Gainesway homebred Eskimo Kisses charged from last to score an emphatic 6½-length victory in the prestigious Alabama Stakes (G1) Aug. 18 at Saratoga Race Course.
Under a patient ride by jockey Jose Ortiz, Eskimo Kisses trailed the field by as many as 15 lengths in the opening stages of the Alabama. The Kenny McPeek trainee found her best running late, however, picking off her rivals around the far turn and driving clear through stretch while clearly relishing the mile-and-a-quarter distance.
The Alabama marked the first Grade 1 victory for Eskimo Kisses, who had finished second to superstar Tapizar filly Monomoy Girl in Keeneland’s Ashland Stakes (G1) on April 7. Eskimo Kisses was then fourth to Monomoy Girl in both the May 4 Kentucky Oaks (G1) and the July 22 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1).
Gainesway co-owns Eskimo Kisses with Harold Lerner, Andrew Rosen, Nehoc Stables, and Magdalena Racing. The chestnut filly has three wins and four seconds from 10 career starts with earnings of $685,640.
Bred and raised at Gainesway, Eskimo Kisses is by former Gainesway stallion To Honor and Serve, who moved to Korea after the 2017 season. Her dam is the Mr. Greeley mare Silver Colors, a daughter of 1988 Kentucky Derby winner and Eclipse champion 3-year-old filly Winning Colors.
Silver Colors is also the dam of an Empire Maker yearling colt who is a part of Gainesway’s consignment at the upcoming Keeneland September sale.