Churchill Downs Stakes Recap and Quotes: Grade III, $300,000 Chilukki

Nov 19, 2022

Lothenbach Stables Inc.’s 5-year-old homebred mare She Can’t Sing contested the early pace with Empire House and Liberty M D, assumed command midway around the turn and spurted clear down the stretch to easily win Saturday’s 37^th running of the $300,000 Chilukki (Grade III) at Churchill Downs by 3 ¾ lengths at odds of 7-2.

After the first quarter mile in :22.82 and a half-mile in :45.50, She Can’t Sing clocked one mile over a fast track in 1:35.38 to beat five other fillies and mares for Chicago-based trainer Chris Block and jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. It was the filly’s fourth stakes win of her career, but first against graded stakes company.

“We figured a couple others to our inside would go to the front but we kind of inherited the lead up the backside,” Hernandez Jr. said. “She was traveling really comfortable all the way around there and finished really well down the lane.”

She Can’t Sing banked the $183,450 first prize in the Chilukki and rewarded her backers with $9.04, $5.42 and $4.18.

Ice Orchid, ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, finished second at odds of 8-1 and paid $7.28 and $4.02. Liberty M D was another 2 ¼ lengths back in third at 5-1 under Julien Leparoux and returned $4.02.

Coach, the 7-5 favorite, was fourth and was followed by Empire House and Mariah’s Princess. Center Aisle was scratched.

Overall, She Can’t Sing has won eight of 33 starts and $816,588. Prior to the Chilukki, she raced on turf in her eight previous starts this year, including a third-place effort last out in the $736,030 Mint Ladies Sprint (GIII) at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 10. A year ago, She Can’t Sing finished sixth of seven in the Chilukki won by Obligatory – her last start on dirt.

“This mare has been really consistent on both dirt and turf so I’ve been able to try a couple of different things with her,” Block said. “She loves this dirt track. Last year she won an allowance at seven-eighths but ended up having a really tough trip in the Chilukki. So, I decided to make it a goal to get her back for this race. I think we’ll see her back next year. She’ll head to Fair Grounds after this and get a little bit of a freshening before we start looking at a spring campaign.”

She Can’t Sing is a bay daughter of Bernardini out of the Distorted Humor mare Distorted Magic and was bred in Kentucky by her owner, Bob Lothenbach.

Known as the Churchill Downs Distaff from 1996-2004, the Chilukki was renamed in 2005 to honor Stonerside Stable’s graded stakes-winning filly. The daughter of Cherokee Run made four starts at Churchill Downs, all of which were victories. Chilukki won the 2000 edition of this race in what would be her final start with a final time of 1:33.57 – a track record at the time.

Racing at Churchill Downs resumes Sunday with a nine-race program that begins at 1 p.m. ET.

CHILUKKI QUOTES

Brian Hernandez Jr. (jockey, She Can’t Sing, winner)– “We figured a couple others to our inside would go to the front but we kind of inherited the lead up the backside. She was traveling really comfortable all the way around there and finished really well down the lane.”

Chris Block (trainer, She Can’t Sing, winner)– “This mare has been really consistent on both dirt and turf so I’ve been able to try a couple of different things with her. She loves this dirt track. Last year she won an allowance at seven-eighths but ended up having a really tough trip in the Chilukki. So, I decided to make it a goal to get her back for this race. I think we’ll see her back next year. She’ll head to Fair Grounds after this and get a little bit of a freshening before we start looking at a spring campaign.”