Bless the Broken rallied four wide in the far turn to seize the lead in early stretch and then held off a late charge from As Catch Can to win the $280,000 Bourbonette Oaks March 22 at Turfway Park.
With the 2 3/4-length win, Bless the Broken earned 50 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Oaks (G1).
The grade 2-placed daughter of Laoban secured the first stakes win of her career for owners Cypress Creek Equine and Madaket Stables. The effort marked the first start on an all-weather surface for Bless the Broken as her connections opted for this race over Saturday's Fair Grounds Oaks (G2), where she was cross-entered.
Bless the Broken and jockey John Velazquez rated off the pace early as White Rocks, the second choice off her win in the Cincinnati Trophy Stakes Feb. 21 at Turfway, led through a quarter-mile in :24.24 and a half-mile in :49.02 while pursued by Bracelet and Admit. As the latter two challenged the front-runner in the far turn, Bless the Broken unleashed her winning move on the outside.
Trained by Will Walden, Bless the Broken paid $15.18, $7.94, and $5.36 across the board. Admit held third, a neck behind runner-up As Catch Can. The top five finishers earned Road to the Kentucky Oaks points on a 50-25-15-10-5 schedule (Bracelet was fourth and White Rocks fifth).
