SHELBYVILLE, Ind. (Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022) – Corningstone has been knocking on the door to her first career win and the two-year-old filly found the right spot Wednesday, Oct. 5. The freshman scored the win in the 25th running of the $100,000 Miss Indiana Stakes at Horseshoe Indianapolis. The race kicked off four stakes races on the program tagged as “All Stakes Day” that brought in the fourth largest handle in track history, and the largest non-Indiana Derby handle with a total of more than $4.33 million.
Corningstone came into the race with four career starts and was reunited with jockey Julien Leparoux, who had ridden her twice at Saratoga earlier this summer. The duo tried their luck in Indiana stakes action in early September, finishing second to Hot Little Thing in the Back Home Again Stakes. They were facing Hot Little Thing again for the Miss Indiana.
Starting from post six, Corningstone was pulled off the opponents heading to the lead from the gate and was left wide as Passionforjustice and Edgar Morales held down the top spot early before Hot Little Thing and Alex Achard moved into the lead. Corningstone quickly moved up into seventh down the backstretch, but she still had seven opponents in front of her to overcome for the second half of the one mile 70-yard event.
In the turn, Corningstone was very visible on the outside as she made a rushing move to the leaders and was in perfect position for the stretch drive. As Track Announcer John Dooley noted, she was “storming past the leaders” and took over before rolling home to a four and one-quarter length win. Bluelightspecial and Mann Esquivel held position inside for second over Hot Little Thing.
Corningstone paid $14.80 for her first trip to the winner’s circle. The daughter of Kantharos was a $75,000 yearling purchase from the Keeneland Yearling Sales last fall and has now moved over the $100,000 mark in earnings for her connections. Bred by Deann and Dr. Greg Baer of Columbus, Ind., Corningstone is owned by Brett Setzer’s Five Fillies Stable and Reed Ringler. Ken McPeek trains the filly.
“The filly ran pretty good races at Saratoga,” said Leparoux. “I was a little disappointed after her second start up there, but I’m glad she came back today to prove what she can do.”
Photos by Coady Photography
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