Compulsion shows her love Churchill Downs with another late win in the $300,000 Chilukki Stakes (G3) on November 20 for Juddmonte Farms. Immediately after the race, Juddmonte USA general manager Garrett O’Rourke said the boy will return to races next year as a 4-year-old with his sights set on 1st place glory.
Coached by Bill Mott, Obligatory secured his first rating win with a strong end to first performance in Smithfield’s Eight Belles Stakes (G2) on Kentucky Oaks Day. 3 year old daughter of Curlin proved her upset win at Eight Belles didn’t go smoothly with a respectable runner-up in the June 5 Acorn Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park and September 25 Cotillion Stakes (G1) at Racing Parx. In her most recent attempt, Gray didn’t have her usual late kick and was beaten Friday in the October 23 Lexus Raven Run Stakes (G2) match at Keeneland.
Returning to Twin Spiers, where she recorded her final three winds, Obligatory was forgiven by bettors for her Raven Run attempt and entered the portal 3-2. When the gate opens, 8-1 shoot Princess Causeway swing sharply to the far outside from the outer gate and continue to take the lead under driver Chris Landeros. Putting it in the lead with a frenzy, the Princess Causeway forces quick early fractions of: 22.77 and: 45.98. The brisk pace worked perfectly in favor of Obligatory, who tracked the horse’s first five stages of flight until it was given the green light by Joel Rosario in the first leg. Causeway princess threw the scarf in after 3/4 in a hot match 1: 10.36 like Miss Bigly and Matera Forge their way forward at the top of the ramp. Forced, under meager encouragement, to continue to ramp down the middle of the lane and be swept late by Matera and Miss Bigly during the 2 1/4 tally.
Rosario said: “(Required) gave me a really good effort today. “It was a pleasure to be with her. In the first leg, she started showing her best forefoot and I could see pretty quick pace in front of me.”
Facing older mares for the first time in Chilukki, Obligatory stops the clock at 1:34.80 for fast mainline mileage and pays $5 on a $2 bet. Matera stood up a second time as he put an arm around Miss Bigly’s neck.
“We were a bit nervous about the pace of the race but we knew she could be quite flexible where she’s in the race,” O’Rourke said of the winner. “The pace helped us today and she had a really good run outside. Joel got her into a lovely rhythm and always felt like he was in a good position for her. . She will continue to train next year and aim to get a 1st place win with her.”
Mandatory increased her earnings to $711,514 with her Chilukki win. She has now captured three of her nine career starts.
A third generation bred for Juddmonte Farms, the Obligatory is incapable of winning Macho Uno mare Uno Duo . The half-brother with group 1 wins Etoile Montante (Miswaki), Uno Duo comes from a family of ranked equity performers Country Grammer , Starformer , Flavius , and Bonny South . She has an unappreciated 2-year-old by Arrogate named Swift Thinker, an avid Arrogate pony raised by Into Mischief this year, and has been bred to Sightstown for the year 2022.
Videotapes: Chilukki S. (G3)
