Caitlinhergrtness' Class Shines in My Charmer Triumph

Trainer Kevin Attard said the Dec. 21 My Charmer Stakes at Turfway Park might be the last race in the career of Caitlinhergrtness. If the $250,000, 1-mile contest over the Turfway Tapeta does prove to be her curtain call, she went out in style, displaying her class with a masterful late rally orchestrated by jockey Flavien Prat. And in the process, the daughter of Omaha Beach broke through the million-dollar earnings barrier. Speaking to the Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, Attard said of the 2024 Sovereign Award winner for top 3-year-old filly, "I think the plan is for her to retire. Whether she makes another start is yet to be determined. "If she goes on to her next career now, she's going out a winner." Caitlinhergrtness was forwardly placed out of the gate, running along the rail two lengths behind Nanabush (ARG), who completed the opening quarter-mile in :24.36. The favorite, meanwhile, found herself with other rivals ahead of her and to her outside. Just past the halfway point in the 1-mile synthetic contest, Caitlinhergrtness and Prat began moving up along the rail while Nanabush completed the next quarter in a slightly faster split (:48.45). The field began to reel in the leader entering the final turn. Trial, a 63-1 longshot, came up along Nanabush's outside along with She's Lookin Lucky to take the lead. Meanwhile, Caitlinhergrtness and Prat found themselves approaching the stretch pinned against the rail and behind four fellow fillies and mares. Prat went to the only place he could go if there was any chance at victory. Swinging out five-wide coming out of the turn, Prat and Caitlinhergrtness checked off foes one by one before charging ahead en route to winning in a time of 1:36.74. Bred in Ontario, Canada, by Jesse Korona, Caitlinhergrtness is now 6-4-2 from 17 career starts (3-3-0 from 8 starts and $377,757 in 2025). She is owned by WinStar Farm. Caitlinhergrtness last entered the sales ring at the 2023 Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, selling to Maverick Racing and Sienna Farms for $375,000 out of the Off the Hook consignment Caitlinhergrtness paid $3.10 for the win. Trial was second and Literate finished third. Weather caused the postponement of the card by a week, which resulted in several scratches, including three in the My Charmer. Encino the Man in Prairie Bayou Sometimes in life when things go bad, the best medicine is going home. After finishing ninth last time out in the River City Stakes (G3T), owner/breeder Godolphin felt the best place for their 4-year-old colt Encino was to bring him back to where he began his career. Breaking from the gate as the favorite, Encino went directly to the front and stayed there in completing a gate-to-wire victory in the $250,000 Prairie Bayou Stakes on the Tapeta at Turfway. "He's just a good horse," said Godolphin's Michael Banahan. "He's won on all the surfaces. Obviously, he got started up here when he broke his maiden. He likes Turfway, he trains up here, it's a great surface for him." The son of Nyquist is 3-2-0 from five starts in his career at Turfway. Overall, Encino improves to 7-2-1 from 13 starts. The Brad Cox trainee has earned $801,710. Encino completed the 1-mile in 1:36.37 and paid $3.36 for the win. Horsepower finished 1 1/2 lengths back and Cameo Performance was third.