Roses for Debra used her formidable late kick to roll past the early leaders in the final furlong and win the $300,000 Giant’s Causeway S. (G3) Saturday at Keeneland.

Owned by Cheyenne Stable LLC and John O’Meara, Roses for Debra was making her first start since the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) in early November.

The now 5-year-old came back better than ever for her 2024 campaign. B G Warrior set the early pace in the 5 ½-furlong turf dash, with Roses for Debra biding her time in fifth. She inched a bit closer to the lead around the turn, then swung out to the three path for her stretch run. She kicked into high gear just outside the furlong marker and powered to the front in the final sixteenth, winning by 1 ¼-lengths in 1:02.79 on the “good” turf.

“She’s just a lovely mare,” said Christophe Lorieul, assistant to winning trainer Christophe Clement. “To do that (win today) off her layoff, it’s amazing, she ran great today. A touch rusty at the three-sixteenth pole and I got a bit worried, but then from the eighth pole on she overtook the leaders and won going away.”

Saturday’s win was the second in graded stakes for Roses for Debra, who won last year’s Caress S. (G3) at Saratoga during a four-race winning streak. Her overall record now stands at an excellent 8-1-1 in 12 starts, with earnings of $579,868.