Churchill Downs Stakes Recap & Quotes: The Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile

May 03, 2025 Kevin Kerstein

Colebrook Farms’ Simply in Front outgamed Pin Up Betty in deep stretch to post a neck victory in the 40th running of the $750,000 Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (GII) for fillies and mares Saturday afternoon.

Trained by Eddie Kenneally and ridden by Luis Saez for his second stakes victory of the afternoon, Simply in Front completed the mile over the Matt Winn Turf Course rated as good in 1:35.46.

Serene Seraph set the pace with Simply in Front racing in midpack. Leadership on the front end went unchanged until the top of the lane when Pin Up Betty moved between horses to take over with Simply in Front moving with her to her outside and eventually edging away in deep stretch.

Simply in Front is a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Summer Front out of the Blame mare Complicated. A winner of four of 11 starts, Simply in Front notched her second Grade II victory having taken the Music City at Kentucky Downs last September under Saez.

Simply in Front returned $33, $15.24 and $8.56. Pin Up Betty, ridden by Juan Hernandez, returned $11.44 and $6.62 and finished three-quarters of a length in front of Movin’ On Up, who paid $3.58 to show under Jose Ortiz.

Five Towns (GB) finished another nose back in fourth and was followed in order by Tax Implications (GB), Venencia (FR), favored Sacred Wish and Serene Seraph (IRE).

CHURCHILL DISTAFF TURF MILE QUOTES

Luis Saez (Jockey, Simply in Front, winner) – “She broke the way we expected. She was traveling nicely. When we ran at Kentucky Downs, the trip was similar to today. There were some good horses in that race. When she made her move at the top of the lane, I could tell I had a lot of horse left.”

Eddie Kenneally (Trainer, Simply in Front, winner) – “My new rider (Luis Saez), I didn’t have to give him any special instructions. He’s just in a zone and this filly of mine, this is her first start of the year and I think she jumped into the zone too.”