Franklin County victor Miss Ella gives trainer third stakes win of Keeneland meet

Trainer Graham Motion is officially in a two-man battle for graded stakes supremacy this Keeneland Fall Meet.

Between Motion and the barn of fellow conditioner Mark Casse, it’s been rough sledding for anyone else trying to make the post-race walk to the Keeneland turf for the stakes-winning trophy presentation. On Friday, Jack Swain’s Miss Ella made sure the former kept pace in said bragging rights battle, edging clear in late stretch and holding off a determined charge from race favorite Fair Point to win the Grade III, $100,000 Buffalo Trace Franklin County Stakes on Friday.

Miss Ella’s neck victory gave Motion his third graded stakes win of the meet to go along with triumphs by Dancing Rags in the Grade I Darley Alcibiades and Miss Temple City in the Grade I Shadwell Turf Mile. Between himself and Casse — who has also won three graded stakes — the duo have combined to capture six of 11 graded stakes run at Keeneland this fall heading into Saturday’s card.

“This filly is very tough, she can run on either surface,” Motion said. “It’s ironic that this is her first win on the turf because I think she’s actually better on the turf. She was very good today.”

Miss Ella’s best moments have come over the Keeneland track, no matter the surface. The 4-year-old daughter of Exchange Rate earned her first graded stakes win last April when she captured the Grade II Beaumont Stakes going seven furlongs on the main track in what was just her second career start.

After four previous unsuccessful tries on the turf, the bay filly found her rhythm in the 5 ½ furlong Franklin County Stakes, emerging from the 12-horse field midstretch after sitting midpack through a half mile in :45.85 en route to hitting the wire in 1:04.52 over a firm turf.

“I had a perfect trip, a beautiful trip,” said jockey Joel Rosario of Miss Ella. “It looked like they were going very nice up front. I was just behind them, hoping to make one run.”

Miss Ella improves her record to five wins from 13 career starts and $440,700 in earnings.

This story was originally published October 14, 2016 at 7:02 PM with the headline "Franklin County victor Miss Ella gives trainer third stakes win of Keeneland meet."