Resilient Authentic filly earns TDN Rising Star in Keeneland debut

La Rascasse won her debut Saturday at Keeneland with a very game effort, losing the lead with a furlong to go, but battling back to best Belle by a head and subsequently earning a TDN Rising Star tag.

The 3-year-old filly is Authentic’s second Rising Star this year, joining seven-length maiden winner Salloom. Authentic is currently fourth on the Third-Crop Sire list.

La Rascasse was away sharply from post 10 before settling in fourth down the backstretch. She moved closer around the turn and took the lead while in hand coming into the stretch. Belle closed from well off the pace and was a neck ahead with a sixteenth to run, but La Rascasse battled back along the inside and stopped the timer in 1:23.47 for the seven furlongs on a fast track.

The winner is owned by Resolute Racing, who purchased her for $775,000 at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling sale. The dark bay was bred in Kentucky by Bill Klislt and is the first foal out of Hallawallah, whose dam Maryfield won the inaugural Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint in 2007 and was named that year’s Eclipse Award winner in the division.

Authentic has had a very successful week at Keeneland. Also on Saturday, the 3-year-old colt The Hell We Did finished second in the Lexington S. (G3), while on Thursday the stakes-winning 4-year-old Reagan’s Wit tallied a sharp allowance score.