Loved became a Graded Stakes winner for the first time as she drew off in the stretch to post an impressive three-and-three-quarter length victory in the G3 Falls City Stakes at Churchill Downs on Thursday, 28 November.
The five-year-old Medaglia d’Oro mare, who entered the contest off a sharp fourth-place effort in the G1 Juddmonte Spinster last month, led home a Godolphin exacta in the race, as Tarifa (by the late Bernardini) rallied late to take second. With the victory, Loved improved her overall record to five wins in 10 starts, with earnings just shy of $600,000.
Breaking from post No. 6 in the field of eight fillies and mares, Loved raced between horses in fifth down the backstretch as Enclosure set the pace on an uncontested lead. Loved moved into third as the field entered the far turn, hot on the heels of Musical Mischief, who was also zeroing in on Enclosure while racing in second.
Both Musical Mischief and Loved overtook Enclosure on the far turn, with Loved then spurting past Musical Mischief at the top of the stretch to take the lead. Loved then began to draw off and was never threatened as she won quite comfortably. Tarifa put in a belated rally to take second, with longshot Lexa getting up for third.
Loved was bred in Kentucky and is out of Velvety (Bernardini), making her a half-sister to multiple G1 winner and current Darley stallion, Maxfield. Velvety, in turn, is out of the multiple Graded Stakes-winner, Caress (G3 Beaugay, G3 Poker H., etc.), and is a half-sister to Sky Mesa (G1 Hopeful) and Golden Velvet (G3 Sixty Sails).
Loved is one of several recent Stakes winners for her sire, Medaglia d’Oro, who is also represented by the exciting juveniles East Avenue, winner of the G1 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity, and Good Cheer, winner of the Listed Rags to Riches Stakes. The stallion is also the sire of Grand Sonata, winner of the G2 Kentucky Turf Cup and Meshtri, winner of the Listed Dubai Creek Mile at Meydan.
Medaglia d’Oro will stand the 2025 breeding season at Jonabell Farm for $75,000, stands and nurses.
