Thoroughbred Daily News – 6/28/26
Tracy Farmer’s Pierette (f, 2, Girvin–Praising, by Pulpit) reeled in Epic Reign (Epicenter) in deep stretch to win the Debutante Stakes at Churchill Downs Sunday. The 5-2 favorite sat just off the pace as second choice Epic Reign battled on the front end through fractions of :22.54 and :45.57. Epic Reign asserted control in upper stretch and looked to be home free, but Pierette, tipped from the rail to the outside, was finding her best stride, closing powerfully to win going away by 1 1/2 lengths. The time for the six furlongs was 1.10.71.
Pierette, a $475,000 KEESEP yearling, enjoyed a similar pace-stalking trip behind dueling rivals to graduate on debut going five furlongs at Churchill Downs May 15.
DEBUTANTE S., $222,830, Churchill Downs, 6-28, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:10.71, ft.
1–PIERETTE, 120, f, 2, by Girvin
1st Dam: Praising, by Pulpit
2nd Dam: Class Above, by Quiet American
3rd Dam: Rainbow Promise, by Known Fact
($475,000 Ylg ’25 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Tracy
Farmer; B-Bret Jones (KY); T-Mark E. Casse; J-Jose L. Ortiz.
$135,245. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $203,741. *1/2 to Shin
Forever (Complexity), GSP-Jpn, GSP-KSA, $576,379; 1/2 to
Camp Hope (Summer Front), SW, $473,346.
2–Epic Reign, 120, f, 2, Epicenter–Simply Sovereign, by
American Pharoah. 1ST BLACK TYPE. O/B-Winchell
Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $43,950.
3–Lack of Riesling, 120, f, 2, Jimmy Creed–No Respect, by
Gemologist. ($7,000 Ylg ’25 FTKOCT). 1ST BLACK TYPE.
O-Little Red Feather Racing, Sterling Stables LLC and Marsha
Naify; B-Jim and Kristine Cullen (KY); T-Philip D’Amato.
$21,975.
Margins: 1HF, 5 3/4, 3 1/4. Odds: 2.53, 2.81, 4.54.
Also Ran: Valkyrie, Free Closer, The Stork Club, Liberty Rings, True Blessing. Scratched: Sr Seventyone.
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