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The two wagering favorites dominated Friday's Grade 3, $110,000 Eight Belles for three-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs, with even-money choice Contested taking over from pacesetter Good Deed at the three-sixteenths pole and drawing away to win by 4 3/4 lengths. Trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert and campaigned by his wife, Jill, Contested returned $4.20, $3 and $2.80. In the virtual two-horse race, 3-1 second choice Good Deed broke on top and led by 1 1/2 lengths through an opening quarter in :22, with Contested tracking in second to her outside. The margin was reduced to one length after a half in :44 1/5, and when asked by jockey Martin Garcia for her bid approaching the stretch, Contested readily responded and had little trouble exerting her superiority in the final furlong. The final time for seven-eighths over a fast track was 1:21 1/5, which broke the stakes mark of 1:21 4/5 set by Roxelena in 2000 when the race was known as the La Troienne. Good Deed was a clear second, 6 1/4 lengths ahead 21-1 longshot Always Here Too, who had 2 1/2 lengths on 27-1 chance Livi Makenzie. Completing the order of finish were Xunlei, My Due Process, Small Kitchen and Volcat. The Eight Belles was the first stakes win, and third success in four starts, for Contested. The daughter of 2004 Horse of the Year Ghostzapper missed by a half-length in her debut last September at Del Mar, but came back to romp by 6 1/2 lengths against maiden foes at Santa Anita in early October. After a six-month absence, Contested returned in a 6 1/2-furlong allowance at Santa Anita on April 15 and won handily by 5 3/4 lengths. Her record now stands at 4-3-1-0, $144,754. Bred in Kentucky by Cherry Valley Farm, Contested was a $110,000 Keeneland September yearling. She was produced by the winning Arch mare Gold Vault, a half-sister to multiple Grade 1 winner and sire Pomeroy. Contested descends from French champion Imprudence II, who captured the English and French One Thousand Guineas, as well as the Epsom Oaks, in 1947.
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