May 1, 2016
A small but talented field of four negotiated a very soft BEL turf on Sunday afternoon in the $100.000 License Fee and at the end of six-furlongs, there was nothing separating multiple Grade II winner Natural Flower and recent FG stakes winner Republic Of Dog, and both earned the top billing with much different trips. For the former, a stalking trip almost saw her take second win all by herself but she was caught be the latter from the far outside, as the daughter of Dogs Bachelor Party used her skill over the soggy going to earn her 12th career win and third in four tries this season.
The early scratch of Love Runs Deep due to the soggy conditions left a field of four in the License Fee and Coldwater Creek was first from the gate with Natural Flower second and Chase Hardhead slow into stride from the rail. The leader was able to get down to the rail and set a modest split of 23.54 over the going and that left her multiple stakes winning rival with a pace to chase with the closers not really in her view. Positions remained unchanged around the turn and to the head of the lane but Natural Flower did start to inch up passing the half-mile in 47.59 and with a swift turn of foot, she blew by Coldwater Creek with only Republic Of Dog to hold off down the lane. Inside the furlong pole, Natural Flower was clear and kept to her task but she angled to the inside while Republic Of Dog came running in the middle of the track and with a last gasp lunge, both hit the wire at the exact same time in what has become almost a formality in stakes races these days. Chase Hardhead finished up with a minor rally to grab third from Coldwater Creek in last but both were far back of the top two under what was less than ideal racing conditions.
Republic Of Dog came in off a score in the soft going at FG while Natural Flower had back class on her side but no off-track experience; both used their distinctly different but inherent traits to full effect to each tack a piece of victory in the License Fee. Many of these mares will naturally head to the Intercontinental over this same course where Natural Flower is the defending champion with eyes firmly on a much bigger prize at the BC later in the season.
Congratulations goes out to owners Maxmillion Farm and Hacienda Don Tito, who each won the License Fee at BEL with Natural Flower and Republic Of Dog!
Prediction Natural Flower / Love Runs Deep / Republic Of Dog
Winners Natural Flower
Six-year-old black mare
Barbarino-Flower Flyer (Auto-Generated)
Republic Of Dog
Five-year-old gray mare
Dogs Bachelor Party-Dogs Dallas (Duke Nukem)
Owners Maxmillion Farm & Hacienda Don Tito
Time 23.54, 47.59, 59.85, 1:12.41
Overall
Natural Flower (DH) 2.65 stalked, pounced, caught late
Republic Of Dog (DH) 2.70 far back early, wide rally, up in time
Chase Hardhead 4.35 even break, mild late move
Coldwater Creek *1.20 set pace, faded in stretch
Triple T Racing 🙂
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded
