(Explora wins the Leslie’s Lady Stakes at Churchill Downs on Sunday / All Photos by Coady Media)

From the Churchill Downs Media Team / Darren Rogers:

EXPLORA TURNS BACK ON TIME GIRL TO WIN $225,000 LESLIE’S LADY

Multiple graded stakes winner Explora broke fast from the gate and determinedly turned back a late run by Eight Belles (Grade II) winner On Time Girl to win Sunday’s fifth running of the $225,000 Leslie’s Lady Stakes (Listed) for 3-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs by 1 ¼ lengths.

Ridden by Florent Geroux and conditioned by Bob Baffert, Explora rebounded from a fourth-place finish in the $1.5 million Longines Kentucky Oaks to run seven furlongs over a fast track in a stakes record 1:21.16 and collect her fourth career stakes win for owners Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman. Explora bestedKilwin’s 2025 Leslie’s Lady mark of 1:21.61.

Breaking from post No. 3, Explora broke fastest from the gate in the field of six and dictated the terms through a first quarter mile in :22.72 and a half mile in :45.07 as Brooklyn Blonde pressed from the outside in second and On Time Girl, the 4-5 betting favorite, raced relaxed in the clear in third. Leaving the turn, On Time Girl made a three-wide move to challenge Explora through the upper stretch, but Explora dug down deep and put her rival away inside the final furlong for the hard-fought victory.

“Bob and his team did a great job to get this filly ready today and I just had to be a good passenger,” Geroux said. “Bob thought the cut back in distance would be a good fit for her today and she proved that it was. She broke super alertly for me and I was in a comfortable pace. When she felt (On Time Girl) on her outside she was very game and wouldn’t let her pass by.”

Explora, at odds of even-money, rewarded her backers with payouts of $4.06, $2.36 and $2.10. On Time Girl, ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., returned $2.14 and $2.10. Shilling, with Manny Esquivel up at 48-1, was another five lengths back in third and paid $4.86 to show.

Brooklyn Blonde, A Fine Chardonnay and Have Faith completed the order of finish. Sneaky Good was scratched.

With her victory worth $137,415, Explora boosted her career earnings to $1,259,415 from a record of 5-3-0 in nine starts.

At 2, Explora won the Oak Leaf (GII) and was second in the Del Mar Debutante (GI) and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI). This year’s 3-year-old campaign also includes wins in the Santa Ynez (Listed) and Honeybee (GIII) with a runner-up effort in the Las Virgenes (Listed).

“We were really confident she’d run well in the Oaks but she got pressured the entire way,” Baffert said. “They went fast early and she never really got a chance to get a breather.

“I was debating about taking her to (Saratoga) for (last Friday’s) Acorn but we decided to keep her one turn for now. We’ll probably take her to the (Aug. 8) Test Stakes (GI) at Saratoga after this.”

Explora is a daughter of Blame out of the Bernardini mare Collections Choice and was bred in Kentucky by Mesingw Farm LLC.

The Leslie’s Lady honors Fred and Nancy Mitchell’s breed-shaping broodmare who produced 15 foals, of which nine became racehorses and seven were winners, including top sire Into Mischief, four-time champion Beholder and Grade I winner and sire Mendelssohn. The 2016 Broodmare of the Year passed away peacefully at age 26 on Jan. 24, 2025.

LESLIE’S LADY QUOTES

Florent Geroux, jockey, Explora, winner: “Bob (Baffert) and his team did a great job to get this filly ready today and I just had to be a good passenger. Bob thought the cut back in distance would be a good fit for her today and she proved that it was. She broke super alertly for me and I was in a comfortable pace. When she felt (On Time Girl) on her outside she was very game and wouldn’t let her pass by.”

Bob Baffert, trainer, Explora, winner: “We were really confident she’d run well in the Oaks but she got pressured the entire way. They went fast early and she never really got a chance to get a breather. I was debating about taking her to the Acorn (GI) but we decided to keep her one turn for now. We’ll probably take her to the (Aug. 8) Test Stakes (GI) at Saratoga after this.”

Brad Cox, trainer, On Time Girl, runner-up: “They went fast early and she made a really good run at them. We just ended up being second best this afternoon.”