The Victory Ride- Grade III

6 1/2 Furlongs Dirt Graded Stake Purse $225.00 Fillies Three  Years Old. At SAR

  1st      Cailleach                Jerry Garcia Racing           17-1 (HRP) 2-1 (SRF)

I warned in my preview not to take Cailleach lightly, but nobody listened, the result? $35.80 to win. If you feel like kicking yourself because all the signs were there all the way from finishing third in a tough $30.00 claimer right after winning a $30.00 maiden claimer. Then a third in the Silverbulletday Stakes, then first in the Cincinnati Trophy Stakes, then up and up. Then a big kick if you overlooked the 94 SRF performance in the Grade III Selene Stakes where she dropped from third to fifth but gained four lengths down the stretch. She just keeps getting better and better; and when an old pro like Jerry Garcia speaks confidence: listen.

2nd      Acapulco Gray               Maxmillion Farm           2-1 (HRP) 2-1 (SRF)

Lightly raced Acapulco Gray looked a million dollars coming into this race with a streak of six out of seven in the money for her new stable and the one she missed in was not all that bad for a beginner. She seems to love these sprint distances and here hooked up with Cailleach around the far turn and dueled with her all the way home but just couldn’t head the winner. Great battle.

3rd     Lily Potter                        Delta Farms            9-1 (HRP) 4-1 (SRF)

Lily Potter chased the lead determinedly into the stretch but seemed to weaken a little in the closing strides but still had enough to move up to third.

4th      Killer Conquistador      Greyfriars Stable           96-1 (HRP) 20-1 (SRF)

Killer Conquistador has begun to show some of that old shine what with that closer third in that small stakes last and now an impressive close to reach fourth in this race.

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES