Continental Connection Veteran mare Ayra Stark (ARG) conquered Saturday’s $250,000 Keertana Stakes at Churchill Downs to pick up her first stakes score on North American soil. A Group 2 winner (Ramon Biaus) in her native Argentina, Ayra Stark controlled the pace throughout a slow-moving Keertana, reaching the wire 2 ¾-lengths clear of 11-1 foe Venencia (FR). The 6-year-old daughter of Cosmic Trigger (ARG)–Delfia (ARG) is now 7-4-1 through 16 lifetime starts, good for over $362,000 in total prizes. Trained by Horacio De Paz for owner Haymarket Farm, Ayra Stark paid $4.24 as the Keertana’s even-money choice. Simple as That Intricate Spirit got back on the board with an emphatic triumph in the $150,000 Paradise Creek Stakes, Saturday at Aqueduct. Out to avenge a difficult ninth in last month’s Palisades Stakes, the sophomore son of Complexity–Dottie’s Spirit grabbed control of the six-furlong sprint early and never looked back en route to a decisive 3 ¼-length victory. The dazzling display marked Intricate Spirit’s first visit to the winner’s circle since October’s Futurity Stakes (G3T), also at Aqueduct. Up to 3-1-1 from seven starts, all for trainer Miguel Clement, Intricate Spirit has purse earnings north of $307,000. As the 8-5 choice Saturday, he paid $5.40. My Time Unrivaled Time is officially in the win column after a hard-earned tally in Saturday’s $125,000 Snow Chief Stakes at Santa Anita. In search of his first stakes title since November’s Cecil B. DeMille (G3T), the 3-year-old Not This Time colt overcame a slow start with a late rally to get up by a head under rider Armando Ayuso. It was a sterling showing for Unrivaled Time, who began his sophomore season with a third in the Eddie Logan Stakes before finishing sixth in the Pasadena last time out. Trained by Leonard Powell for breeder Alfred Pais, who co-owns the bay with Innergy Racing Corp, Unrivaled Time improved to 3-0-1 from six starts ($185,100). At 2-1, he paid $6. Up the Brightness California circuit regular Big City Lights added another item to his already impressive resume with a 1 ½-length score in the $100,000 Thor’s Echo Stakes, Saturday at Santa Anita. The textbook tally was the second this year and ninth overall for the 7-year-old son of Mr. Big– Champagne Exchange, who has missed the podium just twice from 17 career starts (9-4-2; $711,960). It also stands as the sixth stakes badge of Big City Lights’ impressive career, and first since the Don Valpredo California Cup Sprint Stakes on January 18, 2025. The dark bay, trained by Richard Mandella for owner William Peeples, paid $3.80 as the 4-5 favourite. Counts All the Same Lennilu, a multiple stakes winner on turf, remained undefeated on dirt after being elevated to first following the disqualification of Love Like Lucy in Saturday’s $100,000 Game Face Stakes at Gulfstream Park. A stewards’ review of the stretch run revealed Love Like Lucy interfered with Lennilu, who originally finished a neck behind the former. The sixth win of the Leinster filly’s nine-start career (6-0-1; $358,754) was her fifth stakes victory and second of 2026 (Melody of Colors Stakes on March 22) for an ownership group headed by Amy Dunne. The Patrick Biancone-conditioned 2-5 favourite paid $2.60. Matthew Lomon, for Woodbine Share This:Share
