Churchill Downs Stakes Recaps & Quotes: The William Walker and the Isaac Murphy Marathon

Apr 30, 2025

Rallying widest of all, Glen Hill Farm’s homebred Bridle a Butterfly posted a half-length victory over Out On Bail to win the 10th running of the $300,000 William Walker Presented by Resolute Racing (Listed) for 3-year-olds on Wednesday afternoon at Churchill Downs.

Prior to the William Walker, Ribble Farms and K E M Racing Stable’s Honor Marie held off Timeout by a diminishing head to capture the seventh running of the $200,000 Isaac Murphy Marathon Presented by Resolute Racing (Listed) for 4-year-olds and up.

In the William Walker, favored Governor Sam set the pace while under pressure from Makeit to Cheyenne with Out On Bail a ground-saving third. At the top of the stretch. Governor Sam disposed of Makeit to Cheyenne while Out On Bail took up the chase to his outside.

Inside the sixteenth pole, Out On Bail pushed past Governor Sam only to have Bridle a Butterfly surge past in the final yards.

Ridden by John Velazquez and trained by Al Stall Jr., Bridle a Butterfly completed the 5 ½ furlongs on a firm Matt Winn Turf Course in a stakes-record 1:01.76. It is the second victory in the race for Velazquez, who also won with Jo Jo Air in 2019.

A Kentucky-bred son of 2019 Kentucky Derby winner Country House, Bridle a Butterfly returned $20.22, $7.58 and $3.40. Out On Bail, ridden by Luis Saez, returned $4.46 and $2.50 and finished a length in front of Governor Sam, who paid $2.24 to show under Paco Lopez.

It was another neck back to Coming in Hot with Warheart, Jet Sweep Joe, Makeit to Cheyenne and Altobelli following in order.

It was Bridle a Butterfly’s second win from six starts.

One race prior, in the Isaac Murphy, Honor Marie swept to the lead at midstretch and then held off a late bid from Timeout to record his third victory in four starts at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Whit Beckman and ridden by Ben Curtis, Honor Marie completed the mile and a half on a fast main track in 2:30.56.

Winner of the Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) as a 2-year-old and then a troubled eighth in last year’s Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (GI), Honor Marie picked up his third victory in 10 starts. He is a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Honor Code.

Honor Marie returned $13.60, $6.26 and $4.36. Timeout, ridden by Junior Alvarado, returned $7.80 and $4.58 with Game Warden finishing another 4 ¼ lengths back in third under Irad Ortiz Jr., and paying $3.26 to show.

It was 4 ¼ lengths back to favored Lambeth with Le Gris and Speed Bias crossing the wire.

WILLIAM WALKER QUOTES:

Al Stall Jr. (Trainer, Bridle a Butterfly, winner) – “A regular sprinter – one that goes 22, 45 – that kind is easy. But a closing sprinter, you’ve got to figure it out. We experimented some with this horse and now I think we have got it. We put Johnny V (John Velazquez) up, and of course that helped. He had worked well the other day and he ran good today. I think we’ve got it now.”

ISAAC MURPHY MARATHON QUOTES

Whit Beckman (Trainer, Honor Marie, winner) – “Our plan was always to break, sit quiet and then go get them in the stretch. It worked out great.”