Brereton C. Jones’ 4-year-old filly Creative Thinking made her first stakes start a winning one at Churchill Downs on Saturday, taking the $70,000 Keertana S. by five lengths (VIDEO).
The Creative Cause filly stopped the teletimer in 2:31.13 for the 1 1/2-miles over “firm” going under Adam Beschizza, who rode the winner for trainer Tom Proctor. She is the fourth stakes winner and seventh stakes horse this year for her sire, who is leads the 2018 Third-Crop Sire list by earnings, black type winners and black type wins.
Allowed to settle off the pace out of the gate, Creative Thinking was three or four wide through the first six furlongs. Beschizza moved the gray filly to the inside on the backstretch to move within a length of the lead. Tucked behind Daring Duchess and La Manta Gris on the final bend, Creative Thinking went three-wide again coming into the stretch. She rolled by the top pair and surged clear to win with authority.
“When you see a horse as well put together as her and a trainer who is as successful as Tom, it was a good feeling going into the race. I’m glad everything worked out,” said Jones. “She fits this distance very well and continues to improve.”
Creative Thinking, who had won a 1 1/2-mile allowance at Keeneland a month ago, is now 3-1-0 in seven starts and has earned $119,620.
