Easy win for Obligatory

Three-year-old filly Obligatory returned to the winner's circle on Saturday after an emphatic two and a quarter length victory in the Gr.3 Chilukki Stakes at Churchill Downs.

Taken from the Thoroughbred Daily News, 21st November 2021:

Obligatory settled just behind the front rank and was soon eased back by Joel Rosario into an unhurried fifth through a snappy :22.77 quarter. Still several lengths behind the leading pack following an equally swift :45.98 half, Obligatory gained momentum exiting the far turn and closed to within striking distance, turning for home. Striding out with purpose down the stretch, she caught the late-leading pair of Miss Bigly and Matera in the final sixteenth and overtook those rivals with ease to score by a geared-down two and a quarter length margin. Matera nabbed second while Miss Bigly held third.

"She gave me a really good effort today closing into the pace," said Rosario. "It was fun to be on her. Around the turn she started showing her best turn of foot and I could see the pace was pretty fast in front of me."

It was the three-year-old filly's second stakes win of her career and first against elders.

"We were a little bit worried about the pace going into the race, but we know she could be pretty versatile where she was in the race," said Garrett O'Rourke, General Manager of Juddmonte. "The pace ended up helping us today and she got a really good run on the outside. Joel got her into a lovely rhythm and always felt like he was in a good position with her. She's going to stay in training next year and the goal would be to get a Grade 1 victory with her."