Usha showed great determination along the inside rail, holding off a strong late challenge from Look Forward to win Saturday’s $268,500 Open Mind (L) for fillies and mares by three-quarters of a length at Churchill Downs.
Under the guidance of jockey Flavien Prat and Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, Usha covered six furlongs on a fast track in a time of 1:10.55.
After a disappointing third-place finish in the Johnstone Stakes for New York-breds at Saratoga, Usha bounced back to claim her third stakes victory. She previously won the La Brea (G1) at Santa Anita last December and the Winning Colors (G3) at Churchill Downs on May 25, with a third-place finish in the Derby City Distaff (G1) on May 2 also at Louisville.
Starting from post 1, Usha took an early position close to the front and settled into third behind pace-setter Modo and stablemate Cash Call. Modo set solid early fractions of :22.53 and :45.62 for the quarter and half mile. Usha launched her decisive run three-sixteenths of a mile from the finish, seized the lead inside the final sixteenth, and held off Look Forward—last year’s Eight Belles (G2) winner—to secure the win.
Owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman, Usha earned $151,900 for first place, improving her career record to 5 wins, 2 seconds, and 4 thirds in 13 starts, with total earnings now at $718,270.
Usha paid $5.08 to win. Look Forward finished second by 1 ¾ lengths ahead of Cash Call in third.
Following Usha in fourth place was Benedetta, followed by Modo, Asternia, and Flat Out Time.
Usha is a 4-year-old filly by Tiz the Law out of Animal Appeal, a mare by Leroidesanimaux, bred in New York by Esler & Raine.
Saturday’s race honored the late Eugene Klein’s Hall of Fame filly Open Mind, trained by D. Wayne Lukas. Open Mind won the 1988 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Churchill Downs and returned the next spring to capture the Kentucky Oaks (G1). The New Jersey-bred filly, a daughter of Deputy Minister, was an Eclipse Award winner at both two and three years old. She won 12 races and earned $1,844,372 in 19 starts and was inducted into Racing’s Hall of Fame in 2011.
OPEN MIND QUOTES
Flavien Prat, jockey of Usha: “She broke well, and I wanted to move her to the outside, but she felt comfortable traveling where she was, so I decided not to change her path. She came through the rail and ran a solid race.”
Bob Baffert, trainer of Usha and Cash Call: “Usha didn’t show her best in New York last time out, but she bounced back strong in training here. I wasn’t thrilled with her starting inside because she prefers running a bit wider. We hoped for a one-two finish with Cash Call, but both horses ran well.”
This article originally appeared in the News section of Paulick Report on September 13, 2026. You can add Paulick Report as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Fan Take: This thrilling victory by Usha highlights the resilience and talent that keep fans invested in horse racing. With stellar training and expert riding, performances like these not only boost the excitement for upcoming stakes but also emphasize the sport’s depth and the promising future of top fillies and mares.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
