Serena’s Song scored her first victory against colts Saturday, winning the $600,000 Jim Beam Stakes at Turfway Park by 3 1/2 lengths over Tejano Run.
The top-ranked filly, trained by D. Wayne Lukas and ridden by Corey Nakatani, ran 1 1/8 miles in 1 minute 49 3/5 seconds, 3 seconds off the track record set by Hansel in the 1991 Beam Stakes.
But Lukas said he’s sticking to his plan to take Serena’s Song to the Kentucky Oaks on May 5, rather than the May 6 Kentucky Derby. With Timber Country and Thunder Gulch also in his charge, Lukas is looking for an Oaks-Derby double.
“I think we’re going to have a great Derby anyway,” Lukas said. “I think I’ve got three of the top five-if you’re going to throw her in the Derby picture, which I’m not.”
Serena’s Song, the first filly to win the Beam in its 14 years, had four Grade I stakes victories going into the Beam. The $360,000 winner’s share put her career earnings over $1.2 million.
Meanwhile, Pyramid Peak, considered at best a long shot for the Kentucky Derby, improved his stock with a three-quarter-length victory over Royal Mitch in the $200,000 Flamingo Stakes at Hialeah.
Pyramid Peak, a Kentucky-bred son of Mt. Livermore, got his fourth victory in five starts by going 1 1/8 miles in 1:48 under jockey Herb McCauley.
Mystery Storm, ridden by Craig Perret, galloped past Hyroglyphic on the far turn and then held off Rich Man’s Gold by a nose to win the $125,000 Rebel at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark. The 3-year-old, the 4-5 favorite in the field of seven, finished 1 1/16 miles in 1:44 2/5.
