Stress Relief turned a tactical disadvantage into a defining victory Friday at Keeneland, surging through the final strides to edge Glory Run by a neck in the $300,000 Dean Dorton Myrtlewood Stakes. The 2-year-old Not This Time filly completed six furlongs in 1:11.33 on a fast track, giving trainer Kinnon LaRose his first stakes win at the Lexington oval. Keeneland reported that the victory also lifted Stress Relief's record to three wins from four starts and her earnings to $393,921.
Ridden by Luis Saez, Stress Relief settled into fifth after the opening strides as Glory Run took command and Angel of Kirk stumbled at the break. Glory Run posted an opening quarter-mile in 22.72 seconds and reached the half-mile in 46.39, but the early pressure left the door open. Saez kept Stress Relief in the clear several paths off the rail, launched her around the turn and watched her close relentlessly through the stretch. The winner returned $8.78 as the 3-1 third choice, while 21-1 Glory Run held second over Rescue Dawn.
The result represents a sharp rebound from Stress Relief's fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Spinaway at Saratoga on Sept. 5. Before that setback, she had won her June 20 debut at Churchill Downs and produced the breakthrough of LaRose's young career in the Grade 3 Adirondack at Saratoga on Aug. 2. The official Keeneland preview identified both her Adirondack victory and the Spinaway effort as the key form lines entering the Myrtlewood.
LaRose had warned before the race that the pace could become complicated, with speed drawn inside Stress Relief and Elewene positioned outside her. That made Saez's patience particularly important: rather than forcing Stress Relief into the early fight, he allowed her to find rhythm before asking for her run. The filly's ability to sustain that wide rally against a committed leader was more encouraging than the narrow margin suggests.
For LaRose, the win adds a Keeneland milestone to a rapid rise since leaving Tom Amoss and taking out his own license in March. Stress Relief is owned and bred in Kentucky by Joel Politi, whose racing operation previously reached the top level with 2019 Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress. The combination of a proven owner, a young trainer gaining confidence and a filly who has now won at Churchill, Saratoga and Keeneland gives Stress Relief an appealing résumé as the juvenile season moves toward its next major decisions.
There is no announced next race in Keeneland's result coverage, so the immediate question is whether Stress Relief remains sprint-focused or receives another chance around a route. Her Myrtlewood performance made a strong case for the former, but the way she finished after being reserved early leaves LaRose with options. For now, the more important conclusion is clear: the Spinaway was a poor snapshot, and Stress Relief restored her standing with the most significant victory yet for her trainer. The race chart and breeding details were confirmed by Thoroughbred Daily News.