Stars could align for Celestial Insight in $150,000 All Along

Sep 21, 2018 Vance Hanson/Brisnet.com

The name Celestial Insight should be a familiar one to close followers of the Churchill Downs racing scene. The five-year-old mare has raced five times at the track over the past two years, peaking last November by winning a third-level allowance. In her season debut on June 9, the five-year-old daughter of Scat Daddy missed by only a neck in the Mint Julep H. (G3) in her first race back from a seven-month layoff.

On Saturday, CELESTIAL INSIGHT (#11) (8-1) will take her place in the starting gate alongside two fellow Graham Motion trainees, and others, in the $150,000 All Along, the 6TH race on a stakes-laden program at Laurel Park.

Named for the 1983 Horse of the Year that won the Washington D.C. International (G1) at Laurel, the All Along has come up a competitive race and one that Celestial Insight is capable of winning with one of her better efforts. The Mint Julep was indeed one of those as she missed narrowly to multiple graded stakes winner Lovely Bernadette.

Unfortunately, Celestial Insight has not run up to that level in two subsequent outings, finishing seventh in the July 7 Modesty Handicap (G3) at Arlington Park and fifth in the Violet Stakes (G3) at Monmouth Park on Labor Day weekend.

'She acts like a really good horse and she ran really well first time out at Churchill,' Motion said. 'I think I made a mistake of running her back too quickly in Chicago and last time I was just disappointed. It's a bit of a head-scratcher, but she came out of it well and that's why we find ourselves in this position.'

For those willing to cut Celestial Insight some slack for those two performances, that recent downturn in form should help boost her odds in the All Along. New jockey Feargal Lynch and Motion have teamed up to win at a 20 percent rate together at Laurel the past two seasons.

The All Along, run over 1 1/16 miles on the turf, has an approximate post time of 3 p.m. (EDT) on Saturday. It can be watched and wagered on at TwinSpires.com.