Malathaat Rallies Past Pass the Champagne to Capture 84th Central Bank Ashland

Winning owner Shadwell Stable earns prestigious Keeneland Tray

Shadwell Stable’s Malathaat remained undefeated in four starts as she caught Pass the Champagne in the shadow of the wire to post a head victory in the 84^th running of the $400,000 Central Bank Ashland (G1) for 3-year-old fillies Saturday afternoon at Keeneland.

Trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Joel Rosario, Malathaat covered the 1 1/16 miles on a fast main track in 1:42.94. The victory is the first in the Central Bank Ashland for Pletcher and second for Rosario, who won in 2014 aboard Rosalind.

For Shadwell, the victory marked the operation’s eighth graded stakes win at Keeneland. For this achievement, Shadwell received a Keeneland Tray as part of Keeneland’s signature Milestone Trophy Program. Only 20 other owners have such an accomplishment in Keeneland history.

With the victory, Malathaat earned 100 qualifying points toward the 147^th running of the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) to be run April 30 at Churchill Downs. Malathaat has a total of 110 points with the initial 10 coming from her victory in the Demoiselle (G2) that closed her 2020 campaign. The Oaks is limited to the top 14 point earners that pass the entry box when entries are taken April 26.

Pass the Champagne picked up her first 40 Oaks points and third-place finisher Will’s Secret added 20 points to hike her total to 80. Moon Swag’s 10 points for finishing fourth gives her 22 points.

Simply Ravishing, winner of last fall’s Darley Alcibiades (G1), led the field of six through an unpressured pace of :24.26, :48.56 and 1:13 with Malathaat racing near the back of the field. On the far turn, Pass the Champagne and Moon Swag put the pressure on Simply Ravishing with Pass the Champagne surging to a clear lead entering the stretch.

Pass the Champagne was still well clear at the sixteenth pole but was unable to withstand the final surge from Malathaat.

The $240,000 winner’s share increased Malathaat’s earnings to $412,150 with a perfect 4-for-4 record.

Purchased at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale for $1.05 million, Malathaat is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Curlin out of the A.P. Indy mare Dreaming of Julia.

Malathaat returned $5, $3 and $2.40. Pass the Champagne, ridden by Javier Castellano, returned $4.40 and $3.40 and finished 5¼ lengths in front of Will’s Secret, who paid $3.20 to show under Jon Court.

It was another 5¼ lengths back to Moon Swag, who was followed in order by Curlin’s Catch and Simply Ravishing.