Maggi
Moss’ multiple stakes winner Native
Ruler split horses in mid-stretch and beat Tom McCarthy’s General
Quarters to the wire to take the Friday afternoon feature at Churchill
Downs by a neck.
Trained
by Chris Richard and ridden by Miguel Mena, Native Ruler was
fifth in the field of six at the top of the stretch and lacked room on the rail
before being able to split between Wise Dan and Homerun Berti at
the eighth-pole. Once in the clear, the 7-year-old son of Elusive Quality
kicked home and completed the seven furlongs on a fast main track in 1:23.30.
Breaking
from the rail as the 2-1 second-choice, Native Ruler returned mutuels of $6.40,
$3.60 and $2.80. General Quarters, winner of the Grade I Woodford Reserve Turf
Classic beneath the Twin Spires in 2010, finished second in his first start
since the 2010 Grade I Arlington Million and returned $3.60 and $3.20. Rayfield
Houghlin and Eugene Broaddus’ Agastache held on for third and
returned $4.80.
The
victory was worth $38,820 and increased Native Ruler’s bankroll to $632,516
with a record of 16-4-4 from 37 starts.
Racing
continues Saturday with an 11-race program highlighted by the 35th running
of the Grade III, $100,000-added Early Times Mint Julep Handicap. Post time for
the first race is 12:45 p.m. EDT, with the Mint Julep scheduled for Race 10 at
5:25 p.m.