Purrfectly Claire Newest Impressive Winner for Munnings

Making her second career start, Purrfectly Claire (3f Munnings x Magical Belle, by Unbridled’s Song) easily broke her maiden at Churchill Downs on Saturday.

Racing over six furlongs on the dirt, Purrfectly Claire broke strongly to be among the leaders right out of the gate. The filly entered a three-horse speed duel that quickly ran away from the field down the backstretch with none of the fillies willing to give in until they entered mid-turn. At that point, Brian Hernandez, Jr. ask his filly for a bit more and Purrfectly Claire was happy to oblige.

As they turned into the stretch the filly found another gear and raced into the lead where she pulled away from her dueling partners. By midstretch she was clearly much the best with her jockey giving her just a few reminders as a few of the closers rallied from the back to close her margin to 2 1/4 lengths.

It was the second start for the Philip Bauer-trained filly, who had finished second on debut over the track in September. Purchased for $250,000 by racing owner Rigney Racing from Eaton Sales at Keeneland September in 2018, the filly was bred by Vegso Racing Stable.

Purrfectly Claire is the first foal to race out of Magical Belle, a half-sister to Grade I Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic winner Unrivaled Belle – the dam of dual champion Unique Bella - with the pair out of Grade II winner Queenie Belle.

It has been another banner year for Munnings in 2020 with eight stakes winners and 11 stakes horses, led by the Grade II-winning trio Finite, Venetian Harbor, and Bonny South.