The most-hyped potential member of this year’s Longines Kentucky Oaks (USA-G1) field has probably been Zany, who came into the Central Bank Ashland Stakes (USA-G1) unbeaten following a Suncoast Stakes romp over next-out Fasig-Tipton Fair Grounds Oaks (USA-G2) winner Life of Joy. Following the Ashland, Zany is almost certainly still bound for the Kentucky Oaks, but it will not be as an unbeaten. Keeneland specialist Percy’s Bar, who has never finished anywhere but first at her favorite track, kept that record intact with a 2¼-length score over Zany. A sharp inside move on the turn for home gave Percy’s Bar the jump on her rival, and she had no difficulty in staying clear of Zany and her other four rivals to claim the victory.
Technically, Percy’s Bar (named in honor of the late Percy Poole, a popular Keeneland bartender) is not unbeaten at Keeneland, having been disqualified to second in last fall’s Darley Alcibiades Stakes (USA-G1) for bumping official winner Tommy Jo. But there is no question that she likes the track; her average margin in her three starts there has been three lengths. Friday’s win was her first official Grade 1 score and raised her overall record to three wins, two seconds, and one third from six lifetime starts.
Percy’s Bar is the second Grade 1 winner for multiple graded stakes winner Upstart, a son of the successful A.P. Indy horse Flatter. Coincidentally, Upstart’s other Grade 1 winner is Zandon, who got his top-level brackets in the masculine counterpart to the Ashland, the Blue Grass Stakes. Upstart got his chance at stud thanks to former Kentucky governor Brereton Jones, who brought the horse into the stallion lineup at his Airdrie Stud near Midway, Kentucky.
Jones, previously the breeder and owner of Kentucky Oaks winners Proud Spell (2008) and Believe You Can (2012) and the owner of 2015 Oaks heroine Lovely Maria, bred Percy’s Bar from unraced Honestly Deb, a daughter of 2010 Kentucky Derby (USA-G1) winner Super Saver who was acquired for just US$16,000 from the 2020 Keeneland November mixed sale. Produced from 2003 Alcibiades Stakes (USA-G2) third Deb’s Charm, a daughter of 1997 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes (USA-G1) winner Silver Charm, Honestly Deb is a half sister to stakes winners Simply Spiteful (by Speightstown) and Praetereo (by Giant’s Causeway) and is also a half sister to More Mojo (by More Than Ready), dam of stakes winner Tabeguache (by Into Mischief).
Deb’s Charm, in turn, is a half sister to multiple Grade 3 winner Tasha’s Miracle (by Harlan’s Holiday) and to stakes-placed Early Vintage (by Jump Start), dam of Canadian stakes winner Conquest Top Gun (by Pioneerof the Nile). Produced from the winner Ms. Cuvee Napa (by Relaunch out of Grade 2 winner A Penny Is a Penny, by Temperence Hill), Deb’s Charm is also a half sister to Harve de Grace (by Boston Harbor), dam of 2016 Mother Goose Stakes (USA-G1) winner Off the Tracks (by Curlin) and 2010 West Virginia Derby (USA-G2) winner Concord Point (by Tapit), and to Tasha’s Star (by Spanish Steps), dam of Japanese listed stakes winners Esmeraldina (by Harlan’s Holiday) and Consigliere (by Drefong).
Now owned by Hat Creek Racing after being picked up for a modest US$52,000 from the 2024 Keeneland September yearling sale, Percy’s Bar has earned just over a million dollars and appears poised to earn more for her owners and trainer Ben Colebrook. She already has a win over the Churchill Downs surface and is Grade 1-placed at both Saratoga and Del Mar, suggesting that she does not have to take her track with her. Considering that the Ashland was her first start in five months, she should have plenty in the tank to take with her to the Kentucky Oaks—and if she is successful there, no one will blame Keeneland staff for raising a toast to their “house horse” and to the memory of her namesake.
Technically, Percy’s Bar (named in honor of the late Percy Poole, a popular Keeneland bartender) is not unbeaten at Keeneland, having been disqualified to second in last fall’s Darley Alcibiades Stakes (USA-G1) for bumping official winner Tommy Jo. But there is no question that she likes the track; her average margin in her three starts there has been three lengths. Friday’s win was her first official Grade 1 score and raised her overall record to three wins, two seconds, and one third from six lifetime starts.
Percy’s Bar is the second Grade 1 winner for multiple graded stakes winner Upstart, a son of the successful A.P. Indy horse Flatter. Coincidentally, Upstart’s other Grade 1 winner is Zandon, who got his top-level brackets in the masculine counterpart to the Ashland, the Blue Grass Stakes. Upstart got his chance at stud thanks to former Kentucky governor Brereton Jones, who brought the horse into the stallion lineup at his Airdrie Stud near Midway, Kentucky.
Jones, previously the breeder and owner of Kentucky Oaks winners Proud Spell (2008) and Believe You Can (2012) and the owner of 2015 Oaks heroine Lovely Maria, bred Percy’s Bar from unraced Honestly Deb, a daughter of 2010 Kentucky Derby (USA-G1) winner Super Saver who was acquired for just US$16,000 from the 2020 Keeneland November mixed sale. Produced from 2003 Alcibiades Stakes (USA-G2) third Deb’s Charm, a daughter of 1997 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes (USA-G1) winner Silver Charm, Honestly Deb is a half sister to stakes winners Simply Spiteful (by Speightstown) and Praetereo (by Giant’s Causeway) and is also a half sister to More Mojo (by More Than Ready), dam of stakes winner Tabeguache (by Into Mischief).
Deb’s Charm, in turn, is a half sister to multiple Grade 3 winner Tasha’s Miracle (by Harlan’s Holiday) and to stakes-placed Early Vintage (by Jump Start), dam of Canadian stakes winner Conquest Top Gun (by Pioneerof the Nile). Produced from the winner Ms. Cuvee Napa (by Relaunch out of Grade 2 winner A Penny Is a Penny, by Temperence Hill), Deb’s Charm is also a half sister to Harve de Grace (by Boston Harbor), dam of 2016 Mother Goose Stakes (USA-G1) winner Off the Tracks (by Curlin) and 2010 West Virginia Derby (USA-G2) winner Concord Point (by Tapit), and to Tasha’s Star (by Spanish Steps), dam of Japanese listed stakes winners Esmeraldina (by Harlan’s Holiday) and Consigliere (by Drefong).
Now owned by Hat Creek Racing after being picked up for a modest US$52,000 from the 2024 Keeneland September yearling sale, Percy’s Bar has earned just over a million dollars and appears poised to earn more for her owners and trainer Ben Colebrook. She already has a win over the Churchill Downs surface and is Grade 1-placed at both Saratoga and Del Mar, suggesting that she does not have to take her track with her. Considering that the Ashland was her first start in five months, she should have plenty in the tank to take with her to the Kentucky Oaks—and if she is successful there, no one will blame Keeneland staff for raising a toast to their “house horse” and to the memory of her namesake.
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