Stonestreet Stables’ homebred Eclatant outdueled Grand Job by a nose to win the 25th running of the $650,000 Resolute Racing Madison (G1) for fillies and mares Saturday afternoon.

Other graded stakes winners prior to the 102nd running of the $1.25 million Toyota Blue Grass (G1) were William Werner’s homebred Storm’s Wake in the 38th running of the $500,000 Appalachian (G2) Presented by Japan Racing Association for 3-year-old fillies; Gary Barber’s My Boy Prince in the 30th running of the $400,000 Valvoline Global Shakertown (G2) for 3-year-olds and up; and FMQ Stables’ Saudi Crown in the 39th running of the $350,000 Commonwealth (G3) for 4-year-olds and up.

In the Resolute Racing Madison, Eclatant and Grand Job hooked up at the three-sixteenths pole and were inseparable in the race to the finish line.

Trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., Eclatant completed the 7 furlongs on the fast main track in 1:21.84. It is the second win in the race for Cox and Ortiz, with Cox winning in 2022 with Just One Time and Ortiz a year later with Goodnight Olive.

R Disaster led the field of eight through fractions of :21.95 and :44.68 with Grand Job and Eclatant in closest pursuit. R Disaster maintained her lead into the stretch only to be overhauled at the three-sixteenths pole by Grand Job and Eclatant.

Eclatant is a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred Into Mischief filly out of the Scat Daddy mare Downside Scenario. With her second graded-stakes victory, Eclatant improved her record to 8-5-0-1 and hiked her earnings to $705,073 with Saturday’s $387,888 check. 

Eclatant returned $9.58, $5.58 and $3.48. Grand Job, with Junior Alvarado up, returned $5.60 and $3.68 and finished 6 lengths in front of R Disaster, who paid $3.48 to show under Tyler Gaffalione.

It was another 4½ lengths back to Praying with Sterling Silver, Mystic Lake, Ragtime and favored Clicquot following in order. 

Storm’s Wake has winning run in Appalachian Presented by Japan Racing Association

In the Appalachian Presented by Japan Racing Association, Storm’s Wake rallied from far back after having one horse beaten in the field of 10 at the top of the stretch to post a neck victory over a fast-closing Imaginationthelady.

Trained by Brian Lynch and ridden by Joel Rosario, Storm’s Wake completed the mile on a turf course listed as firm in 1:35.51. It is the second victory in the race for Rosario, who won aboard Unbelievable Dream in 2013.

Counterbalance led the field through fractions of :23.14, :47.60 and 1:11.93 with Alone Time, To a Flame and Just Aloof in closest pursuit and Storm’s Wake at the back of the pack.

At midstretch, Sister Troienne and To a Flame hit the front but were soon joined by a host of challengers with Lion Lake (IRE) taking over on the inside passing the sixteenth pole with Storm’s Wake and Imaginationthelady charging on the outside with the winner taking over 30 yards from the wire.

Storm’s Wake is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Oscar Performance out of the Night of Thunder (IRE) mare Amber Storm (IRE). She improved her record to 7-3-0-2 and earned $290,625 for the victory that increased her earnings to $461,925.

Storm’s Wake returned $45.36, $16.68 and $9.08. Imaginationthelady, ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, returned $6.06 and $4.50 and finished a head in front of stablemate Lion Lake, who paid $5.20 to show under John Velazquez.

It was another neck back to Just Aloof, who was followed in order by Sister Troienne, Faithful Departed, To a Flame, Counterbalance, Spirit Doll and Alone Time.

My Boy Prince prevails in Valvoline Global Shakertown

In the Valvoline Global Shakertown, My Boy Prince stalked pacesetters Joe Shiesty and Usually Wrong while getting a ground-saving trip and took over at the sixteenth pole to score a 1 ¼-length victory over Yellow Card. 

The victory earned owner Gary Barber a Keeneland Tray for his eighth graded stakes win here. The Keeneland Tray is part of the track’s Milestone Trophy Program.

Trained by Mark Casse and ridden by Jose Ortiz, My Boy Prince completed the 5½ furlongs on a turf course listed as firm in 1:02.11. It is the second win in the race for Casse to go with Holding Gold’s triumph in 2017.

Joe Shiesty led the field of 12 through an opening quarter-mile in :21.53 with Usually Wrong second after those two broke from the outside post positions with My Boy Prince getting a clear run in third from the inside.

At the top of the stretch, Ortiz swung My Boy Prince into the three path from where he gradually wore down the leaders to claim his first graded-stakes victory.

A champion in Canada, My Boy Prince is a 5-year-old son of Cairo Prince out of the Silent Name (JPN) mare Hopping Not Hoping. The victory was worth $169,725 and increased his earnings to $1,454,650 with a record of 23-9-6-2.

My Boy Prince returned $12.12, $6.02 and $4. Yellow Card, ridden by Flavien Prat, returned $5.24 and $4.42 and finished a nose in front of Mondogetsbuckets, who paid $10.84 to show under Tyler Gaffalione.

It was another neck back to Litigation, who was followed in order by Joe Shiesty, Clock Tower, No Nay Hudson (IRE), Its Bourbon Thirty, Bear River, Rezasrolex, Heart Harded and Usually Wrong.

Saudi Crown dominates in Commonwealth

In the Commonwealth, Saudi Crown pounced on pacesetters Dr. Saikali and National Identity at the top of the stretch and coasted to a 2¾-length victory over Crazy Mason.

Trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Flavien Prat, Saudi Crown completed the 7 furlongs on a fast main track in 1:22.56. It is the second consecutive victory in the race for Prat, who won aboard Extra Anejo last year and the 40th Keeneland stakes victory for Cox.

A Keeneland sales graduate, Saudi Crown is a 6-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Always Dreaming out of the Tapit mare New Narration. Now a three-time graded stakes winner, Saudi Crown picked up $214,288 for the victory to increase his earnings to $3,686,508 with a record of 18-9-3-1.

Favored in the field of six, Saudi Crown returned $4.02, $2.70 and $2.10. Crazy Mason, ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., rallied from last and returned $3.10 and $2.24. He was 2¼ lengths in front of National Identity, who paid $2.66 to show under Joel Rosario.

It was another length back to Track Mate with Multitask and Dr. Saikali following in order.