Breffni Farm's homebred Royal Spa took charge at the start of the $395,000 Locust Grove Stakes (G2) Sept. 13 at Churchill Downs and fought off all challengers to win her second career graded stakes.
Ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, Royal Spa jumped to the lead of the 1 1/16-mile dirt race and looked comfortable while setting early fractions of :24.48 and :48.42 atop the field of six fillies and mares.
Our Pretty Woman made a run on the far turn as the leader clicked off six furlongs in 1:12.07, but Royal Spa, a 5-year-old Violence mare, kept cruising out front.
Royal Spa broke free again in upper stretch, and that was when Full of Run Racing II and Madaket Stables' Alpine Princess emerged with her challenge, but the leader was resolute in stopping the timer in 1:42.53 over the main track rated fast. Alpine Princess finished second, 1 1/4 lengths back, and it was another 1 1/2 lengths to third-place finisher, Ribble Farms and Front Page Equestrian's Regaled.
"The plan was to just play the break," Gaffalione said. "She's been breaking a lot more alertly lately. I saw not a whole lot of speed so I just sent her to the lead and was able to do everything."
Trained by Rodolphe Brisset, Royal Spa scored her seventh victory in 21 career starts and pushed her earnings into seven-figure territory to $1,096,732.
"I've known (Royal Spa) since she was a little dot on an ultrasound. This was a really special win," Breffni Farm's Rhonda O'Rourke said.
Kentucky-bred Royal Spa is out of the graded stakes-placed Mineshaft mare Bodacious Babe. She had a full brother—Hip 1441—go through the ring at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale Saturday afternoon with consignor Castle Park Farm. The colt initially was listed as a $120,000 buyback.
Violence stands at Hill 'n' Dale farms near Paris, Ky, where his stud fee was $30,000 during the 2025 breeding season. Violence's 2-year-old son Obliteration won this year's Sanford Stakes (G3) at Saratoga Race Course and has since placed in the Saratoga Special Stakes (G2) and the lucrative Kentucky Downs Juvenile Sprint Stakes.
Video: Fasig-Tipton Locust Grove S. (G2)
Bentornato Impresses in Louisville Thoroughbred Society Stakes
Leon King Stable's Bentornato delivered perhaps the most impressive performance of the day at Churchill Saturday in the $267,500 Louisville Thoroughbred Society Stakes.
The Florida-bred 4-year-old Valiant Minister ridgling was making his first start since finishing second in last year's Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), and his six-furlong time of 1:08.43—a stakes record—suggested he could be a major threat if he makes it back to the Breeders' Cup.
The Jose D'Angelo trainee pressed for the early lead on the inside, then backed off and went to the outside as Skelly set fractions of :21.90 and :44.24. Bentornato then advanced four-wide on the turn and powered clear late to win by 5 1/4 lengths.
"This was all Bentornato," winning rider Irad Ortiz Jr. said. "He broke sharp and I wanted to take him back to get outside. Once I was able to get outside, he just took off. He's a really impressive horse and did a lot of that on his own."
