Day at the Races: Stakes could be next for Stradivari after dazzling win

Sunday’s figures: On-track attendance, 20,403; on-track betting, $1,558,955.40; total betting including simulcast, $9,137,054.31.

This day last year: On-track attendance, 19,008; on-track betting, $1,492,950 ; total betting including simulcast, $8,979,713.

Coming up: Live racing resumes on Wednesday with an eight-race card.

Final furlong

Champion turf female Tepin was back at Churchill Downs and reported to be in good order the morning after her stakes-record setting victory in Saturday’s Grade I Jenny Wiley Stakes. “She looks really good,” said assistant trainer Norman Casse. “She’s a little tired, probably from the van ride. She got home a little late last night.”

Todd Pletcher-trainee Stradivari, a son of Medaglia d’Oro and multiple graded stakes winner Bending Strings, had the Keeneland crowd buzzing when won the day’s second race going 1 1/8-miles on the main track by 14 ½ lengths under no urging from jockey John Velazquez. The dark bay colt was making his first start since breaking his maiden by 11 ¼ lengths going 1 1/16 miles at Gulfstream Park last December. Tristan Berry, assistant to Pletcher, said a step up to stakes company would likely be next.

Fletcher and Carolyn Gray’s homebred I’m a Chatterbox turned in her third Keeneland breeze Sunday in preparation for her 2016 debut in Friday’s Grade III, $100,000 Hilliard Lyons Doubledogdare. With Florent Geroux aboard for trainer Larry Jones, the 4-year-old Munnings filly worked five furlongs in 1:00.60. Clockers caught I’m a Chatterbox in fractions of :12, :23.80, :35.60, 1:00.60 and out in 1:14. “That was about as slow as we could keep her without getting in a wrestling match with her,” he said. “She worked so fast last week (a bullet :58.80 for five furlongs on Monday) that she didn’t have to do a whole lot today. She did it really well, just what we were looking for.”

This story was originally published April 17, 2016 at 7:48 PM with the headline "Day at the Races: Stakes could be next for Stradivari after dazzling win."