Court Vision, racing for the first time since recovering from surgery for an ascended testicle, outfought Karelian to win $600,000 Shadwell Turf Mile for WinStar Farm and IEAH Stables.
Court Vision, ridden by Robby Albarado, returned $11.60 as third choice in a field of seven in the 24th Shadwell Mile. The 4-year-old colt was making his first start under the care of trainer Richard Dutrow Jr., with whom IEAH teamed to win major races last year with Big Brown.
“This is what it’s all about,” said Michael Iavaraone, co-president of IEAH. “We buy horses to see days like this.”
Court Vision, by Gulch, earned an automatic berth into the Nov. 7 Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita by virtue of the Win and You’re In provision that applied to all but one (the Woodford) of the nine FallStars Weekend stakes at Keeneland during the opening three days of the meet.
A mile on turf “is probably going to be his game, so we might as well play it,” Iavarone said.
Court Vision had perennially disappointed in recent races, but Dutrow said last month after the colt underwent surgery that he was much improved.
Karelian, making his first start in more than 10 months, set the pace in the Shadwell, which was run over soft going. With Rajiv Maragh aboard, Karelian fought to the bitter end when losing by a mere nose. Mr. Sidney finished third, another 5 3/4 lengths back, with Battle of Hastings fourth. The winning time was 1:38.68.
The major disappointment in the Shadwell was Justenuffhumor, the Godolphin Racing 4-year-old who entered on a six-race win streak. The late-running colt never fired, winding up sixth as the 7-5 favorite.
The Shadwell was the last of five straight stakes Saturday. The all-stakes pick four (8-8-6-9) ending with the Shadwell paid $1,053 for $1.
Attendance on a cool, overcast afternoon was 21,936.
