Tough beat for Ragtime in G1 Test Stakes

Ragtime met with a harsh defeat on her Graded Stakes debut as she was collared in the final strides to go down by a neck to Kilwin in the seven-furlong G1 Test Stakes at Saratoga, USA, on Saturday, 2 August.

The Bill Mott-trained filly was the most inexperienced of the eight runners and was stepping up markedly in class following impressive course and distance wins on her two previous appearances.

Having broken on terms from stall one, Ragtime found herself detached from the main group of runners and raced in a clear seventh as Me And Molly McGee won the early pace duel up front, with Kilwin also struggling with the early speed in a remote last after an early stumble.

Ragtime closed to join the rest of the field leaving the back before Junior Alvarado made a bold move around runners turning in. Switched widest of all at the top the straight, Ragtime quickened powerfully down the centre of the course to take up the running from Beauty Reigns approaching the final half-furlong.

Kilwin, who had tracked Ragtime entering the straight, closed strongly on the Godolphin runner and got up in the shadow of the post for a remarkable victory.

Junior Alvarado said: “Both Ragtime and Kilwin ran their heart out. Kilwin stumbled really bad, so I kind of counted her out once we left the gate. I thought she was done after that bad break, and I just rode my race on Ragtime. I could not believe she was running by me at the end - to be honest, my filly was giving me all she had. I had a great trip all the way around, saved ground, tipped her out when I could; it was the right time to do it, and we were just second best today.”