After a winless 2016 and a 90+ day layoff, Swept The Ash beat a field of seven to win the La Canada by a length. Out of the gate, Sweet Release went for the lead on the outside with El Gran Tigercat pressing from the third spot. Sweep The Ash held her position on the rail in third. Favorite Heart Nebulae matched strides with half-brother Sweep The Ash just inside the leader.
Into the turn, Sweet Release opened up by 1 ½ lengths and moved over to the rail. Heart Nebulae took up the chase three wide. El Gran Tigercat held third to his inside, and Sweept he Ash had good position on the rail just behind her. Dirty Deeds settled behind Heart Nebulae in fifth, with Fidele Fille another 1 ½ lengths back and Dream Space 6 ¼ off the lead.
Into the backstretch, they were still chasing the gray, Sweet Release, who opened up by two. El Gran Tigercat held second, but Sweep The Ash pressed her on the inside.
Sweet Release went through the backstretch, still opening the gap on the lead. Sweep The Nebulae drew even with El Gran Tigercat , but they couldn’t make up any ground on Sweet Release. Into the far turn, Sweet The Ash came off the rail and made a move toward the leader, quickly cutting the lead to a length. She caught the leader at the head of the stretch and swept past with a furlong to run.
At the wire, it was Sweep The Ash by a length over El Gran Tiber with Dirty Deeds holding on for third.
It was a big win for Eastern Equine’s five-year-old mare and earned her almost as much as she earned all of last year. Needless to say, Sweep The Ash is not done by a long shot.
Sweep The Ash – Stalked the lead and made a big move in the stretch to win by a length.
El Gran Tigercat – Close throughout, but couldn’t get past Sweep The Ash
Dirty Deeds – Made a run at the end, but too little too late.
Heart of Nebulae – Close early but faded to finish fourth.
Sweet Release – Faded badly after leading at every call but the last.
Dream Space & Fidele Fille – Trailed throughout to finish 6th and 7th.
CONGRATULATIONS EASTERN EQUINE!
Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES
