Magdalena Racing (Sherri McPeek), Colette Marie Vanmatre and James Ball’s Defining Purpose (Cross Traffic – Defining Hope by Strong Hope)  surged to the front at the top of the stretch and then held off late bids from favored Punchbowl and Julia Shining to score a half-length victory in the 86th running of the $600,000 Central Bank Ashland (G1) for 3-year-old fillies to highlight opening day of the 15-day Keeneland Spring Meet.

The American 2-year-old filly champion of 2022, Wonder Wheel, trained by Mark Casse, had a good position throughout the 1 1/16 mile race, angled five wide off the turn but faded to finish sixth.

Trained by Kenny McPeek and ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., Defining Purpose covered the 1 1/16 miles on the fast main track in 1:43.31. That earned the grey filly a career best 83 Beyer Speed Figure according to Daily Racing Form. The victory is the third in the race for McPeek, who also won in 2002 with Take Charge Lady and in 2014 with Rosalind.

The victory in the Central Bank Ashland, the year’s first Grade 1 race for sophomore fillies, was worth 100 points toward the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) to be run May 5 at Churchill Downs. Defining Purpose has 107 points and is third on the Oaks leaderboard with three points races remaining until the Run for the Lilies. The Oaks is limited to the top 14 point earners that pass the entry box. (updated leaderboard below)

The cutoff line for the Oaks after Friday is 46 points, and that spot is held by Julia Shining, who picked up 30 points for finishing third. Punchbowl picked her initial 40 points and ranks 16th while Guns n’ Graces picked up 20 points to boost her total to 40 points and is 18th on the leaderboard. Champion Wonder Wheel has 48 points and ranks 12th.

In the Central Bank Ashland, Effortlesslyelgant led the field of seven through unopposed fractions of :23.62, :47.25 and 1:11.64 with Defining Purpose tracking second to her outside. Meanwhile, Punchbowl, with Flavien Prat aboard, raced along the rail with Julia Shining and Luis Saez to her outside racing a joint third a couple of lengths back.

At the top of the stretch, Defining Purpose kicked clear and had enough left to hold off Punchbowl to her immediate outside and Julia Shining three wide.

The victory was worth $362,700 and improved her earnings to $543,688 with a record of 7-3-0-1.

Defining Purpose returned $42.68, $11.66 and $5.74. Punchbowl returned $3.46 and $2.78 and finished a neck in front of Julia Shining who paid $3.74 to show.

It was another 3¼ lengths back to Guns n’ Graces with Effortlesslyelgant, Wonder Wheel and Pride of the Nile following in order.

Co-owner Colette Marie Vanmatre bred Defining Purpose in Kentucky. The filly is from Vanmatre’s Indiana-bred stakes winning mare Defining Hope who earned $306,238 with five wins in 12 starts including the City of Anderson Stakes. Vanmatre also bred Defining Hope and owned the Ashland winner’s third dam, On Point, by Point Given.

Defining Purpose was bought back as a short yearling in 2021 for $14,000.

Kentucky Oaks Points

14 fillies can start

Rank Horse Points Owner(s) Trainer Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings

1. Wet Paint – 170 Godolphin LLC (Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum et al) Brad Cox $652,600
2. Affirmative Lady – 110 AMO Racing USA (Kiavash Joorabchian) Graham Motion $212,350
3. Defining Purpose – 107 Magdalena Racing (Sherri McPeek et al), Colette Marie Vanmatre & James Ball Kenny McPeek $488,593
4. Pretty Mischievous – 103 Godolphin LLC (Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum et al) Brendan Walsh $359,350
5. Southlawn – 100 Robert E. Masterson Norm Casse $242,464
6. Botanical – 70 LNJ Foxwoods (Jaime Roth) & Clearsky Farms (Bernard Cleary) Brad Cox $268,560
7. The Alys Look – 54 Ike & Dawn Thrash Brad Cox $151,000
8. Flying Connection – 50 Brad King, Randy Andrews, G. Chris Coleman, Jim Cone, Suzanne Kirby & Lee Lewis Todd Fincher $275,900
9. Dorth Vader – 70 John Ropes Michael Yates $214,405
10. Mimi Kakushi – 50 Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum Salem bin Ghadayer $180,186
11. Shidabhuti – 50 Peter M. Brant Chad Brown $110,000
12. Wonder Wheel – 48 D. J. Stable LLC (Leonard C. Green) Mark Casse $1,508,765
13. Taxed – 48 Richard Bahde Randy Morse $159,438
14. Julia Shining – 46 Stonestreet Stables LLC (Barbara Banke) Todd Pletcher $206,000
15. Hoosier Philly – 45 Gold Standard Racing Stable LLC (Bill Stone & Rod Ratcliff) Tom Amoss $409,610
16. Punchbowl – 40 Gary & Mary West Brad Cox $117,000
17. Condensation – 40 Pravin A. Patel Chris Hartman $100,100
18. Guns n’ Graces – 40 CHP Racing (Christine Hatfield) Chad Brown $68,050
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-with files from J.M.

Tags: Ash;and Stakes, Defining Purpose, Keeneland, Ken McPeek, Wonder Wheel,

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