Alpine Princess Lands First Graded Stakes in Falls City

Alpine Princess put away 27-1 longshot Corningstone in deep stretch to win the 110th running of the $385,000 Falls City Stakes (G3) by two lengths in the traditional Thanksgiving Day fixture at Churchill Downs. Trained by Brad Cox and ridden by fall meet leading jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., Alpine Princess ran 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:50.46 to collect her first graded stakes win and fourth stakes victory overall. Previously, she won $100,000 Untapable Stakes at age 2, the $200,000 Remington Park Oaks at 3 and this year's $100,000 Mari Hulman George Memorial Handicap at Horseshoe Indianapolis in July as a 4-year-old—all ungraded stakes events. "I'm so proud of her that she was able to get a graded stakes victory today," said Cox, who also won the 2019 Falls City with Mylady Curlin. "It meant a lot to her owners and I'm thankful to get the job done today on Thanksgiving." Breaking from post No. 4 in the field of eight fillies and mares, Alpine Princess went right to the front and clocked the first quarter mile in a modest :24.41 before a keen Corningstone took over down the backstretch and a half mile in :48.52 and six furlongs in 1:12.70. Leaving the final turn, Alpine Princess tipped to the outside and met three-time 2025 stakes winner Corningstone at the top of the stretch. The two dueled shoulder to shoulder through the lane before Alpine Princess kicked clear under urging inside the final furlong for the triumph. "She broke really well and after (Corningstone) wanted the lead, I was able to give my filly a breather down the backside," Ortiz said. "Turning for home, I was able to tip her outside and she took off again." Alpine Princess, a daughter of Classic Empire, paid $6.82, $3.64 and $3.08 as the 2-1 second betting choice. Indiana-bred Corningstone, ridden by Joseph Bealmear, returned $17 and $7.08. It was another 5 1/4 lengths back in third to multi-millionaire Raging Sea, who paid $3.88 to show under Flavien Prat at 3-1. With the Falls City win, Alpine Princess improved her overall record to six wins, four seconds and four thirds in 17 starts for owners Full of Run Racing II (Dann Glick) and Madaket Stables (Sol Kumin). Thursday's $240,455 first prize jumped her earnings to $949,065. "It means a whole lot to us for her to get a graded stakes victory," Glick said. "I'm very thankful for Brad and his whole team. Irad gave her a great ride. This is a great way to go on to her 5-year-old campaign and hopefully be a major player in the filly and mare division." Alpine Princess was bred in Kentucky by Betz/DJ Stables/Peter V. Lamantia/Classic Empire Syndicate. She is out of the Curlin mare Le Moine. Proctor Street Secures First Stakes Win Proctor Street spurted through an opening with a furlong to run and finished with authority to defeat Awesome Czech by three-quarters of a length in Thursday's 50th running of the $289,665 Cardinal Stakes. Proctor Street, a 4-year-old filly owned and bred by Patricia L. Moseley, ran 1 1/8 miles on firm turf in 1:49.65 to collect the first stakes win of her career. Tyler Gaffalione rode the winner for trainer Brendan Walsh. "I'm so thankful for (owner Patricia Mosley)," Walsh said. "She's been such a big supporter of mine throughout the years. This is a great win and it's so great to have this filly. I think she's started to turn a corner. Who knows what she might do from here." Proctor Street, a daughter of 2007 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Street Sense out of the Ghostzapper mare Proctor's Ledge, was bred in Kentucky. [replay date="11/28/2025" country="USA" trackid="CD" racenumber="11"