High-stakes drama across the board at Keeneland on Saturday.

One of the most talented fillies in America strutted her stuff on Keeneland’s turf surface in Saturday’s $250,000, Grade 1 Madison Stakes.

Guarana, winner of four of her five career races entering Saturday and a two-time Grade 1 winner, ran on the lead as the even-money favorite for most of the 7-furlong Madison, briefly lost the lead to Mia Mischief near the eighth-pole, then re-engaged near the finish and fought off the challenge.

Guarana pulled out trainer Chad Brown’s 100th career Grade 1 victory.

“It’s right up there near the top,” Brown said when asked where he’d rank Saturday’s win. “It’s a whole body of work from 12½ years now of training. It has to do with my team of co-workers, owners and horses both present and past. They all contributed to the 100 Grade 1s. God willing if everything stays intact, we’ll work on the next 100. But we’re going to enjoy this for now.”

Guarana, ridden by Jose Ortiz and owned by Three Chimneys Farm and Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings, held off Mia Mischief by a half-length and paid $3 to win. Bell’s the One wound up third in the eight-horse field.

Brown, a four-time Eclipse Award winner, said he started to feel “a little disappointed” when the field turned for home. That was before Guarana proved what she was about.

“(Guarana) showed her heart,” he said. “She showed that she’s a very special horse, which we’ve known for a long time. “

Three-horse photo

Enola Gay seemed content to trail the field for most of Saturday’s $150,000, Grade 2 Appalachian Stakes at Keeneland. Heading into the stretch, victory still seemed like a long shot for the 5-1 third choice on the morning line in the six-horse Appalachian.

Suddenly, jockey Julien Leparoux found the gear his 3-year-old filly had not revealed to that point, and in the final sixteenth of a mile in the 1-mile race on the turf, Enola Gay burst past the last four horses in front of her and won the Appalachian in a three-horse photo finish.

Walk In Marrakesh claimed second place, in the first of six graded stakes races on the day at Keeneland, with Alms taking third. Enola Gay, trained by Shug McGaughey and owned by Allen Stable, paid $12.60 to win, $5.20 to place and $2.60 to show. Enola Gay, making her third career start and her first graded stakes appearance, officially won by a nose.

“She fought hard the whole way,” Leparoux said, struggling to find the words to explain Enola Gay’s unexpected surge. “At the wire I thought I won it but when I came back and I saw the outrider pick up the six (Walk In Marrakesh) I thought maybe I was too late, but I was glad she got it done.”

Another photo

▪ Trainer Rusty Arnold was a winner either way when his Leinster and Totally Boss ran to a photo finish in the $150,000, Grade 2 Shakertown. Leinster and jockey Tyler Gaffalione turned back a determined late ride by Brian Hernandez to win the 5 1/2-furlong sprint on the turf over 13 challengers.

▪ Brown picked up another big win in the $350,000, Grade 1 Jenny Wiley Stakes when 4-5 favorite Rushing Fall overtook Brazilian champion Jolie Olimpica in the stretch and pulled away for a three-quarters-length victory in the 1 1/16-mile turf race.