Tobys Heart reestablished herself a marquee closing turf sprinter with a thrilling victory in the May 5 $200,000 Unbridled Sidney Stakes at Churchill Downs.
Racing for the colors of Gary Barber, Terry Hamilton, and trainer Brian Lynch, Tobys Heart had rallied for third on the downhill turf course at Santa Anita Park in the April 9 Monrovia Stakes (G2T), her first start back sprinting after two failed attempts at longer distances.
Under jockey Jose Ortiz, Tobys Heart took up her customary position near the back of the pack as longshot Ambassador Luna led the field through an opening quarter-mile in :23.03. As Monrovia Stakes winner Brooke Marie and Change of Control, runner-up in last year's Unbridled Sidney, vied for the lead turning for home, hitting the half-mile in :46.41, Tobys Heart swung six-wide into the lane. Taking dead aim on the leaders, Tobys Heart collared a game Change of Control in the shadow of the wire, prevailing by a neck.
Goin' Good was another 1 1/2 lengths back in third. Favored Brooke Marie faded to sixth.
Tobys Heart completed the 5 1/2 furlongs on a firm renovated Matt Winn Turf Course in 1:04.11 to break the stakes record of 1:04.57 established by A Little Bit Me in 2019.
“She’s always been a very good filly," said Lynch. "This is probably the distance that she likes to run, and she got a nice pace to run at. Jose gave her a very good ride. The heavens opened up when she needed to get through, and she got through. It was just a great ride, I’m so thrilled about it. This year, ultimately we’re gonna campaign her toward Kentucky Downs, where she won a $500,000 race last year. Hopefully that’s where we’re headed to.”
Now a four-time stakes winner, Tobys Heart has earned $647,495 with a record of 12-5-1-2.
Bred in Kentucky, the daughter of Jack Milton sold for $5,500 to Valentine Jimenez at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale when consigned by her breeder, Trackside Farm. She passed through the ring a second time when offered by Bold Arrow Thoroughbreds consignment at the 2020 Ocala Breeders' Sales' March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training when bloodstock agent Alistair Roden signed the ticket on the filly for $45,000 on behalf of Hamilton.
Tobys Heart is out of the stakes-winning Lil's Lad mare Pick of the Pack, who has a yearling filly by Astern.
Gray's Fable Takes Them All the Way in Opening Verse
Earlier on the card in the $160,00 Opening Verse Overnight Stakes, Gray's Fable took the lead out of the gate, opened a daylight advantage in the upper stretch, and outlasted a late bid from Hidden Stash to secure the win at the wire.
The 7-year-old son of Gio Ponti earned his first stakes win since taking down the 2021 Kitten's Joy Appleton Stakes (G3T) at Gulfstream Park last March. Owned by Steve Goldfine, Kari Provost, and Jeff Zlonis, the gray gelding wheeled through fractions of :23.82 and :47.93 under jockey Luis Saez. Briefly challenged after running three-quarters in 1:11.92, Gray's Fable burst into a new gear at the top of the lane, and held on to win by a head.
Trained by Canadian-based trainer Roger Attfield, Gray’s Fable completed the one mile race on a firm renovated Matt Winn Turf Course in 1:36.22.
Favored Mr Dumas, rank through the race's early stages, saved third by a neck over Spanish Kingdom.
"It was a magnificent race with a pretty good finish," said Saez. "I saw the horse come flying behind me (runner-up Hidden Stash and Rafael Bejarano), but he couldn't catch me. The strategy was to get on the lead and use my horse's speed to set the pace. I knew the outside horse (Max K. O.) had good speed away from the gate, but we had the inside post. That was the first time that I rode him, and I'm grateful to be able to win with him today."
Gray’s Fable ($6.40), bred in Kentucky by part-owner Zlonis, is a son of Gio Ponti out of the Oratory mare Myrtle’s Gray.
"I got choked up watching him come down the lane. It was a thrill," said part-owner Provost. "(Trainer) Roger (Attfield) wasn't here obviously, but it's a great win for him and his team."
