The Godolphin train kept rolling with its 3-year-olds on Sunday, when a resilient East Avenue captured the Grade 3, $400,000 Matt Winn at Churchill Downs the day after Sovereignty asserted himself with an emphatic victory in the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga.
The Matt Winn was a 1 1/6-mile race for 3-year-olds and it was scratched down to a field of four with the defections of Gaming, Chunk of Gold and Just a Fair Shake. It shared a card with the $175,000 Leslie’s Lady, an overnight stakes for 3-year-old fillies that was won by Kilwin ($18.08).
East Avenue ($4.94) set the pace in the Matt Winn, taking the field through fractions of 24.41 seconds for the opening quarter, 47.66 for the half-mile and 1:11.38 for six furlongs. In the stretch, Coal Battle made a determined run at the leader, but East Avenue rebuffed him and proceeded to hold off a rail bid from Burnham Square for a half-length victory. East Avenue covered the distance on a fast track in 1:42.12 and earned a 95 Beyer Speed Figure.
“Our plan was to go to the lead,” winning rider Luis Saez told the press department at Churchill. “He broke well and got in a good rhythm down the backside. Turning for home, he had to fight back against [Burnham Square and Coal Battle]. I was impressed how he held them off.”
Brendan Walsh trains East Avenue, a Grade 1-winning son of Medaglia d’Oro. East Avenue’s dam, Dance Music, is a half-sister to $3 million earner Cody’s Wish. East Avenue has now won 3 of 7 starts for earnings of $901,395.
Michael Banahan of Goldophin said in an interview conducted by Churchill that East Avenue could be considered for races like the Haskell at Monmouth Park.
Burnham Square held second by three-quarters of a length over Coal Battle. It was another 3 1/2 lengths back in third to Final Gambit. There was no show wagering.
Leslie’s Lady
Kilwin rallied into fractions set by Vodka With a Twist for a 1 1/4-length win in the Leslie’s Lady. It was another five lengths back in third to Evanesence.
Kilwin stalked the leader through an opening quarter in 22.86 seconds and a half-mile in 45.58 before going on to cover seven furlongs for 3-year-old fillies in 1:21.61.
Edgar Morales was aboard the winner for trainer Rusty Arnold.
Kilwin is a daughter of Twirling Candy who races for BBN Racing. She is from the female family of Belmont Stakes winner Sir Winston. Kilwin, who was making her first start on dirt after racing exclusively on turf, has now won 3 of 6 starts for earnings of $812,968.
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