Animal Spirits, trained by Al Stall Jr. and ridden by Robby Albarado, rallied
from far off the pace to take the Bourbon, covering the 1 1/16 miles on a
firm turf course in 1:44.24.
The
race was marred when longtime leader and second choice Here Comes
Frazier attempted to jump the inside rail approaching the sixteenth pole
and launched jockey Julien Leparoux into the infield. Leparoux got up
under his own power and rode the next race, finishing 10th aboard Super Espresso in the Juddmonte Spinster.
A
2-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Arch out of the Mr. Prospector mare
Pennant Champion, Animal Spirits was second in his only start prior to
the Bourbon. Sunday’s $90,000 check boosted his bankroll to $100,000.
Animal
Spirits returned $18.60, $9.40 and $5.20. Coalport, ridden by Junior
Alvarado, returned $11.80 and $7.40 with Lucky Chappy (IRE) finishing
third another 1½ lengths back under Ramon Dominguez and paying $4.40 to
show.
Completing
the field in order were Splendiferous, Chalybeate Springs, Curfew
Tower, Gold Megillah, Downtown Driggs, Burn the Mortgage, favored
Monastic and Smart Ellis. Here Comes Frazier did not finish, but was on
his feet after hitting the rail.