KARAKONTIE’s juvenile crop continues to impress and on Sunday another one joined the stakes winners category when Agate flew home for a Bourbon S. (G2) win.
Finishing third in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile S. last out, the Dede McGehee homebred broke from an inner gate in the 1 1/16-mile turf race and quickly angled to the rail.
Once he’d secured that rail spot, he took up a spot near the back of the pack while the pacesetter ran away with the lead down the backstretch. That runner opened over seven lengths on the field going into the far turn with Agate over 10 lengths behind him and sticking to the rail.
Coming into the stretch, the leader was collared by the field and it became a chaotic run to the finish with a furlong left to run. Jockey Tyler Gaffalione had to abandon the rail and pilot Agate around the leaders when a hole opened.
One he’d gotten through that hole, Agate was uncatchable. The juvenile gelding didn’t leave anything to chance, winning by 1 ¾ lengths.
Agate gets it done in the #WinAndYoureIn Bourbon Stakes!
Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
Trainer: Kelsey Danner
Owner/Breeder: Dede McGehee pic.twitter.com/vV8g9kFNAf— Breeders' Cup (@BreedersCup) October 4, 2026
Trained by Kelsey Danner, Agate has finished in the top three in three of four starts for $363,775 in earnings and is now headed to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1).
“He was on the inside (finishing third in the Pepsi Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile), a rough trip, and we kind of tossed it out. He came out of the race really well, and even (jockey) Umberto Ripoli said, ‘He’ll win next time on a regular course.’ (Heading to the Breeders’ Cup) is fun, it’s nice, good to go in a winner.”
This is the first stakes winner for More Than Ready mare More Than Gracious, who has produced two winners from her first three runners. A winner herself, More Than Gracious is a half-sister to stakes winner House of Grace – whose stakes win also came at Keeneland – and to the dam of stakes winners Nice as Pie and Smokin’ Jay.
They are out of the stakes winning Gracility, who is one of two stakes winners for her own dam.
KARAKONTIE’s 2-year-olds have come out running in 2026 with four (23.53%) of his 17 runners earning blacktype with two winning. The stallion has seen 10 of his juveniles visit the winner’s circle this year.