Munnings’ Finite Wins Grade II Rachel Alexandra

Leading Kentucky Oaks hopeful Finite (3f Munnings x Remit, by Tapit) continued her charge toward the first Friday in May with a victory in the Grade II Rachel Alexandra on Saturday.

Looking for her fifth straight victory and stretching out to 1 1/16 miles on the dirt, Finite had regular rider Ricardo Santana, Jr. aboard for the sixth time in her seven race career. She raced a few paths wide a few lengths behind the leader, content to bide her time in the early running.

When the field had only three furlongs left to run, Finite made her move and drew even with the leader as they entered the stretch. She had a duel on her hands for half the stretch to get the lead but once she wrangled control, she was gone.

She crossed the line 4¾ lengths ahead of last year’s Champion 2-Year-Old Filly British Idiom. The victory secured Finite a spot at the top of the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard for owner-breeder Winchell Thoroughbreds, co-owners Thomas Reiman, William Dickson, and Deborah Easter, and trainer Steve Asmussen.

“This race has obviously been a producer of really nice fillies and I think we have something to work with now with her,” Asmussen said after the race. “She’s always been a really game filly and has always showed a lot of heart. We won the Rachel with Untapable a few years ago then won the Fair Grounds Oaks and were fortunate enough to win the Kentucky Oaks, so we’re hoping this filly can stay sound and keep running well and hopefully follow that same path.”

A half-sister to Listed winner and Grade II placed Reride, Finite was a $200,000 2-year-old purchase by Easter last May. The filly’s stakes winning dam Remit is a full sister to three stakes winners, including Grade II winner and Grade I Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile placed Tapiture.

It has been a top year for Munnings’ 3-year-olds with the value sire also having last week’s Grade II Las Virgenes Stakes winner Venetian Harbor in the top 10 on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard.