Churchill Downs Stakes Recaps & Quotes: Alpine Princess Lands Grade III, $385,000 Falls City; Proctor Street Gets First Stakes Win in $289,665 Cardinal

Nov 27, 2025

Alpine Princess put away 27-1 longshot Corningstone in deep stretch to win Thursday’s 110th running of the $385,000 Falls City (Grade III) by two lengths in the traditional Thanksgiving Day fixture at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Fall Meet leading jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., Alpine Princess ran 1 1/8 miles over a “fast” track in 1:50.46 to collect her first graded stakes win and fourth stakes victory overall. Previously, she won $100,000 Untapable at age 2, the $200,000 Remington Park Oaks at 3 and this year’s $100,000 Mari Hulman George Memorial Handicap at Horseshoe Indianapolis in July as a 4-year-old – all ungraded stakes events.

“I’m so proud of her that she was able to get a graded stakes victory today,” said Cox, who also won the 2019 Falls City with Mylady Curlin. “It meant a lot to her owners and I’m thankful to get the job done today on Thanksgiving.”

Breaking from post No. 4 in the field of eight fillies and mares, Alpine Princess went right to the front and clocked the first quarter mile in a modest :24.41 before a keen Corningstone took over down the backstretch and a half mile in :48.52 and three-quarters of a mile in 1:12.70. Leaving the final turn, Alpine Princess tipped to the outside and met three-time 2025 stakes winner Corningstone at top of the stretch. The two dueled shoulder to shoulder through the lane but Alpine Princess kicked clear under urging inside the final furlong for the triumph.

“She broke really well and after (Corningstone) wanted the lead, I was able to give my filly a breather down the backside,” Ortiz Jr. said. “Turning for home, I was able to tip her outside and she took off again.”

Alpine Princess, a daughter of Classic Empire, paid $6.82, $3.64 and $3.08 as the 2-1 second betting choice. Indiana-bred Corningstone, ridden by Joseph Bealmear, returned $17 and $7.08. It was another 5 ¼ lengths back in third to multi-millionaire Raging Sea, who paid $3.88 to show under Flavien Prat at 3-1.

The running order was completed by Breeders’ Cup Distaff (GI) third Regaled; 2-1 favorite and $275,000 Shawnee (GIII) and $400,000 Locust Grove (GII) winner Royal Spa; Neon Icon; In Just My Heels; and Chilled. Quietside and Standoutsensation were scratched.

With the Falls City win, Alpine Princess improved her overall record to six wins, four seconds and four thirds in 17 starts for owners Full of Run Racing II LLC (Dann Glick) and Madaket Stables LLC (Sol Kumin). Thursday’s $240,455 first prize jumped her earnings to $949,065.

“It means a whole lot to us for her to get a graded stakes victory,” Glick said. “I’m very thankful for Brad and his whole team. Irad gave her a great ride. This is a great way to go on to her 5-year-old campaign and hopefully be a major player in the filly and mare division.”

Alpine Princess was bred in Kentucky by Betz/DJ Stables/Peter V. Lamantia/Classic Empire Syndicate. She is out of the Curlin mare Le Moine.

Racing at Churchill Downs continues Friday with the popular day-after Thanksgiving card highlighted by the 151st running of the $600,000 Clark presented by Norton Healthcare (GII) for older horses. The Clark goes as Race 11 of 12 at approximately 5:58 p.m. (all times Eastern). The first race is 1 p.m. Additionally, there is a carryover of $395,317 in the 20-cent Derby City Jackpot, which will cover Races 7-12.

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PROCTOR STREET GETS FIRST STAKES WIN IN $289,665 CARDINAL

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025) – Proctor Street spurted through an opening with a furlong to run and finished with authority to defeat Awesome Czech by three-quarters of a length in Thursday’s 50th running of the $289,665 Cardinal presented by Resolute Racing (Listed) on Thanksgiving Day at Churchill Downs.

Proctor Street, a 4-year-old filly owned and bred by Patricia L. Moseley, ran 1 1/8 miles over “firm” turf in 1:49.65 to collect the first stakes win of her career. Tyler Gaffalione rode the winner for trainer Brendan Walsh.

Breaking from post position No. 9 in the field of 11 fillies and mares, Proctor Street raced in fifth down the backstretch along the inside as Stylish Sue led the way through splits of :24.33, :49.38 and 1:13.88. Around the final turn, Proctor Street was full of run but Gaffalione chose to remain behind cover and waited for a opening between the tiring pacesetter Stylish Sue and 2-1 favorite Pin Up Betty, the winner of this year’s $250,000 Old Forester Mint Julep (Grade III) and $175,000 Anchorage at Churchill Downs. Proctor Street shot through the opening at the eighth pole and charged past the rail-skimming Awesome Czech for the impressive first stakes win.

“All the credit goes to Brendan and his team,” said Gaffalione, who teamed with Walsh to also win the 2019 Cardinal with Kallio. “They really had her ready to go today. I had a lot of horse underneath me and when the hole opened in the stretch, she didn’t hesitate and went for it.”

The triumph was worth $175,700 and increased her earnings to $451,910. Proctor Street boasts a record of 5-1-1 in eight starts.

“I’m so thankful for (owner Patricia Mosley),” Walsh said. “She’s been such a big supporter of mine throughout the years. This is a great win and it’s so great to have this filly. I think she’s started to turn a corner. Who knows what she might do from here.”

Proctor Street returned $2 mutuels of $8.44, $5.20 and $4.04 as the 3-1 second betting choice. Awesome Czech, ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr. at odds of 10-1, returned $9.46 and $5.86. Third-place finisher Fleetingly, under Flavien Prat, was another head back and paid $5.38 to show at 10-1.

The order of finish was completed by Adrasteia, Pin Up Betty, Vive Veuve, defending Cardinal champion Duvet Day (IRE), Sabalenka, Lucky Speech, Miwa (GB) and Stylish Sue. She’s Lookin Lucky, Tap the Champagne and Weighted Average were scratched.

Prior to the Cardinal, Proctor Street won a third-level allowance on grass at Keeneland on Oct. 16.

Proctor Street, a daughter of 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense out of the Ghostzapper mare Proctor’s Ledge, was bred in Kentucky.

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FALLS CITY QUOTES

Irad Ortiz Jr., jockey, Alpine Princess, winner: “She broke really well and after (Corningstone) wanted the lead, I was able to give my filly a breather down the backside. Turning for home, I was able to tip her outside and she took off again.”

Brad Cox, trainer, Alpine Princess, winner: “I’m so proud of her that she was able to get a graded stakes victory today. It meant a lot to her owners and I’m thankful to get the job done today on Thanksgiving.”

Dann Glick, co-owner, Alpine Princess, winner: “It means a whole lot to us for her to get a graded stakes victory. I’m very thankful for Brad (Cox) and his whole team. Irad (Ortiz Jr.) gave her a great ride. This is a great way to go on to her 5-year-old campaign and hopefully be a major player in the filly and mare division.”

Joe Bealmear, jockey, Corningstone, runner-up: “She broke so well, and was so confident out of the gate, that she took me right to the lead. She ran on so well.”

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CARDINAL QUOTES

Tyler Gaffalione, jockey, Proctor Street, winner: “All the credit goes to Brendan and his team. They really had her ready to go today. I had a lot of horse underneath me and when the hole opened in the stretch, she didn’t hesitate and went for it.”

Brendan Walsh, trainer, Proctor Street, winner: “I’m so thankful for (owner Patricia Mosley). She’s been such a big supporter of mine throughout the years. This is a great win and it’s so great to have this filly. I think she’s started to turn a corner. Who knows what she might do from here.”