Mercante floors Brilliant Berti in Arlington; World Beater, Fionn score on undercard

Mercante continued his upward trajectory by upsetting Brilliant Berti in Saturday’s $273,500 Arlington (G3), one of three turf stakes on Stephen Foster Preview Day at Churchill Downs. World Beater was along in time in the $273,500 Audubon S., and Fionn went last-to-first in the companion Regret (G3) for sophomore fillies.

The Arlington is a prelude to the Wise Dan (G2) on the June 28 Stephen Foster Day program, while the Audubon and Regret serve as stepping stones, respectively, to the American Derby and Tepin S.

Arlington (G3)

Brilliant Berti, hitherto 4-for-4 over Churchill’s Matt Winn turf course, went off as the 1.91-1 favorite to extend his perfect local mark. But an unexpected change of tactics may have conspired against him. Instead of rating off the pace, Brilliant Berti surprisingly strode straight to the early lead, and Mercante capitalized under a heady ride by Joe Ramos.

Carl Pollard’s homebred Mercante arrived in the form of his life, making him a logical 3.45-1 alternative to the favorite. The late-blooming gelding had become the first graded winner for trainer Brian Knippenberg, Pollard’s erstwhile farm manager, in the March 22 Kentucky Cup Classic (G3) at Turfway Park. He carried that form forward on turf when nearly upsetting the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (G1) on Kentucky Derby Day, and backed up that effort here.

Brilliant Berti, drawn in the outside post 7, figured to let the speed go to his inside and drop back into his customary position. The entire picture changed out of the gate. Brilliant Berti broke sharply, but presumptive pace factor Silent Heart did not press on, and Mercante employed a wait-and-see approach. As a result, Brilliant Berti’s jockey, Brian Hernandez Jr., opted to take the initiative.

Although the favorite cruised through fractions of :24.43 and :48.42 on the firm course, his fans had cause for concern. Mercante, perched ideally in a tracking second, accosted Brilliant Berti passing six furlongs in 1:11.72, and the duel was on as both quickened to the wire. 

To his credit, Brilliant Berti resisted manfully for the length of the stretch. Yet he found himself in the unfamiliar role of prey, and the hunter Mercante got the upper hand. 

Despite taking longer to switch leads and ultimately hopping back to his left lead, Mercante outdueled Brilliant Berti by a neck. The blinkered dark bay negotiated 1 1/16 miles in 1:40.69 and returned $8.90.

Lagynos closed for third, a further half-length adrift, followed by Event Detail, Gigante, and Silent Heart. Call Protection, the 3.09-1 second choice, unfortunately, was pulled up with an injury on the backstretch and vanned off.

Cameo Performance was scratched in favor of Thursday’s Poker (G3) at Saratoga, and Herchee was also withdrawn. 

Mercante’s resume now reads 13-5-1-3, $726,122. The five-year-old sparked high hopes from the beginning. By Gun Runner and out of champion Caressing, and thereby a half-brother to champion West Coast, Mercante flashed talent at two and three for original trainer Bill Mott. 

But a “freak injury,” as Knippenberg described it, put him on the sidelines and almost cost him his career. Nursed back to health on the farm and returned to training with Knippenberg, Mercante resurfaced last fall, and he’s been thriving on the comeback trail this term. 

Caressing, who clinched her Eclipse Award with a 47-1 stunner in the 2000 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), has compiled a successful broodmare career. The Honour and Glory mare produced West Coast, the champion three-year-old male of 2017 with victories in the Travers (G1) and Pennsylvania Derby (G1); the Grade 3-placed duo of Gold Hawk and Juan and Bina; and My Goodness, the dam of 2021 Yasuda Kinen (G1) upsetter Danon Kingly and Japanese Grade 3 winner Danon Legend. 

Audubon S.

Pin Oak Stud’s World Beater, who just broke his maiden over this course and 1 1/8-mile distance May 2, proved worthy of the class hike in his stakes debut. Trained by Riley Mott and piloted by Jaime Torres, the 6.70-1 shot settled in a ground-saving midpack spot early and angled out down the lane.

Meanwhile, the 16-1 King of Ashes appeared to be working out a winning trip from just off the pace. Front-running Charlie’s to Blame began to tire after carving out splits of :23.42 and :47.71, and he surrendered to the stalking Tomasello rounding the far turn. But King of Ashes covered Tomasello’s move, tackled him swinging into the stretch, and edged away.

World Beater was staying on gradually until he caught fire in the final yards. Picking up just in time, the blaze-faced chestnut drew alongside King of Ashes and forced his neck in front at the wire in 1:47.39.

Tomasello checked in another 2 1/4 lengths back in third. Next came a one-paced Scipio, Early Adopter, Discreet Dancer, Charlie’s to Blame, and the eased Mesero. Scipio and Mesero were both hampered at the start when Charlie’s to Blame veered in from post 5. 

World Beater paid $15.40 while enhancing his record to 6-2-1-1, $263,914. The son of Oscar Performance showed little in two dirt starts as a juvenile, but improved once switched to turf. A closing third at Gulfstream Park and second at Keeneland, he relished the step up in trip to open his account here on Kentucky Oaks Day. 

Bred by Dr. John A. Chandler in Kentucky, the $105,000 Keeneland September yearling is out of the Blame mare Dabinett. She is a three-quarter sister to Group 2-winning English highweight Pomology, herself the dam of Group 3 scorer Goldspur. Pomology (by Blame’s sire Arch) and Dabinett are daughters of stakes vixen Sharp Apple, a Diesis mare from the family of multiple Group/Grade 1 star Apple Tree.

Regret (G3)

When 3-2 favorite Classic Q raced too keenly in front, she compromised her own chances in the 1 1/8-mile affair and ended up setting the table for deep-closing Fionn. The Brad Cox filly surged to a half-length victory over Totally Justified in a stakes-record 1:47.29. Her time was also a tenth faster than World Beater in the Audubon. 

Fionn, who was coming off a third to Nitrogen in the one-mile Appalachian (G2), accordingly paid her Keeneland conqueror a compliment here. But the extra furlong helped too. George Messina and Michael Lee’s colorbearer previously won three straight, going about 1 1/16 miles at Fair Grounds, including the Allen “Black Cat” LaCombe Memorial.

Patiently handled by Florent Geroux, Fionn bided her time at the back as Classic Q ripped through fractions of :22.90, :46.75, and 1:11.08. The stalking Totally Justified began to reel in the favorite swinging for home, and she forged clear in midstretch.

But Fionn, the 4.04-1 second choice, swooped onto the scene to deny Totally Justified, the 4.49-1 third pick. Fionn rewarded her backers with $10.08.

Hereforagoodtime crossed the wire another length back in third. Aterradora, Fixin to Bee, Golden Sunshine, Classic Q, Jalila, and Mechaya concluded the order of finish. Deloraine was withdrawn along with Lush Lips, who was a vet scratch.

Fionn, a $75,000 Keeneland September yearling by Twirling Candy, sports a mark of 6-4-1-1, $349.270. Bred by Dixiana Farms in Kentucky, the well-named dark bay is out of Gaelic Gold. Her dam’s name reflects her own parents, Giant’s Causeway and Grade 3 heroine Strike It Rich.