Payton d'Oro

Edward Evans’ Malibu Prayer collared favored One Caroline on the far turn and then held off a late charge by Copper State by a length to win the 24th running of the $167,550 Chilukki (Grade II) for fillies and mares at Churchill Downs.

Ridden by Chris DeCarlo, Malibu Prayer gave trainer Todd Pletcher his second consecutive victory in the Chilukki having scored in 2008 with Leah’s Secret. Malibu Prayer covered the mile on a “fast” main track in 1:36.24.

One Caroline, who was coming off a six-month layoff because of an injury, shot to the lead under Leandro Goncalves and took the field through fractions of :22.47 and :44.87 while maintaining a clear advantage.

DeCarlo moved Malibu Prayer after One Caroline leaving the backstretch and took command entering the stretch only to have One Caroline battle back. Malibu Prayer finally began to draw clear in the final sixteenth of a mile as Copper State closed fast to swipe second place by a neck over One Caroline.

The victory was worth $99,626 and increased Malibu Prayer’s earnings to $348,526 with her fourth victory in nine starts.

Malibu Prayer, a 3-year-old Virginia-bred daughter of Malibu Moon who carried 115 pounds, nine fewer than top weight Swift Temper who finished sixth, returned $12.20, $6.20 and $3.80. Copper State, ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan, paid $15 and $6.60 with One Caroline paying $2.60 to show.

Payton d’Oro, who finished fifth in the field of nine, represented the final starter for trainer Larry Jones, who is turning the training of his 23-horse stable over to his wife Cindy.

Jones, a 53-year-old native of Hopkinsville, Ky., who began training in 1982, is best known as the conditioner of 2008 Kentucky Derby runner-up Eight Belles. Jones, who saddled Proud Spell to win the 2008 Kentucky Oaks, also had the 2007 Kentucky Derby runner-up in Hard Spun.

"At least I ended the career better than I started,” Jones said. “The pressure’s off. I bet my blood pressure’s already come down now. But, no, it’s good. Trust me, it’s got some sentimental feelings about it, but I’m OK. It’s all good. . . . I don’t know what the future really holds, but it’ll all be good.  You know, we’re ready for the next journey, whatever it may be.”

Cindy Jones will oversee the barn operations through the end of the Churchill Downs meet on Nov. 28 and then the couple will head home to Henderson, Ky., for the holidays before rejoining the barn for the 2010 meet at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark.

In the race before the Chilukki, Destiny Oaks’ She’s Our Annie made a successful return to the races after a 7 ½-month layoff to post a 2 ½-length victory over Adhrhythm in the $61,300 Dream Supreme, a six-furlong overnight stake for fillies and mares.

Ridden by Jon Court for trainer Jinks Fires, She’s Our Annie returned mutuels of $5.20, $4.20 and $3.20 as the favorite in the field of nine. Adhrhythm, ridden by Chris Emigh, returned $17.60 and $10.20 with Step Out Smartly paying $5.20 to show under Francisco Torres.

Racing continues Sunday with a 10-race card beginning at 12:40 p.m.

The presence of Mark Stanley’s Grade I winner Swift Temper and the return to the races of G. Watts Humphrey Jr. and the Louise Ireland Humphrey Revocable Trust-2008’s One Caroline serve as the main attention grabbers for Saturday’s 24th running of the $150,000-added Chilukki (Grade II).
    
    But the story of the race figures to be Payton d’Oro, who is scheduled to be the final starter for Kentucky-born trainer Larry Jones.
    
    Jones, who saddled Proud Spell to win the 2008 Kentucky Oaks (GI) and sent out Hard Spun and Eight Belles to runner-up finishes in the 2007 and 2008 runnings of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI), is retiring after Saturday and turning the operation of the stable to his wife Cindy.
    
    Jones, a 53-year-old native of Hopkinsville, also will saddle Brereton Jones’ On the Menu in Saturday’s Dream Supreme, the day’s eighth race. After Saturday, he and Cindy will retain 23 horses that they own totally or in partnerships.
    
    Winner of the Remington Park Oaks last time out and the Grade II Black-Eyed Susan at Pimlico in May. Payton d’Oro is owned by Michael Pressley, John Ferris, Mike Riley, Lee Robey and Barry Higgins and will be ridden by Terry Thompson.

One Caroline, trained by Rusty Arnold, has been installed as the 8-5 morning line favorite by Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia. A winner of five of six career starts, One Caroline has not started since a runner-up finish to Miss Isella in the Louisville Distaff (GII) on May 1.

Leandro Goncalves will ride One Caroline and break from post position four under a 122-pound impost.

Swift Temper, 3-1 on the morning line, will tote high weight of 124 pounds in the Chilukki and break from post seven under Chris Emigh. Trained by Dale Romans, Swift Temper’s resume is highlighted by a victory in the Grade I Ruffian at Belmont Park in September. Swift Temper ran third in last year’s Chilukki behind Leah’s Secret.

The Chilukki goes as the ninth race on Saturday’s 10-race card with a 4:58 p.m. (all times EST). Post time for the first race on the program that includes simulcast of eight Breeders’ Cup World Championship races from Santa Anita, is 12:40 p.m. The Breeders’ Cup races kick off with the Juvenile Turf at 1:45 p.m. and concludes with the Classic at 6:45 p.m.
    
    The field for the Chilukki, from the rail out (with jockey, assigned weight and morning line odds), is as follows: Copper State (Shaun Bridgmohan, 118 pounds, 12-1), Royale Michele (E. Baird, 118, 10-1), Malibu Prayer (C. DeCarlo, 115, 8-1), One Caroline (L. Goncalves, 122, 8-5), Color Me Up (J. Court, 118, 30-1), Be Fair (I. Ocampo, 115, 20-1), Swift Temper (C. Emigh, 124, 3-1), Payton d’Oro (T. Thompson, 119, 10-1) and Dubai Majesty (J. Theriot, 120, 9-2).

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