The Suwannee River
1 Mile Inner Turf Stake Purse $150.000 Filly & Mare 3 Year Olds And Up.
1st Ice Girl Spb Racing Ruiz Jo
Well, it is that time of year when form begins to ebb and sway and, in this race, we saw the three outsiders in the field fight out a finish that a few months ago would’ve been a huge shock result. I have seen much the same happen over the many, many years I have been writing for the SRF at this time of year, a late bloomer hitting its straps in the last few months of the year, top horses asked to run one race too many in a season or a horse that got its yearly performance boost just a little early.
Today it could’ve been all or none of those things as this three-year-old that had run all her fifteen starts in sprints and was claimed just two months ago when scraping home in a $7.000 claimer, added to her sprint win in her first start for the new trainer with a last gasp stakes win today.
First of all, let’s acknowledge what a good claim this was and how well this relatively new trainer has recognized that there is so very little difference sometimes between a claimer at FE and a stakes race at GP. They have certainly ended the year on a high with a three-year-old that has certainly found a vein of form that makes her an exciting prospect for 2026.
Traveling in behind the good pace she picked up nicely from a wide trip and gunned them down to get home by a neck over a trip she had never seen before, good luck with her next year Sqb Racing.
2nd Nurse Hatchet D J C Racing Stables Husbands M J
An on-pace type in the past she was taken back today and had the last run at victory, coming up just short at the post. This was a good effort by the four-year-old who will only have to wait a few weeks before she can race these three-year-olds on level weights. Either the strong pace sent her back today or an inspired instruction from the wily old trainer, but she certainly looked stronger at the end of this race than she has in some of her others starts so this may be her running style of choice.
3rd Outrageous Nevada Paradise Stable Fresu A
The first of the on-pace horses home she was brave in defeat carrying a penalty and turning round the Swingtime Form with Pelayo with ease. This was a game run from the daughter of Time Warrior and as these four-year-olds turn five we can sometimes see them reach their potential, so I will be keeping an eye on her next year.
4th Last Word Lucy TwinTowersRacing Bravo J
She was only a length back at the end, finishing well but not getting the run at the right time. Another that seemed to turn her running style from front runner to closer, again I am not sure whether this was an instruction choice or just the race engine playing around but she was stronger at the end than she was in the Goldikova last time off a similar pace. Another four-year-old that may be in for a performance boost when she turns five.
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded