La Troienne (Grade 1)- $300.000 Purse
CD- For Fillies and Mares Four Years Old and Upward
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt
May 6, 2016

On a day that saw most of the top female horses in the game at CD, it was only fitting that the reigning BC Distaff would also be a part of the show.   Lullaby Maker Tf was a bit of a late bloomer, so she never had her chance to contend for glory in the KYO as a three year old, but she finished it out as strong as a filly ever could, with the BC Distaff glory.  Since then, the betting public made her the favorite in her next two races, and those who bet on her certainly were not singing lullabies about her when she crossed the line 6th and 5th.   In light of the those two races, people started looking elsewhere and made the logical second choice, Google Maps, the betting favorite.  Wait, what?  They made Brawl Dead End the favorite?  No slight to Brawl Dead End, but that was not expected and surely Google Maps would prove the people silly for not betting on her in this race.  Right?  In the end, Lullaby Maker Tf didn’t need google maps to prove that her career has not met a dead end.   For winning trainer Team 7 Illusions the win must be very satisfying, and it is the long time trainer’s first win in this stake, and the same holds true for jockey D Moran.  The winning time was 1:41.73, making it the second fastest La Troienne in history.  Let’s look a little more at!

1st -2- Lullaby Maker Tf (4/1)- The eventual race winner from Team 7 Illusions would assume a stalking position early on, keeping a close enough distance to the pace setting Google Maps as the run down the backstretch began.  About midway into the stretch, D Moran began to look for his lane to get by Google Maps, and just in time for the turn he was ready to send her three wide.  Then momentarily looked to have second thoughts, before recommitting for the turn.  That may have actually thrown E S Prado, Christine’s jockey, off just enough in regards to his own plan. At the top of the stretch, Lullaby Maker Tf responded to D Moran’s urging much like she did in the BC Juvenile, and gracefully made her way by Google Maps.  That wasn’t the end of the race, however, as Christine and Brawl Dead End were also running quite well, and made sure that Lullaby Maker Tf would earn it all the way to the wire.  As we can expect from a BC champion, this filly was up to the task, and she would be much the best all the way to the wire.  The winning time again was 1:41.73.  Lullaby Maker Tf is a four four year old filly by Megalomaniac and out of Maid of New Orleans.  She was bred in New York by Two Fields Racing as a first quarter two year old though never raced for her breeder.    After a good career with Rouge River Stables, she was purchased in private sales by Team 7 Illusions in June 2015 for $150.77. Money well spent! Congrats again!

2nd- 1- Christine (172/1)-   Despite having minimal support from the betting public, the Wolfs Den entry made a few people very happy, with half of her winners likely sharing her name.  She would wisely stalk the pace early, comfortably on the rail with Lullaby Maker Tf right beside her.  Wanted to go when Lullaby Maker Tf initially made a move and would have been right beside her, but the eventual winner quickly closed the lane.  When D Moran re-took the same lane, Christine seemed to lose about half a length in that indecision.  She kept herself in close quarters to Lullaby Maker Tf at the top of the stretch, but the Distaff winner would prove to be too much.  However, she showed a lot of heart in the stretch, and you have likely had your last chance ever to see odds like this on her again.  Wolfs Den should be thrilled with her run.

3rd- 5- Brawl Dead End (1/1)- The surprising choice of the betting public from Mb Stables was content to start at the back of the pack, and be about four lengths back early.  She would begin to show some interest in moving forward as they began to move into the turn.  On exit of the turn, she looked to make an approximate four wide move to the outside of Christine.  Brawl Dead End seemed to be in good stride at this point, but neither the Distaff winner or the huge longshot were tiring out, so the best Brawl Dead End can do here, is third.

4th- 4- Earthly Gran (6/1)- The filly from Drabfantasy looked to start this one much like she did in her previous race, and would be at back early, keeping Brawl Dead End company.   Did not look to advance in the turn, and subsequently lost ground to Brawl Dead End in the process. At the top of the stretch, she still had about four lengths to make up.  Lacked stretch response to do so.

5th- 3- Google Maps (9/5)- It ends up being a very disappointing result for Aml Racing’s filly.  Though she seemed fine at the start, getting out to about a length and a half lead, setting the opening quarter in :23.90 and half in :47.97.  Seemed to be in pretty good shape when Lullaby Maker Tf pulled even with her, but apparently she just did not like getting passed.  She was particularly flat, late.

Track: Fast
Time: :23⁴  :47³  1:11¹  1:41³

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 2 – 1 Paid 169.70
$1 Trifecta: 2 – 1 – 5 Paid 1,309.10

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES