Idiomatic wasn’t much on drama Oct. 8 at Keeneland as the massive Curlin filly turned the Grade 1 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes into a one-horse showcase.

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After breaking well under Florent Geroux in a field of six that included last year’s champion 3-year-old filly Nest, Juddmonte homebred Idiomatic quickly seized the lead and maintained a clear advantage throughout on her way to a 4 1/4-length victory in the $580,250 Spinster, Keeneland’s showcase fall race for fillies and mares. The even-money second betting choice returned $4.12 to win.

Garrett O’Rourke, general manager of Juddmonte USA, didn’t find much time to be nervous during the 1 1/8-mile test that Idiomatic completed in 1:49.84 on a fast track. He was able to save his voice for another day.

“I never cheered for her once after I saw Nest breaking badly and trying to come up the inside,” O’Rourke said. “At that stage I was thinking we’ve beaten a lot of these other fillies before and then I looked up and saw [:48.31] ... and she was able to get a breather around the three-eighths and then she just opened up again.”

The victory gave trainer Brad Cox, a Louisville, Ky., native, his first victory in the Spinster.

“It’s very special, and I want to thank [owner Fahad bin Khalid] and his family and obviously the Juddmonte team here in America,” Cox said. “This is a big win for this filly; it’s her second Grade 1. She’s had a fantastic year. ... I’ve run four or five fillies in the past in [the Spinster] and haven’t had much luck, so she was able to break through for us today.”

Winning jockey Geroux guided Idiomatic through a smooth first turn as the 4-year-old raced well within herself through a quarter-mile in :24.49 and a half-mile in :48.31. She led by 1 1/2 lengths through a quarter-mile and that would be the closest any rival would be at any point of call.

“She broke well and put me in a good position,” Geroux said. “I just tried to not mess around and she had plenty left.”

Idiomatic winning Spinster. (Keeneland/Coady Photography)

Idiomatic was followed home by runner-up Le Da Vida, who earned a placing in a United States Grade 1 race for the first time; and third-place Bellamore, who earned a Grade 1-placing for a second time. Favored Nest broke last, couldn’t get going after trying a number of paths, and failed to bid late. After the race jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. summed up the fourth-place effort with two words, “no excuses.”

With the win, Idiomatic extends her victory streak to four races, all graded stakes, including back-to-back Grade 1 wins as she entered off a four-length victory in the 1 1/8-mile Personal Ensign Stakes Aug. 25 on a sloppy track at Saratoga Race Course.

With Sunday’s win, Idiomatic earns a fees-paid start in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff Nov. 4 at Santa Anita Park as the Spinster is a Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” race. Cox, who said Idiomatic might be the biggest horse he’s ever trained — he measured her at 17.2 hands — said he’ll go into the Distaff with a good amount of confidence.

“We’re obviously tremendously excited about how well she’s doing, Cox said. “Hopefully, she can do it for one more.”

Can Group Edges Noted in Thrilling Bourbon Stakes Finish

Leading up to the Oct. 8 $350,000 Castle & Key Bourbon Stakes, six of the 11 stakes races opening weekend for the Keeneland fall meet were decided in a photo finish. Staying true to the trend, Can Group polished off the three-day series of tight finishes with a dramatic nose victory over Noted.

Can Group edged Noted to win Bourbon Stakes. (Keeneland/Coady Photography)

A wide-open field of 12 juveniles lined up for the Bourbon, which has become a traditional prep race for the $1 million Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. The 1 1/16-mile Bourbon serves a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In event for the Nov. 3 Grade 1 at Santa Anita Park.

The Mark Casse-trained Can Group was one of the most overlooked in the field at odds of 27-1. Can Group, owned by D.J. Stable and Cash Is King Stable, had only just put things together in his last start, a 2 1/2-length maiden special weight win at Kentucky Downs, where he employed the same blistering late kick that resulted in his Bourbon glory Sunday.

Jockey Francisco Arrieta, who piloted Can Group to victory at Kentucky Downs a month earlier, wasn’t concerned when the colt found himself trailing the field early. Unhurried and saving ground along the rail, Can Group was more than a dozen lengths behind pacesetters Fortune Sellar and Double Your Money. Favored First World War looked like a winner at the top of the lane after making a wide move but it was the Todd Pletcher-trained Noted with all the momentum down the stretch to take a narrow lead with a sixteenth of a mile to go.

Can Group, blocked behind traffic at the quarter-pole, darted through a seam in the final eighth and rallied furiously to nip Noted.

“I felt like I crossed the wire in front,” Arrieta said after the Bourbon. “He was rolling. I won with him at Kentucky Downs [maiden special weight Sept. 2] and he came from off the pace very nice, slow, so today I planned the same. Relax, give him time and make one move, and he showed up.”—Molly Rollins and Lauren Gash