Horse Racing News: Vahva Sprints to Victory in Thrilling Chicago Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs
In a captivating performance, Vahva, the winner of the prestigious Grade 1 Derby City Distaff on Kentucky Derby Day, stormed to victory in Saturday’s 34th running of the Chicago Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs. The 4-year-old mare, trained by Cherie DeVaux and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., collared the front-running defending race champion Society with a furlong to go and held off a late charge by long shot Positano Sunset to win by 1 1/4 lengths.
Vahva covered the seven-furlong distance over the fast Churchill Downs track in a swift time of 1:21.01, earning a winner’s purse of $154,500 and boosting her career earnings to a remarkable $1,732,810 from 13 starts (6-3-2 record).
“She loves this long stretch here at Churchill Downs and is 4-for-4 over the surface,” a delighted DeVaux said after the race. “Irad gave her a great trip, and she was very impressive in running down the talented Society.”
Society, the winner of last year’s Chicago Stakes at Ellis Park, led the compact field of five fillies and mares through swift early fractions of 22.44 and 44.61 seconds. Vahva, never more than two lengths off the pace, ranged into contention around the turn and the two mares raced shoulder-to-shoulder through the stretch. Inside the final furlong, Vahva surged clear from the outside for the victory.
“In her last couple starts, she’s been breaking so sharply,” Ortiz commented. “The entire race, I felt like she’d have enough kick when we’d need it down the lane, and she did.”
Vahva, a daughter of Gun Runner out of the Harlan’s Holiday mare Holiday Soiree, bred in Kentucky by Woodford Thoroughbreds, paid $2.92, $2.30 and $2.10 as the odds-on 2-5 favorite. Positano Sunset, under Julien Leparoux at 17-1 odds, returned $5.62 and $2.96 for second, while Society, with Tyler Gaffalione aboard at 2-1, paid $2.20 to show.
Vahva’s Impressive Resume
This was Vahva’s fourth stakes win and her second this year at Churchill Downs, following her two-length triumph in the Derby City Distaff in May. As a 3-year-old, she had previously won the Charles Town Oaks (G3) and the Raven Run (G2) at Keeneland.
With this impressive victory, Vahva has solidified her path towards the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint on November 2nd at Del Mar, where she will look to add another prestigious title to her growing resume.
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