The fall meet at Churchill Downs brings the curtain down on a superb year’s racing in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and the long Thanksgiving Weekend begins with a bang thanks to the Grade III Falls City Stakes for fillies and mares. With a total prize purse of $400,000, some smart females tackle the 1,800m feature contest on Thursday, November 27.
Chief among those is Chad Brown’s two-time Grade I winner Raging Sea. She gives weight all-round to a field of nine rivals following La Troienne Stakes success during the Kentucky Derby week schedule on the Oaks card. This five-year-old daughter of Curlin found life trickier over the summer than last season. Although Raging Sea couldn’t defend her Shuvee Stakes or Personal Ensign crowns at Saratoga, giving weight to old and younger rivals proved tricky.
Now contesting the Falls City Stakes of 2025, she has less on her plate. Raging Sea doesn’t have to worry about a top three-year-old or 2024 Breeders’ Cup Distaff conqueror Thorpedo Anna here. That one has retired to the paddocks for her new career as a very valuable broodmare. Race terms demand Raging Sea concedes 2lb, 4lb or 5lb to the opposition here, depending on their age or past performances.
A sustained run saw her land the big race for older females over 1,700m on Oaks day, so 100m more on her return to the Bluegrass State should be just fine. If replicating that La Troienne victory, then Raging Sea looks a bit of value on the Morning Line and through the best Kentucky Derby racebooks for this end-of-season assignment. Win under a penalty here, and that’ll be a first for the Brown barn.
Locust Grove 1-2-3 Return for Falls City Stakes
There is other course form on offer for bettors to consider, however. September’s Grade II Locust Grove Stakes sees the first three to cross the wire back at Churchill Downs for one more run. Earlier in the fall, Rodolphe Brisset’s Royal Spa prevailed. Also a five-year-old, this Violence mare had her moment to shine after placing behind Thorpedo Anna in the Fleur De Lis Stakes over the summer.
Royal Spa meets Alpine Princess from the Brad Cox barn, Whit Beckman’s Regaled and Kenny McPeek inmate Corningstone (fifth) off the same terms here. On that basis, there’s a chance she confirms the Locust Grove form in the Falls City Stakes. Despite that, however, the extra 100m gives both Alpine Princess and Regaled hopes of turning about the result.
Like Royal Spa, Cox has given the former a break from the track since September. The barn won this in 2019 with Mylady Curling. While Classic Empire filly Alpine Princess has been in her stable, Regaled has done plenty to advertise the form. She landed the Delaware Handicap in the mud, then showed in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Del Mar.
Although no match for runaway winner Scylla, Regaled snatched third approaching the wire and almost got past Nitrogen for second. A repeat of that effort in the Falls City Stakes gives her a shot at turning things round. She’s favorite on the Morning Line as a result. It might just be that the four-year-old daughter of Mohaymen wants a mile-and-a-quarter, though.
As for Kantharos mare Corningstone, McPeek probably runs her more on the barn’s race record than with any realistic hope of upsetting the Locust Grove 1-2-3. It’s because they pulled well clear of her in September. Corningstone has won a couple of handicaps in Indiana since, but this demands more.
Quietside Quest to Recapture Earlier Form Continues
Three-year-olds won the Falls City Stakes on a regular basis in the early 2000s, but just three from that age bracket have been successful after 2010. Quietside went off second-favorite for the Kentucky Oaks in the spring, but then missed the summer due to injury. John Ortiz’s daughter of Malibu Moon shaped nicely at this meet 12 months ago when placed behind Good Cheer in the Golden Rod.
Wintering at Oaklawn Park proved fruitful for Quietside as she landed both the Honeybee Stakes and Fantasy Stakes. Those victories punched her ticket to the Oaks, yet she disappointed in finishing sixth. Following a 169-day absence, Quietside returned to action in the Raven Run around Keeneland, but the 1,400m distance and a lack of race fitness told.
As Grade IIIs go, the Falls City Stakes is a deep one for her first start against her elders. Quietside should strip fitter for her reappearance, though, and receives at least 1lb in weight from the field. This contest isn’t short on longshots with Standoutsensation from the Thomas Amoss barn on the upgrade after completing a hat-trick with Listed success around Aqueduct.
She’s an in-form filly, but now races against much better quality females. That leaves three outsiders pitching themselves into company where they need career bests. Chilled has the inside draw against the fence for Victoria Oliver, yet this Frosted filly wasn’t a factor in the Grade I Spinster Stakes where Nitrogen and Scylla got beat by Gin Gin at Keeneland last month.
George Arnold saddles Neon Icon, fourth in this race 12 months ago and behind Chilled in their prep race. This no easier than last year. Completing the line-up is In Just My Heels, well-beaten by some of these in the Grade III Shawnee Stakes here in May.
Falls City Stakes 2025 Post Positions Draw & Morning Line Odds
- Chilled (121lbs) – 20-1
- Raging Sea (125lbs) – 7-2
- In Just My Heels (121lbs) – 20-1
- Alpine Princess (121lbs) – 4-1
- Quietside (120lbs) – 15-1
- Neon Icon (121lbs) – 20-1
- Royal Spa (123lbs) – 3-1
- Standoutsensation (121lbs) – 8-1
- Corningstone (121lbs) – 20-1
- Regaled (121lbs) – 5-2 fav
Our Handicapper’s Verdict
Morning Line forecasters think Regaled can turn things about with Royal Spa and Alpine Princess, but the extra 100m didn’t bring any improvement in terms of finishing position at the Breeders’ Cup. She drops in grade from the World Championships at Del Mar, though. One or other of the Locust Grove 1-2-3 will surely have some say in the finish.
Raging Sea could well end up giving weight and a beating to all of them, however. A Grade I winner on her only previous Churchill Downs start is more than the rest of the field have managed put together. Neither the in-form Standoutsensation nor sole three-year-old Quietside look worth chancing here, alongside even bigger longshots.
WATCH: Raging Sea Win La Troienne Stakes on Kentucky Oaks Card
