Simply in Front pulled off the upset in the First Lady, on a tough day for Nanda Dea

The Argentine runner, returning to action after nine months, failed to fire in her comeback and finished last, hampered by a health issue. The winner was Simply in Front, who notched her first G1 and could be headed to the Breeders’ Cup

Simply In Front captured the First Lady and could now be pointed toward the Breeders’ Cup / KEENELAND

LEXINGTON, Kentucky (Special for Turf Diario).- Keeneland delivered another day of high drama during its traditional Fall Stars Weekend, and one of the highlights came in the First Lady Stakes (G1), an $800,000 turf mile. The surprise of the day was Simply in Front, who rallied through traffic to secure her first Grade 1 victory under Irish rider Ben Curtis for trainer Eddie Kenneally.

The Summer Front–Complicated (Blame) filly settled well off the pace but found the right seam inside in the stretch to surge past Choisya (Night of Thunder) and Segesta (Ghostzapper), crossing the wire a half-neck clear in 1:34.76. The win also marked Curtis’ first Grade 1 triumph, and he did not hide his excitement:

“I can’t put it into words. It’s incredible, and to do it for Eddie, who I worked with years ago, makes it even more special. Everything went perfectly. She settles beautifully around two turns and has a deadly kick. I just let her do her thing.”

For Kenneally, the filly “is in the best form of her life,” and her immediate future could point toward Del Mar during Breeders’ Cup weekend, with multiple mile options available. Bred in Kentucky and owned by Colebrook Farms, Simply in Front now has earnings of $2,868,611 from six wins in sixteen starts.

The story was very different for Argentine star Nanda Dea (Fortify), returning to the races after nine months off following surgery for an early-year injury. The Argentine champion, winner of the Gran Premio San Isidro (G1) and Gran Premio Copa de Plata (G1) in 2023, had an unhappy comeback: she finished eleventh and last, 14 lengths behind the winner, suffering from a health issue that compromised her stretch run.

The filly emerged from the race in good condition, but it is unclear whether she will race again. Owner Alessandro Missirochi will decide whether she continues training or if the First Lady was her swan song.

Her career—brilliant in Argentina and bold on the international stage—underscores a filly of exceptional talent and temperament, proudly carrying the albiceleste flag on U.S. tracks. The final decision on her racing future remains to be seen.