Stephanie’s Kitten Sweeps Past Alcibiades Foes

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October 07, 2011 5:11 PM

Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Stephanie’s Kitten swept past Heart of Destiny in deep stretch and went on to win the 60th running of the $400,000 Darley Alcibiades (G1) by 1½ lengths before a sun-splashed crowd of 19,026 on opening day of the 17-day Fall Meeting at Keeneland.

The attendance was a Keeneland record for a Friday Fall opening day, surpassing the 18,681 on hand on October 8, 2004. Keeneland moved its Fall opener from Saturday to Friday in 2001.

The victory earned Stephanie’s Kitten a spot in the starting gate for the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) to be run November 4 at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Wayne Catalano, who was notching his first Keeneland stakes victory, and ridden by John Velazquez, Stephanie’s Kitten increased her bankroll to $277,526 with Friday’s $240,000 check. It was the 29th Keeneland stakes victory for Velazquez and his first in the Darley Alcibiades.

Breaking from the outside in the field of 13, On Fire Baby led the field through fractions of :23.28, :47.08 and 1:11.97. Velazquez had Stephanie’s Kitten in ninth place in the run down the backside while racing in the clear.

Heart of Destiny took over at the head of the stretch while Stephanie’s Kitten was splitting horses behind her. Stephanie’s Kitten collared the leader with 100 yards to go and drew clear for her second victory in four starts, completing the 1 1/16 miles on the main track in 1:43.12.

Stephanie’s Kitten returned $21.60, $10.40 and $6.80. Heart of Destiny, ridden by Edgar Prado, returned $14 and $9.20 with Putthebabiesdown finishing third another neck back under Alan Garcia and returning $10.20 to show.

Completing the field in order were Frolic’s Revenge, On Fire Baby, And Why Not, Tu Endie Wei, New Wave, Ann of the Dance, Egg Drop, Venetian Sonata, Flashy Lassie and Cheerleader.