Liked grabbed the lead from Musical Mischief on the high of the stretch and opened a commanding result in maintain off 8-5 favourite Tarifa and simply win the Nov. 28 $400,000 Falls Metropolis (G3) by 3 3/4 lengths as Godolphin-owned and -bred females completed one-two within the conventional Thanksgiving Day fixture at Churchill Downs.
Skilled by Brendan Walsh and ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, Liked ran 1 1/8 miles over a “muddy” observe in 1:50.17 to gather her first graded stakes win. In July, the 5-year-old daughter of Medaglia d’Oro received the $100,000 Mari Hulman George Memorial Handicap at Horseshoe Indianapolis.
“Brendan and his staff actually had her able to go in the present day,” Gaffalione stated. “She’s been a pleasant filly all through her profession and put issues collectively in the present day to get a graded stakes win.”
A late bloomer, Liked confirmed loads of promise throughout the first half of her 4-year-old season in 2023 with three consecutive victories by a mixed 28 lengths. She completed fourth because the second betting alternative in her stakes debut, the $500,000 Molly Pitcher (G3) at Monmouth Park in July of 2023, her remaining begin of the yr.
The Falls Metropolis was Liked’s fifth begin this season.
“We had been fairly assured together with her coming into this race,” Walsh stated. “She’s been coaching at Turfway and throughout the final three weeks actually began to place issues collectively. She was coaching and transferring nice within the mornings. We’re glad she was in a position to try this when it mattered in the present day and develop into a graded stakes winner.”
Breaking from publish 6 within the area of eight fillies and mares, Liked raced between horses in fifth down the backstretch as Enclosure had an uncontested lead with quarter-mile splits of :23.60, :47.41 and 1:11.76. Liked moved into third nearing the ultimate flip and was stuffed with run. Musical Mischief, the winner of September’s $400,000 Locust Grove (GII), and Liked caught Enclosure halfway across the flip after which Liked dashed previous Musical Mischief on the high of the stretch with a three-wide transfer. She took cost with a three-length lead within the stretch as three-time Grade II-winning 3-year-old filly Tarifa chased to run second in her debut in opposition to elders.
“She ran race,” stated Brad Cox, coach of Tarifa. “She sat journey however give credit score to the winner who ran a giant race and Godolphin who owned the highest two finishers.”
Liked paid $10.64, $4.78 and $3.12 because the 4-1 third betting alternative. Tarifa, ridden by Flavien Prat, returned $3.46 and $3.12. It was one other three lengths again in third to 25-1 longshot Lexa , who paid $7.04 to point out below Gerardo Corrales.
Neon Icon , Enclosure, 9-5 second alternative Musical Mischief, Peignoir , and Quarto Y Vinte accomplished the order of end.
With the Falls Metropolis win, Liked improved her total report to 5 wins in 10 begins. Thursday’s $240,455 first prize jumped her earnings to $585,955.
Liked was bred in Kentucky by her proprietor. She is out of the Bernardini mare Velvety.
Video: Falls Metropolis S. (G3)
This press launch has been edited for content material and magnificence by BloodHorse Workers.
