My Mane Squeeze, owned by WinStar Farm LLC and William Butler, surged to the lead with a furlong to run on her way to victory in Friday’s Eight Belles S. (G2) at Churchill Downs.
Drawn in post 10 in the field of 11, the 3-year-old daughter of Audible broke alertly and was just behind the leaders while traveling down the center of the track on the backstretch. She continued three-wide on the turn as she advanced on the pacesetting Asternia. Turning for home, she was within a length of the lead, then took command in midstretch and came home a two-length winner in 1:22.85 for the seven furlongs over a sloppy racetrack.
“I was happy the way she saddled, and then when she loaded in the gate and she was behaving I was happy, and then the way she broke it was like, we’ll see if she’s good enough,” said trainer Mike Maker. “The plan all along has been the (June 7) Acorn (G1 at Saratoga), so we’ll take it one step at a time.”
My Mane Squeeze was bred by Butler and is now 5-0-2 in eight starts and has earned $604,110. She had won three New York-bred stakes prior to Friday’s graded stakes win.
Pedigree notes from the TDN
From the family of Grade One winner Haynesfield, My Mane Squeeze’s dam In Spite of Mama is also responsible for MSW and GSP Rotknee–winner of Thursday’s Affirmed Success S. at Aqueduct–and MSP Lookin for Trouble.
My Mane Squeeze is the second graded stakes winner for her second-season sire Audible, who leads the Second-Crop Sire list with over $2.1 million in progeny earnings and four black type winners overall.
