It was a fourth straight graded stakes victory at a fourth different track for Princess Grace on Saturday when KARAKONTIE’s dual surface graded stakes winner took down the Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf Stakes (G3).
The John and Susan Moore homebred was last early on in the one-mile turf race and Florent Geroux set her own pace as they navigated the unique course. Princess Grace left herself plenty to do as they galloped around the turn but the rail position she secured proved to be golden.
With no one on the rail between her and the pacesetter, Princess Grace put herself at the leader’s tail entering the stretch. It was at that point that Geroux angled her to the two-path to take the lead and Princess Grace was game.
The KARAKONTIE filly opened up over a length on the field in the final furlong and had enough left as they raced up the hill toward the wire to hold off multiple stakes winner Dalika by half a length with Grade 1 winner Abscond a nose back in third.
#2 Princess Grace overcame an extremely slow start to win the G3 @KYDownsRacing Ladies Turf, ridden by @flothejock, trained by Michael Stidham! Congrats to the connections
Another winner by Karakontie @Gainesway
Up next is race 8 & the Late Pick 4, & races 8-10 are MBS races pic.twitter.com/nOvLfxCEKi
— TVG (@TVG) September 11, 2021
Trained by Michael Stidham, Princess Grace has now won six of her seven starts with the 4-year-old a Grade 2 winner on both dirt and turf. This victory took her earnings to $886,850.
Princess Grace is out of the multiple stakes-placed Masquerade, who is a half-sister to Grade 3 winner and stakes producer Svea Dahl. The family also includes stakes winner and 21-time winner overall Vuelo Colorido and stakes winner Private Promise.
There are 12 chances to buyers to purchase a KARAKONTIE yearling at this month’s Keeneland September Yearling Sale, headlined by Hip 382 in Book 1.
Out of stakes-placed Graceful Grit, the colt is a full brother to juvenile winner Karacrown. The family had a major update on August 31 when Wootton Assset won the New Kent County Virginia Derby (G3). That colt is out of Graceful Grit’s half-sister Love Liu.