Navratilova took the lead at the start and never looked back on her way to posting a half-length victory over Tobys Heart in the second running of the Tepin Stakes at Churchill Downs June 26.
The three-year-old filly became the second Stakes winner of the afternoon for her sire, Medaglia d’Oro, along with G3 Trillium Stakes winner, Souper Escape.
Breaking alertly under jockey Brian Hernandez Jr., Navratilova set reasonable fractions of :24.35 and :48.99 through the first half-mile. Around the far turn, New Boss (by Street Boss) ranged alongside to challenge Navratilova. The duo battled for nearly a quarter-mile, with Tobys Heart flying home late to split the pair and grab second at the wire.
Bred in Kentucky by her owner, G. Watts Humphrey Jr., Navratilova is out of the Multiple Graded Stakes winner, Centre Court (G1 Jenny Wiley, G2 Mrs. Revere Stakes, etc.). Centre Court is out of Let, winner of the G2 Churchill Downs Distaff, and is a half-sister to G3 winner Ravel.
Navratilova became the tenth Stakes winner of the year for her sire, Medaglia d’Oro. In addition to the Tepin winner he is the sire of Souper Escape (G3 Trillium Stakes), Golden Sixty (multiple G1 winner in Hong Kong), Vigilantes Way (G3 Eatontown Stakes), Risk Taking (G3 Withers), Beautiful Gift (G3 Santa Ysabel), Moonlight d’Oro (G3 Las Virgenes) and Listed winners Altaf, Adelong (in Australia) and New Trails (in Dubai).
