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Eibar Coa and Dream Rush after the Darley Test Stakes |
The $250,000 Darley Test Stakes (G1) was the feature event at Saratoga on Saturday afternoon. 28,141 fans were on hand for this 7 furlong sprint on the main track for 3-year-old fillies. A field of twelve went to post in the Test, with Prioress Stakes winner Dream Rush sent off as the 5-4 favorite over 4-1 Cotton Blossom, third in the Delaware Oaks last out after winning the Acorn. 9-1 Silver Knockers rounded out the top three on the board, third in the Prioress but without a victory since an allowance score in February.
Dream Rush starts to draw away in the stretch |
Shortly after exiting the chute, jockey Eibar Coa sent favorite Dream Rush to the front and she was allowed an uncontested lead down the backstretch through fractions of 22.26 and 44.59 while as many as 3 lengths clear of the field. 11-1 Sheets settled in second, while Cotton Blossom stayed out wide in seventh early. Turning for home, Coa asked Dream Rush for more and she quickly opened up a 5 1/2 length lead with a furlong to go. 30-1 longshot Boca Grande put in a strong rally after trailing the field most of the way, but was left with too much ground to make up as Dream Rush easily cruised under the wire 2 lengths clear in a time of 1:22.42 over the fast main track. It was just a neck back from Boca Grande to 10-1 Baroness Thatcher in third, while Cotton Blossom took the turn wide and failed to show any rally late, finishing tenth.
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 7 Dream Rush Coa 4.50 3.20 2.50 10 Boca Grande Leparoux 18.80 10.80 1 Baroness Gomez 4.90 Winning Time: 1:22.42 $2 Exacta 7-10 124.00 $2 Trifecta 7-10-1 757.00 |
Dream Rush in the winner's circle with her large ownership group. Her trainer Richard Violette Jr. said, "22 and 1, 22 and 2. I said, `Wow, how
sweet is that!' The first 1/4 might have been the whole key. She
broke sharp and just dragged (jockey Eibar Coa) there. She wasn't
pressured the whole 1/4. She accelerates on her own around the turn.
She did it in the Prioress and she did it in the Nassau County. It's a
pretty good asset. She gets other horses off the bridle, and the sooner
you get them off the bridle, you take them out of their game. She's just
a very, very special horse."
Dream Rush in the post parade. Her jockey Eibar Coa said, "It worked out perfectly. It
wasn't my plan to take the lead that easily. I wanted to break and save.
When we broke in front and nobody went, we took the lead easily. She
gave me a good run around the turn and then opened up a little bit. I
think that's what she wants, just to be happy around that area. She
gave me a little bit extra in the end, and that was enough. I don't think (trainer Rick Violette) is lying. She is
fast. She can go 22 or faster, if I wanted to."
Dream Rush gets hosed off after the race. Her trainer Richard Violette said that the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint is the goal, but did not commit to a final prep.
Second place finisher Boca Grande returns after the race. Her jockey Julien Leparoux said, "I just sat behind, like the trainer told me. She made a nice move to
the finish. I didn't have too much trouble with traffic and stuff, so I
had a good race. The winner is a very good filly, so she's difficult to
catch."
Third place finisher Baroness Thatcher in the post parade. Her trainer Patrick Biancone said, "She ran a huge race, but the winner was just too
good. She ran hard. She fought and gave it her best. We're happy that
she got another Grade 1 stakes placing."
On the Test undercard, a field of nine 3-year-olds went 1 mile on the inner turf course in the $80,000 Glow Stakes, restricted to non-winners of a turf stakes in 2007. 9-1 shot Pays to Dream settled in 8th off the slow pace set by 37-1 longshot Prince Atlantis, then closed with a rush down the center of the course to win going away by 1 1/2 lengths over 2-1 second choice Teuflesberg in 1:35.71 over the firm course. It was just a neck back to 18-1 Biggerbadderbetter in third, while 9-5 favorite Mysterious Peintre broke poorly then was checked in the stretch, finishing last.
Results chart from Equibase
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