July 12, 2015
A solid group of three-year-old fillies took to the WO turf course for the final leg of their Triple Tiara and the Wonder Where Stakes was left to the two grass specialists with Sweet Red getting the better of Midnight Breeze in a rousing final furlong. The latest in a long line of turf stars for sire Red Rioja, she was powerful from off the pace in the Osunitas at DMR and powerful from well off it here, running away from the leader in the final furlong en route to a third consecutive win that pushed her career earnings past $270.000.
My Derby Tiara (47.65) broke sharply in the Wonder Where and despite her longshot status, led the field around the first sharp turn while Midnight Breeze (4.05) held well along the rail early. Favourite Sweet Red (*1.00) dropped well off the pace while Unsecured (1.10) kept in close contact and everyone found a nice spot through the first three-furlongs. But as My Derby Tiara hung herself wide, even with plenty of inside room, it left Midnight Breeze the perfect chance to move forward and she did so as the field pushed past the first split of 48.15. The leader found another gear for a little bit but finally succumbed to the pressure and began to fade and as the tempo quickened to six-furlongs in 1:11.81, so did the backfield and the top choice started to get into gear. Midnight Breeze looked incredibly good into the far turn and was still well clear of the back markers with two-furlongs to run but at the head of the WO stretch, Sweet Red took dead aim to the outside and began her charge with two-lengths to make up. Each and every stride saw her eat into the lead and with just over a 1/16th of a mile to run, she wrested the victory from Midnight Breeze and powered home by just over a half-length, with Unsecured two-lengths back in third and My Derby Tiara a well-beaten fourth but finally along the rail.
Sweet Red was made the favourite off two big wins at LS and DMR and did not disappoint for her top connections with a third straight score, this one the biggest of her career in the Wonder Where. The grass has been excellent for her and she could make a minor splash in races like the Grade II Sands Point or the Grade II Canadian Stakes but look for a simpler race like the La Prevoyante, which will set her up nicely for a four-year-old campaign exclusively on the lawn.
Congratulations goes out to owner Mb Stables and their three-year-old filly Sweet Red, a rousing winner of the Wonder Where Stakes at WO!
Prediction Midnight Breeze / Sweet Red / Unsecured / My Derby Tiara
Winner Sweet Red
Three-year-old chestnut filly
Red Rioja-Carnegie Sweet (Billys Too Sweet)
Owner Mb Stables
Time 48.15, 1:11.81, 1:35.38, 1:59.38 (NSR)
Overall
Sweet Red *1.00 sat well back, wide rally, up in time
Midnight Breeze 4.05 pressed early, clear, caught in final furlong
Unsecured 1.10 even effort late
My Derby Tiara 47.65 set pace, weakened in drive
Triple T Racing 🙂
Categories: Ungraded
