'Big, Powerful Filly': Kehoe Beach Makes All To Win Mrs. Revere In Stakes Bow
Kehoe Beach led every step of the way in Friday’s 32nd running of the $292,335 Mrs. Revere (G2) to win the 3-year-old filly turf race at Churchill Downs by 1¼ lengths over longshot Pounce.
Owned by Thomas W. Bachman, Kehoe Beach, who was making her stakes debut, ran 1 1/16 miles on firm turf in 1:42.45 to collect her third win in a row. Frankie Dettori rode the winner for trainer Wesley Ward.
Kehoe Beach banked the $175,700 first prize and rewarded her backers with $2 mutuel of $4.10 for the win as the even-money choice.
Breaking from post No. 3, Kehoe Beach went straight to the front but remained in the three-path throughout as she rattled off comfortable and unpressured fractions of :24.35, :48.57, and 1:12.43 through six furlongs. Pounce, who tracked in second, came within three-quarters of a length around the final bend but Kehoe Beach had plenty of energy in reserve and drew clear with ease down the lane.
“She’s a super filly,” Dettori said. “She’s strong but has pace and is very sensible. She uses her breathing right. She knows exactly how to race, which makes it a push-button ride for me. When I pushed that button she showed a great turn of foot like she did last time. Wesley was full of confidence going into the race. He even made me stay here in the cold to ride her and I wasn’t going to say no.”
Pounce, at odds of 34-1 under Florent Geroux, prevailed in a three-horse photo for the runner-up honors. Poolside With Slim (IRE), ridden by John Velazquez, was another head back in third.
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Minoushka (GB), Buchu, Pin Up Betty, Simply in Front, Sanctify, Chilled, Pharoah’s Wine and Dancing N Dixie completed the order of finish. Neon Icon, Maxisuperfly, Adrasteia and Breezing Along were scratched.
The winner’s share of the purse pushed Kehoe Beach’s earnings to $438,518 from a record of 4-1-0 in seven starts. Prior to the Mrs. Revere, Kehoe Beach won a first-level allowance over seven furlongs on turf at Kentucky Downs in September and a second-level allowance over one mile on turf at Keeneland on Oct. 26.
“She’s really come to hand here since the summer and coming into herself as she’s a big, powerful filly,” Ward said.
Kehoe Beach will be given a rest over the winter and be targeted to Keeneland’s Jenny Wiley (G1) next spring.
Kehoe Beach is a bay daughter of Omaha Beach out of the Street Cry (IRE) mare Sweet Awakening who was bred in Kentucky by John Bates, Ron Kirk, and Michael Riordan.
The Mrs. Revere is named in honor of Mrs. Revere, an accomplished Churchill Downs fan favorite in the mid-1980s. Mrs. Revere won 12 races in 28 starts, finished second seven times and earned $429,545 for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. Her six wins in a dozen starts at Churchill Downs included stakes triumphs in the Regret, Dogwood and Edgewood in 1984 and the Kentucky Cardinal in 1985. She was owned by Dr. Hiram Polk and the late Dr. David Richardson, who have provided the winner’s trophy for the Mrs. Revere in each year of its existence.