Eskimo Kisses freezes out field with big rally at Alabama Stakes
Eskimo Kisses hadn’t ducked anybody all year. She’d run hard in three straight Grade 1s, but had been unable to handle division heavyweights Monomoy Girl, Wonder Gadot and Midnight Bisou.
Lining up for a fourth Grade 1 Saturday in the $600,000 Alabama Stakes (G1) — in a field lacking Monomoy Girl and Wonder Gadot — Eskimo Kisses finally put it all together. Coming from far back under new rider Jose Ortiz — she still trailed by more than a dozen lengths at the half-mile pole — the daughter of To Honor and Serve staged a startling rally through the stretch, running by favored Midnight Bisou (6-5) and everybody else to win by 6½ widening lengths.
“Perfect trip,” said Ortiz. “I just followed instructions and did what Kenny told me to do. ‘Take her back, let her take me to the half-mile pole and then let her do
the rest.’ She was there for me every time I asked her to move up, and I’m very happy with the way she ran today. She’s a nice filly; she deserved it.”
After Talk Veuve to Me blitzed a quarter-mile in an ill-advised :22.52 and a half in :46.79, it was pretty obvious the race was setting up for a closer. Midnight Bisou, with Mike Smith doing the steering, made her move on the turn, moving up threewide to threaten the leaders. Eskimo Kisses followed several lengths behind, but when Midnight Bisou stayed wide turning the corner, Ortiz found room inside for Eskimo Kisses. The Gainesway homebred shot through the hole willingly and was already in front by a length at the eighth pole, going on to win as she pleased.
“We were hoping they would ignore us a little bit, and they did,” said winning trainer Ken McPeek. “The pace of the race was going to be a big deal for her. She’s a big late-running type. I told Jose to sit on her a certain way and [that] we couldn’t control what fractions they gave us. We just had to hope it unfolded for us. We love these kinds of races, and it’s an honor to get horses that can compete in them.”
She’s a Julie, who had been second much of the way, hung on for the runner-up spot, with Midnight Bisou a neck back in third. They were followed by Talk Veuve to Me, Coach Rocks and longshots Piedi Bianchi, Auspicious Babe and Figarella’s Queen.
Midnight Bisou appeared to have momentum as she drew up on the leaders in upper stretch, but was unable to sustain her rally.
“Great trip,” said jockey Mike Smith, “[but] a mile and a quarter might be a bit too far. And this is probably not her favorite racetrack; she moves over Belmont better than she does this track.”
The $330k winner’s share nearly doubled Eskimo Kisses’ earnings to $718,935. The Alabama is her first added-money win and improves her record to 3-4-0 in 10 starts. Eskimo Kisses paid an even $20 as the 9-1 fourth choice in the wagering.