The Alabama – Grade I
1 1/4 Mile Dirt Stake Purse $600.000 Filly 3 Year Olds.

1st Wicked Heat, trained by Easy Money Stables
Using the outside speed push to her advantage, she got right up onto the speed early on and eventually applied enough pressure to take the lead in her own right. In the Acorn when that happened, she weakened late, but today she kept up the gallop for a comprehensive win. Its great to see her back to the sort of form that saw her take the KYO, and she looks an early favourite for the BC Fillies and Mares.

2nd Tropics, trained by Australia Wide
The early challenger for the lead in a speed dominated race, she eventually let Wicked Heat have the front and never looked like getting back on terms. She kept on bravely though, and is clearly a very nice filly which is going places.

3rd Track Queen, trained by Heavens Own
Closed up round the home turn, but flattened out down the stretch and may have found the trip a little beyond her. Third place in this hot race was a great run by this busy filly, and she deserves a second season win before the end of the year.

4th Dirty Deeds, trained by Aer Stables
Kept on well to be fourth, but in a race dominated by the speed, she could never get on terms like she had in the CCA Oaks on this track. Beaten about the same distance by Wicked Heat as she was in the KYO, this was probably as good as she could hope for.

SUMMARY
It was great to see the KYO winner confirm her dominance of her age group here, and she will now head for the BC a warm favourite. This was a hot race, and all the place getters will win good races, but in a race when being on the pace seemed the best place to be, it is hard to know what the result would’ve been on a different day.

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES