Chop Chop rallies to take Wintergreen
Edited Turfway Park stakes recap (Coady Media photo of Chop Chop winning the Wintergreen under Luan Machado)
FLORENCE, Ky. (Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024) – Selective LLC’s accomplished 4-year-old filly Chop Chop made a bold, late rally under leading rider Luan Machado and drew away late to win Saturday night’s 38th running of the $125,000 Wintergreen Stakes at Turfway Park Racing & Gaming by 2 ¾ lengths.
Trained by Brad Cox and based at his Turfway Park division, Chop Chop won her first stakes since taking Kentucky Downs’ 2022 Aristocrat Juvenile Fillies in her second start after taking her debut on the grass at Ellis Park. She has raced at all five tracks, finishing at least third at each and at least second on dirt, grass and synthetic. That includes finishing second by a nose on dirt in Keeneland’s Grade 1 Alcibiades in her third start.
With her victory in the Wintergreen, Chop Chop earned $75,410 to improve her overall purse earnings to $647,779. The race was her fourth victory from 13-lifetime starts.
Chop Chop broke last in the field of seven fillies and mares but rated comfortably under Machado while the front-running Icicles led the field into the first turn. Up the backside, Chop Chop continued to bide her time in sixth while Icicles continued command of the field through a half-mile in :48.87. Around the far turn, Machado began to ask Chop Chop for her best run and she responded while rallying three-wide to the outside her stablemate Flashy Gem who, at the same time, began to engage Icicles. Inside the eighth-pole, Icicles began to give way to the inside of Flashy Gem who tried to battle with Chop Chop. However, nearing the wire, Flashy Gem could only manage second best to her stablemate who drew clear late and completed the one-mile Wintergreen in 1:37.90.
Chop Chop was made the 8-5 second choice in the Wintergreen Stakes and returned $5.56, $2.52 and $2.10. Flashy Gem, under jockey Axel Concepcion, paid $2.42 and $2.10 as the even-money favorite. Icicles, ridden by Adam Beschizza, finished two-lengths back of Flashy Gem and returned $2.18.
It was another 2 ½ lengths to fourth-place Napa Candy who was followed in order by Bali Belle, Thisnameisokay and Yes Day.
Chop Chop is a daughter of City of Light out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Grand Sophia. She was bred in Kentucky by Cobra Farm and MRJ Thoroughbreds.
Machado has now won back-to-back runnings of the Wintergreen Stakes. He won last year’s race aboard the Kenny McPeek-trained Grand Ave Girl.
Racing will continue Wednesday-Saturday at Turfway Park with daily first posts of 5:55 p.m. The Road to the Kentucky Derby and Longines Kentucky Oaks will make a stop at Turfway Park next week in Saturday’s $150,000 John Battaglia Memorial (Listed) and Friday’s $150,000 Cincinnati Trophy.
For more information and to make dining reservations, visit www.turfway.com.
