-mile affair on Kentucky Derby (G1) Day, the Eddie Kenneally-trained daughter of Summer Front edged out a game Pin Up Betty by a neck and finished the eight-furlong turf test in 1:35.46 over a course labeled good.

Ridden by Luis Saez and sent postward at 15-1, Simply in Front was in front of just one horse early as Serene Seraph took the field of eight through a quarter in :23.56 and a half in :48.11. The front-runner tired soon after and surrendered pacesetting duties to Pin Up Betty, who recorded three-quarters in 1:12.55 and seven furlongs in 1:23.80. Pin Up Betty, under pressure throughout, put up a game effort and kept all at bay except Simply in Front, who got up late for the win.

It was a very close race from first to last, roughly only four lengths. Right behind the top two were Movin’ On Up, the slight favorite, and then Five Towns, Tax Implications, Venencia, Sacred Wish, and Serence Seraph. Poolside with Slim and Special Wan were scratched.

The four-year-old Simply in Front was bred in Kentucky by William Harrigan and Mike Pietrangelo and was produced by the Blame mare Complicated, who was winless on the track but has been very successful in the breeding shed. Aside from Simply in Front, the 13-year-old mare is the dam of three other stakes winners thus far, including Delaware H. (G2) winner Honor D Lady and Natalma S. (G1) victress And One More Time. Complicated has a two-year-old War Front filly named Aporia and an unnamed yearling colt by Golden Pal.

Simply in Front was acquired for $115,000 as a Keeneland September yearling. Last year the bay captured the lucrative Music City (G2) at Kentucky Downs, and now has a record of 12-4-3-0 to go along with $1,860,636 in the bank.

Also taking place Saturday at Churchill on the wet lawn was the $569,600 Twin Spires Turf Sprint (G2) at 5 1/2 furlongs with the fast-closing Think Big proving best.

Think Big, sporting the colors of Godolphin, rated in the clear behind Coppola, who sped through opening splits of :22.86 and :44.86 with nine rivals in hot pursuit. Around the turn, however, Coppola gave up the lead to Boss Sully, who got the bunch through five panels in a brisk :56.29. All the way, though, Think Big was gathering momentum and biding his time under regular rider Ben Curtis. Under urging from his pilot, Think Big easily got up in the final half-furlong and stopped the clock in 1:02.35. 

Trained by Michael Stidham, Think Big prevailed by three quarters of a length over Boss Sully, and following those two past the line were Unconquerable Keen, Arrest Me Red, Ambivalent, Coppola, Run Carson, Rogue Lightning, Mischievous Rogue, and Eamonn. Nobals and One Timer were scratched.

Think Big is the second foal out of the stakes-winning Street Sense mare Always Thinking, who has a yearling colt by Hard Spun and a 2025 filly by Cairo Prince. 

Last month Think Big earned his first stakes score over similar ground at Keeneland in the Shakertown (G2). He now has $709,785 in his coffers and a record of 9-5-0-1.