Saturday at Keeneland Features Just One Time, Spendarella, Golden Pal and Prevalence Notching Graded Stakes Victories

Warriors Reward and Commonwealth New Era Racing’s Just One Time collared Bell’s the One at the sixteenth pole to post a three-quarters of a length victory in the 21^st running of the $500,000 Madison (G1) for fillies and mares Saturday afternoon. 

The Madison joined the $1 million Toyota Blue Grass (G1), Appalachian (G2) Presented by Japan Racing Association, Shakertown (G2) and Commonwealth (G3) on the 11-race card on opening Saturday of Keeneland’s Spring Meet. (A recap of the Toyota Blue Grass follows.)

Trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Flavien Prat, Just One Time covered the 7 furlongs on a muddy track in 1:22.79. It is the first Madison victory for Cox and Prat. 

Lady Rocket led the field through fractions of :22.11 and :44.50 with defending champion Kimari in closest pursuit while Just One Time raced next to last with Bell’s the One farther back. 

On the far turn, Bell’s the One began picking off horses with Just One Time moving right behind her. At the top of the stretch, Bell’s the One used a five-wide move to rocket to the front and open a daylight advantage. 

At midstretch, Prat angled Just One Time to the outside of Bell’s the One and gradually wore her down for the victory. 

Just One Time is a 4-year-old Pennsylvania-bred daughter of Not This Time out of the Speightstown mare Ida Clark. The victory, the sixth in seven career starts and second graded stakes score for Just One Time, was worth $235,600 and increased her earnings to $525,195. 

Sent off as the favorite in the field of nine, Just One Time returned $6.60, $3.80 and $3. Bell’s the One, ridden by Corey Lanerie, returned $5.20 and $3.40 and finished 3 lengths in front of Kimari, who paid $3 to show under Tyler Gaffalione. 

Lady Rocket finished another 1½ lengths back in fourth and was followed in order by Four Graces, Cilla, Club Car, Kalypso and Center Aisle. 

Undefeated Spendarella wins Appalachian Presented by Japan Racing Association

In the race preceding the Madison, Gainesway Stable’s Spendarella shook off a challenge from Dolce Zel (FR) at the top of the stretch and drew off for a 1¾-length victory in the 34^th running of the $400,000 Appalachian (G2) Presented by Japan Racing Association for 3-year-old fillies. 

Trained by Graham Motion and ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, Spendarella covered the mile on a turf course rated as good in 1:37.41. It is the third victory in the race for Motion, who previously won with Check the Label in 2010 and Daring Dancer in 2014, and the second for Gaffalione who rode The Mackem Bullet (IRE) to victory in 2019.

Spendarella was first out of the gate, but in the run to the first turn Glenall (IRE) slipped through along the rail and led the field of eight into the backstretch and through fractions of :24.50 and :49.11. 

On the far turn, Gaffalione sent Spendarella to the front, where she first brushed off a challenge from Ouraika (FR) and then Dolce Zel (FR), who had made a three-wide bid. In the stretch, Spendarella kicked clear and maintained a comfortable margin to the finish. 

Undefeated in three career starts, Spendarella is a New York-bred daughter of Karakontie (JPN) out of the Unusual Heat mare Spanish Bunny. The victory was worth $179,025 to the Keeneland sales graduate and increased her earnings to $283,675. 

Spendarella returned $3.40, $2.40 and $2.20. Dolce Zel, ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., returned $3.40 and $2.40 and finished three-quarters of a length ahead of Skims (GB), who paid $3.20 to show under Flavien Prat. 

Kneesnhips finished another 2¼ lengths back in fourth and was followed in order by An Agent Mistake, Glenall, Ouraika and Trobairitz. 

Golden Pal ultra-impressive in Shakertown romp

Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Westerberg’s Golden Pal rocketed to the lead leaving the starting gate and never was pressured in coasting to a 4¾-length victory in the 26^th running of the $350,000 Shakertown (G2) for 3-year-olds and up. 

Trained by Wesley Ward and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., the winner completed the 5½ furlongs on a turf course rated as good in 1:02.21. It is the fourth Shakertown victory for Ward, who won previously with Undrafted in 2016 and with Bound for Nowhere in 2018 and 2021. 

A two-time Breeders’ Cup winner, including the Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2) victory here in 2020, Golden Pal had a daylight advantage a few jumps out of the gate and led the field of 10 through fractions of :20.94 and :43.58 and it was game over. 

In making his first start since winning the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) at Del Mar in November, Golden Pal improved his record to 9-6-2-0 with six stakes victories. Five have come in graded events. 

A Keeneland sales graduate, Golden Pal is a 4-year-old Florida-bred son of Uncle Mo out of the Midshipman mare Lady Shipman. The victory was worth $174,375 and improved Golden Pal’s earnings to $1,473,431. 

Golden Pal returned $3.20, $3 and $2.60. Johnny Unleashed, ridden by Gerardo Corrales, returned $26.40 and $9.80 with Gear Jockey finishing three-quarters of a length back in third under Brian Hernandez Jr., and returning $4.60 to show. 

Diamond Oops finished another neck back in fourth and was followed in order by The Lir Jet (IRE), Just Might, Barraza, Natural Power (IRE), Chess Master and Filo Di Arianna (BRZ), 

Prevalence speeds to Commonwealth victory

Godolphin’s homebred Prevalence roared past favored Nashville at the top of the stretch and then drew off to post a 2¼-length victory in the 35^thrunning of the $300,000 Commonwealth (G3) for 4-year-olds and up. 

Trained by Brendon Walsh for his third victory of the afternoon and ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, Prevalence covered the 7 furlongs on a sloppy track in 1:22.47. 

Nashville led the field of 10 through fractions of :22.12 and :44.61 with Long Range Toddy and Prevalence in closest attendance. On the far turn, Prevalence loomed up to the outside of Nashville, zoomed on past at the head of the lane and was not threatened in the run to the finish. 

It is the first stakes victory for Prevalence, a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Medaglia d’Oro out of the Ghostzapper mare Enrichment. The victory was worth $174,375 and boosted Prevalence’s career earnings to $288,225 with a record of 7-4-0-0. 

Prevalence returned $7, $4.60 and $3.60. Long Range Toddy, ridden by Paco Lopez, returned $22.20 and $10 and finished a head in front of O Besos, who paid $3.40 to show under Irad Ortiz Jr. 

Surveillance finished fourth and was followed in order by South Bend, Three Technique, Manny Wah, Endorsed, Atoka and Nashville.