{"id":168826,"date":"2025-06-08T23:41:33","date_gmt":"2025-06-08T23:41:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/168826\/"},"modified":"2025-06-08T23:41:33","modified_gmt":"2025-06-08T23:41:33","slug":"east-avenue-fends-off-3-rivals-in-matt-winn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/168826\/","title":{"rendered":"East Avenue fends off 3 rivals in Matt Winn"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Churchill<\/p>\n

\n Photo:<\/p>\n

Churchill Downs \/ Renee Torbit \/ Coady Media<\/p>\n

East Avenue<\/a><\/b>\u00a0led every step of the way against a small
\nfield Sunday, turning back late challenges from\u00a0Burnham Square\u00a0and\u00a0Coal
\nBattle to win by a half-length in the 28th running of the Grade 3, $387,000
\nMatt Winn Stakes<\/a><\/b> at Churchill Downs.<\/p>\n

Trained by Brendan Walsh and ridden by Luis S\u00e1ez, East
\nAvenue bounced back from his eighth-place finish in Kentucky Derby 2025
\nby\u00a0clocking 1 1\/16 miles over a fast track in 1:42.12. In a two-turn race for 3-year-olds, he scored for owner-breeder\u00a0Godolphin,
\nwho one day earlier won the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga with Kentucky Derby
\nwinner\u00a0Sovereignty.<\/p>\n

Click here for Churchill Downs entries and results<\/a>.<\/b><\/p>\n

It was East Avenue\u2019s second stakes win. During the fall he
\ncaptured the Breeders\u2019 Futurity (G1) at Keeneland.<\/p>\n

\n

East Avenue ($4.94) and jockey @luissaezpty<\/a> take them all the way around at 7-5 in the G3 Matt Winn Stakes @ChurchillDowns<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Trainer: @brenpwalsh<\/a> <\/p>\n

Owner & Breeder: @godolphin<\/a> <\/p>\n

?? TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com\/RB3JWIpNkR<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 TwinSpires Racing ?? (@TwinSpires) June 8, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Breaking fastest from the outside post, East Avenue led the
\nfield of four 3-year-olds through quarter-mile fractions of 24.41, 47.66 and
\n1:11.38. Rebel (G2) winner Coal Battle tracked from second with Blue Grass (G1)
\nhero Burnham Square in third and stretch-running Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3)
\nwinner\u00a0Final Gambit\u00a0last up the backstretch after breaking inward
\nfrom the gate.<\/p>\n

East Avenue was unpressured on the backstretch, maintaining
\na one- to 1 1\/2-length advantage through the top of the homestretch. Coal
\nBattle ranged close to East Avenue\u2019s right hip from the outside while Burnham
\nSquare darted to the rail. Both rivals chased down the lane but could not catch
\nthe East Avenue, who gamely turned back the competition.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur plan was to
\ngo to the lead,\u201d S\u00e1ez said. \u201cHe broke well and got in a good rhythm down the
\nbackside. Turning for home he had to fight back against (Burnham Square and
\nCoal Battle). I was impressed how he held them off.\u201d<\/p>\n

East Avenue\u00a0returned $4.94 and $3 as the 7-5 favorite.
\nBurnham Square, ridden at 5-2 by\u00a0Brian Hernandez Jr., paid $3.36 and
\nfinished three-quarters of a length in front of 6-1\u00a0Coal Battle\u00a0under\u00a0Corey
\nLanerie. There was no show wagering. Final Gambit, fourth in the Kentucky Derby
\nand the 7-5 second betting choice, was another 3 1\/2 lengths back in
\nfourth.\u00a0Chunk of Gold,\u00a0Gaming\u00a0and\u00a0Just a Fair Shake\u00a0were
\nscratched.<\/p>\n

The victory was worth $247,000 and improved\u00a0East Avenue\u2019s
\nrecord to 7: 3-1-0 with earnings of $901,395.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the
\ndistance today was right in his wheelhouse,\u201d Walsh said. \u201cHe\u2019s a gutsy horse
\nwhen he makes the lead like he did today. I was very impressed how he battled
\nback against Burnham Square, who came up to his inside, and Coal Battle on his
\noutside.\u201d<\/p>\n

This was the second Matt Winn triumph for Godolphin and
\nWalsh, who teamed to win the 2020 renewal with\u00a0Maxfield.<\/p>\n

East Avenue\u00a0is a son of Medaglia d\u2019Oro out of Ghostzapper
\nmare Dance Music and was bred in Kentucky.<\/p>\n

The Matt Winn is named in honor of the early 20th-century
\nChurchill Downs president who served as the driving force in the development of
\nthe racetrack and his beloved Kentucky Derby.<\/p>\n