Berned earned her first Stakes victory when she closed from far back to win the seven-furlong Safely Kept Stakes by four-and-a-quarter lengths at Laurel Park.
Racing at the rear of the field through the early stages of the race, the three-year-old daughter of Bernardini began her move on the far turn, sweeping past rivals while racing five-wide. At the top of the stretch she hit another gear, driving past longtime leader Astrollinthepark to win going away.
Bred in Kentucky by AR Enterprises LLC, Berned is out of the Giant’s Causeway mare, First Passage, winner of the G3 Azalea Stakes. First Passage is out of the multiple Stakes-winning mare, Win’s Fair Lady, a full sister to Graeme Hall (G2 Arkansas Derby, G2 Jim Dandy, etc.). Win’s Fair Lady is also a half-sister to multiple Graded Stakes winner Harmony Lodge (G1 Ballerina, G2 Gallant Bloom, etc.) and Graded Stakes winner, Win McCool (G3 Floral Park Stakes).
Bernardini is enjoying yet another successful season in 2017 with 12 black-type winners to date, including Graded Stakes winners Takaful (G1 Vosburgh), Imperative, Le Bernardin, Watershed and Zanbagh.
