William H. Lawrence and Three Chimneys Farm’s Delahaye earned her first graded stakes win June 2 at Churchill Downs in the $250,000 Mint Julep S. (G3).
The 4-year-old filly finished with a big run in the final quarter-mile of the 1 1/16-mile contest over a yielding turf course. After a good start, she backed off the pace and sat in sixth through five furlongs. She began to get closer entering the far turn, then made a four-wide move into the stretch and powered past the field to win going away by 1 ¾-lengths.
“All credit goes to [trainer] Chad [Brown] and his team,” said winning jockey Tyler Gaffalione. “His team did a great job of getting her ready for this start. Today was her second race this year at Churchill and I could tell I had a lot of horse beneath me. She was traveling very well throughout the entire race and turning for home she had a really nice kick.”
The dark bay filly, who was also bred by Three Chimneys, won the Tom Benson Memorial S. at Fair Grounds in March, then was third in the Distaff Turf Mile (G2) on Derby Day at Churchill. Her overall record is 4-1-1 in six starts, with earnings of $416,715.
Delahaye is the first foal out of the unraced Bella Carina, who is a half-sister to Grade I winner Malibu Prayer and to multiple graded winner Valid. Bella Carina has a yearling colt by Three Chimneys’ Gun Runner.
