Buy TicketsAnthony Fanticola and A Venneri Racing’s Southern California-based Tony Ann outdueled defending champion Caravel through a deep stretch run to post a neck victory in the 27th running of the $336,525 Franklin (G2) for fillies and mares Sunday afternoon at Keeneland.
Trained by Phil D’Amato and ridden by Flavien Prat, Tony Ann covered the 5½ furlongs on a turf course rated as good in 1:02.42.
Twilight Gleaming (IRE) set a quick pace of :21.09 and :43.93 while being pressured by B G Warrior as Caravel and Tony Ann raced in the second flight.
Twilight Gleaming shook off B G Warrior at the top of the stretch and owned a clear advantage until the eighth pole, when Caravel and Tony Ann closed in. Inside the sixteenth pole, Caravel and Tony Ann surged past but Tony Ann had more momentum and inched past in the final yards.
Tony Ann is a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Cairo Prince out of the In Excess (IRE) mare Never Ever and was bred by co-owner Alex Venneri. It is the first stakes victory for Tony Ann, who improved her record to 10-5-1-3 and boosted her career earnings to $511,883 with Sunday’s $208,863 check.
Tony Ann rewarded her backers with payoffs of $17.60, $5.84 and $4.02. Caravel, ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, returned $2.62 and $2.34 and finished three-quarters of a length in front of Train to Artemus, who paid $7.78 to show under Gerardo Corrales.
It was another half-length back to Twilight Gleaming with Wakanaka (IRE), Bay Storm, Linguistic and B G Warrior following in order.
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Racing resumes Wednesday afternoon with an eight-race program beginning at 1 p.m. ET.
Keeneland will offer a Pick 6 carryover of $52,497.42.