In Our Time dominates Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf Sprint

Leading sire Not This Time stamped his influence on both rich stakes at Kentucky Downs on Saturday. 

His daughter In Our Time ($13.04) dominated the $1,676,500 Ladies Turf Sprint (G1), topping an exacta with the other Not This Time mare, Time to Dazzle. Two-time defending champion Ag Bullet faded to eighth as the 1.16-1 favorite.

Earlier, Not This Time’s champion son Epicenter sent out his first stakes winner when Mid American ($12.70) landed the $748,725 Kentucky Downs Juvenile Sprint. Finishing third was a colt by Not This Time, Pinpoint.

Ladies Turf Sprint (G1)

Ag Bullet won the past two editions of this race, as a Grade 2, in front-running fashion. Her three-peat bid in the newly-minted Grade 1 met with an early plot twist when In Our Time beat her to the lead.

Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. and ridden by Micah Husbands, In Our Time signaled her intent right out of the gate. The 5.52-1 chance dashed from post 8 and took charge through an opening quarter in :22.79 on the firm course.

Ag Bullet chased in second, but after the half in :45.39, the favorite began to lose ground. At the same time, In Our Time spurted away from the pack and opened up an insurmountable margin. The dark bay held sway by 3 1/2 lengths while finishing 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16.01.

The only battle remaining was for the minors. Time to Dazzle, who had been tracking the pace, gamely held the runner-up spot by a nose from Jody’s Pride. British shipper Sayidah Dariyan closed mildly for fourth, followed by Vina Arana, Spirited Boss, Movin’ on Up, Ag Bullet, Love Cervere, and Zeitlos. Buttercream Babe was withdrawn, and Cloe was a vet scratch.

Resolute Racing and Miller Racing’s In Our Time has bankrolled $1,993,305 from a record of 20-6-6-3. Her previous graded stakes victory came in the April 12 Giant’s Causeway (G2) at Keeneland, over the same course and distance where she placed in last fall’s Franklin (G2). The five-year-old was most recently third to Movin’ on Up and Zeitlos in the Caress (G2) at Saratoga. 

But In Our Time had spent the bulk of her career in the vicinity of a mile or so, notably placing in the 2025 Matriarch (G1), Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G2), Honey Fox (G3), Ladies Turf (G3) at Kentucky Downs, and the De La Rose S. at the Spa. As a sophomore at Gulfstream Park, she won the 2024 Cellars Shiraz S. and finished second in the Tropical Park Oaks.

Bred by Brian Kahn in Kentucky, In Our Time sold for $325,000 as a Keeneland September yearling. She resurfaced in the same auction ring as an unraced three-year-old at the January Sale, RNA’ing for $9,000. Trainer Jack Sisterson developed her into a useful enough prospect to get picked up by Miller Racing and Joseph.

In Our Time is out of the Cactus Ridge mare Laura’s Pleasure, who is also responsible for Dubai Group 3-placed stakes winner Important Mission. This is the immediate family of Grade 2 scorer Withgreatpleasure.

Juvenile Sprint

The scratch of unbeaten Waggley, the 5-2 morning-line favorite, changed the betting picture for the Juvenile Sprint. The Wesley Ward filly was cross-entered to Sunday’s $750,000 Untapable S. in her own division. 

Doubledown Stables’ Mid American was bet down from a 20-1 morning line to 5.35-1. The James DiVito runner was coming off a maiden victory in his switch to turf at Ellis Park, and he’s now 2-for-2 on the grass.

Mid American broke sharply, but jockey Jaime Torres preferred to let others go forward. Reserved in fifth early, he raced within striking range of pacesetter Arctic Wolf through fractions of :22.72 and :45.75. 

As the prompting Just a Holiday challenged Arctic Wolf, Mid American scythed between foes to their inside and drove clear. The chestnut clocked 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:17.39.

Good to Be King, the 3.99-1 favorite, caught fire a shade too late. His rally came up three-quarters of a length shy in second. Third-placer Pinpoint was a neck up on Arctic Wolf, while Just a Holiday weakened to seventh in the 11-horse field.

Mid American, who was seventh in his debut on the Ellis main track to Salahudin, sports a mark of 3-2-0-0, $495,821. Bred by Sunny Oak Farm in the Bluegrass, he initially sold for $75,000 as a Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling. His current connections purchased him at OBS April for $180,000. 

Mid American’s dam, the Exchange Rate mare Wampum Girl, is a half-sister to Grade 1-winning sprinter Bordonaro and multiple Grade 1-placed stakes scorer Miss Empire. This is the further family of 2019 Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar.