General Quarters won the $500,000 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic on Saturday, topping the Kentucky Derby undercard dominated by closers and long shots at rainy Churchill Downs.
The main track was sloppy and the soaked turf course was rated yielding.
It was a rewarding return for General Quarters, 10th in last year's Derby. The gray 4-year-old owned and trained by retired Louisville school principal Tom McCarthy ran on grass for only the second time. He made a bold move in the lane to grab the lead and held off Court Vision by a neck.
Rafael Bejarano rode as General Quarters, 4 for 18, ran the 1 1-8 miles in 1:53.42, paying $19.60.
Bucking the bias toward closers, Ata Boy Roy led all the way in the $290,000 Churchill Downs Stakes with Calvin Borel aboard. In classic Borel style, the horse quickly got from an outside post to the rail, hugging the fence for his ninth win in 18 starts. Ata Boy Roy was a rare stakes winners in Kentucky that was bred in Washington.
Trained by Valorie Lund, Ata Boy Roy ran the seven furlongs in 1:22.54. He paid $22.20 to win.
Warrior's Reward was second followed by Musket Man, who duplicated his third-place finish in last year's Derby.
Racing for the first time outside California, Mona de Momma stormed home to win the $336,900 Humana Distaff.
Joel Rosario guided the 4-year-old to her fifth win in 11 starts for trainer John Sadler. She beat Pretty Prolific by three quarters of a length, running the seven furlongs in 1:22.73 in her first race on dirt. Mona de Momma paid $19.20 to win.
Informed Decision, last year's Humana winner, made a belated move to get third.
Phola extended her winning streak to three in the $223,200 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile. The 4-year-old bided her time, sitting last in the seven-horse field under Ramon Dominguez before unleashing a powerful run down the center of the course. She rolled past Hot Cha Cha by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:38.35.
Trained by Todd Pletcher, Phola paid $15.40 in winning her second straight stakes, following the Hillsborough at Tampa Bay Downs. She has five wins in 11 starts.
In her stakes debut, Buckleupbuttercup splashed down the center of the track to beat Visavis by 6 1/4 lengths in the $110,700 Eight Belles Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. Julien Leparoux was aboard for trainer Eddie Kenneally as Buckleupbuttercup ran the 7 1/2 furlongs in 1:29.49, improving to 4 for 7. She paid $17.80 to win.
Hot Dixie Chick, the 3-5 favorite, finished third after dueling with Decelerator for the early lead. The loss snapped her four-race winning streak that included the Grade 1 Spinaway at Saratoga last August.
