If trainer Steve Asmussen was hoping the June 22 $250,000 Chicago Stakes (G3) would be a soft return spot for the comebacking Society, it unfortunately wasn't meant to be for the Gun Runner mare as a fresh-from-her-first-grade 1 win Vahva and top-level sprinter Chi Town Lady drew into the race.
A grade 1 winner around two turns as a 3-year-old, the now 5-year-old Society settled in her seven-furlong niche last season for Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, competing against the division's best. Society blazed to a track record time of 1:20.54 in the 2023 Ellis Park-held rendition of the Chicago before dominating rivals again at Hollywood Casino At Charles Town Races in the Misty Bennett Pink Ribbon Stakes. She culminated her campaign with a solid fourth-place finish to Goodnight Olive in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) after pressing the early pace. That November effort was the most recent race for Society, who enters the Chicago off the longest layoff of her career yet.
Tyler Gaffalione, Society's pilot in her last three starts, will ride. Considering Society breaks from the one hole and has led from pillar to post in each of her last five victories, it's likely the speedy chestnut will be the one to catch turning for home.
However, Society has no easy task ahead of her, especially with budding star Vahva in the field. Trained by Cherie DeVaux, Vahva ascended to grade 1 winner status with an authoritative two-length score in the seven-furlong Derby City Distaff Stakes (G1) on Kentucky Oaks (G1) day. That victory was especially sweet considering the daughter of Gun Runner just failed to capture the Madison Stakes (G1) at Keeneland in her first effort of the season.
Irad Ortiz Jr. flies out from New York to retain his mount on Vahva. Three-for-three over the Churchill Downs oval, Vahva will likely be bet down as the deserved morning-line favorite in Saturday's race.
"I know that it's out of my control with the pace scenario but it's always a little questionable when you have a short field," DeVaux said. "Irad knows (Vahva) very well and I trust he'll have her in the right spot depending on what the early pace looks like. I think she's one of the best fillies in the country but sometimes you never know in these short fields if someone gets a loose lead."
Castleton Lyons' Chi Town Lady, another filly who does her best running late, finished 3 1/4 lengths behind Vahva in the Derby City Distaff. The race was the second start of the year for the Wesley Ward trainee off a lengthy layoff. She opened her 5-year-old account with a gritty score in the Feb. 10 Minaret Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, her first win since upsetting the field at 17-1 in the 2022 Test Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.
Current Churchill Downs second-leading rider Jose Ortiz has the call.
Positano Sunset, a stakes winner as a 3-year-old but sixth in her most recent outing in the May 27 Winning Colors Stakes (G3), and Breffni homebred Royal Spa, seventh in the Winning Colors but an impressive victress of a seven-furlong Keeneland allowance two starts back, complete the field.
Churchill Downs, Saturday, June 22, 2024, Race 7Entries: Chicago S. (G3)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Society (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 118 Steven M. Asmussen 4/5 2 2Royal Spa (KY) Florent Geroux 118 Rodolphe Brisset 15/1 3 3Vahva (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 123 Cherie DeVaux 1/1 4 4Chi Town Lady (KY) Jose L. Ortiz 120 Wesley A. Ward 10/1 5 5Positano Sunset (KY) Julien R. Leparoux 118 Ian R. Wilkes 15/1
