Closing from last under Florent Geroux, Fionn caught midstretch leader Totally Justified and scored by a half-length in the $272,500 Regret Stakes (G3T) May 31 at Churchill Downs.
The 3-year-old daughter of Twirling Candy notched her second stakes victory and first at the graded level in taking the 1 1/8-mile turf contest. In March she took the Allen "Black Cat" LaCombe Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.
She was clocked in a stakes-record 1:47.29 on a firm course, running faster than 3-year-old males did in the Audubon Stakes a couple of hours earlier over a quick-playing course. Lively fractions of :22.90, :46.75, and 1:11.08—which took a toll on leader and 3-2 favorite Classic Q, who faded to seventh—played to Fionn's strong-finishing strength and allowed her to make up ground after trailing by eight lengths early.
"They were going fast up front, so I just let her get into a nice rhythm and do her thing," Geroux said. "She kept finding more late and really dug in."
Totally Justified, who stalked the pace in third early and took command with a furlong remaining, was second by a length over show finisher Hereforagoodtime.
With her victory worth $163,920, Fionn boosted her career earnings to $349,270 from a record of 4-1-1 in six starts for owners George Messina and Michael Lee. She paid $10.08 to win.
"She's been a really consistent filly, and I think she will keep improving off of this," trainer Brad Cox said.
Fionn is the first foal out of the Giant's Causeway mare Gaelic Gold and was bred in Kentucky by Dixiana Farms. She is the fourth graded stakes winner of 2025 for Twirling Candy, who stands for $60,000 at Lane's End near Versailles, Ky.
Video: Regret S. (G3T)
World Beater Wears Down King of Ashes in Audubon
Wearing down stretch leader King of Ashes in the closing strides by a neck, World Beater notched his first career stakes victory in the $273,500 Audubon Stakes in earlier action Saturday at the Louisville, Ky., track.
The victory was the second in a row for the 3-year-old son of Oscar Performance , who a start earlier had broken his maiden in his fifth career try in a 1 1/8-mile maiden race at Churchill Downs May 2. His record now stands at 2-1-1 in six starts with earnings of $263,914 for owner Pin Oak Stud.
Well spotted in midpack early with Jaime Torres aboard, World Beater saved ground into the first turn as Charlie's to Blame set splits in the 1 1/8-mile turf race of :23.42, :47.71, and 1:11.93 under pressure from Tomasello. Torres awaited traffic to clear on the second turn before launching a two-wide, second-turn bid. From there, World Beater reeled in his rivals, the last of those being King of Ashes, who had taken command from Tomasello leaving the second turn.
"He was impressive stretching out more in distance," Torres said of the winner.
King of Ashes, under Frankie Dettori, held second, 2 1/4 lengths clear of Tomasello in third.
The Riley Mott-trained winner posted a stakes-record time of 1:47.39. He returned $15.40 for a $2 win wager.
Bred by Dr. John A. Chandler out of the Blame mare Dabinett, World Beater was a $105,000 purchase by his owner from the Mill Ridge Sales consignment to the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
World Beater is the fifth stakes winner of 2025 for Oscar Performance, who stands at Mill Ridge Farm for $45,000.
