They were among the least experienced entrants in the field of eleven. Both had won a maiden but had not been able to get to the winner’s circle in one ungraded attempt each. You knew Pink Beauty would most likely be close early and Laff How most likely would not. That expectation was met when Pink Beauty came out of the gate first and Laff How settled into last.
Under the wire for the first time, Pink Beauty, Cape Velvet and Laffin Lady vied for the lead with Casi Kruz, favorite Updated, and Cash right behind them. As they approached the turn, the three leaders opened up on the field by more than a length, with Pink Beauty just in front on the outside. The only horses not in the second flight were Ladies Night and Laff How who lagged another two lengths behind.
Around the turn, Casi Kruz made a big move on the outside to separate from the crowd and come after the leaders, looking for room, first on the outside, then on the inside. Into the stretch, she settled on the rail 2 ¼ lengths behind leader Laffin Lady. Pink Beauty held strong on the outside in second with Cape Velvet between the two and just slightly behind.
Midway on the backstretch, the field started to spread out, with almost eight lengths separating Laff How in last from Laffin Lady in first. Updated started a move four wide from well off the pace.
Into the turn for home, Pink Beauty took the lead from Laffin Lady. Seven lengths back, Laff Now started making her move from dead last. Pink Beauty quickly pulled clear by a length. Laffin Lady came off the rail enough to give Casi Kruz the running room she’d been waiting for, but Updated was bearing down on them all on the far outside.
At the head of the stretch, Pink Beauty continued to pull away, but Casi Kruz found the hole on the fence and set her sights on the leader. Updated continued her charge on the outside, and on the far far outside, Laff How was now five lengths back.
With a furlong to run, it looked like a race for second, with Pink Beauty drawing off by 2 ¼. Cape Velvet tried to hold off Casi Kruz on her inside and Updated and Laff How on her outside. But in the shadow of the wire, it was Laff How taking second, cutting into Pink Beauty’s lead. Casi Kruz ran just behind her in third with Updated in a battle for fourth.
Laff Now turned it on in the final jumps to catch her stable mate, Pink Beauty at the wire. The two finished in a dead heat with Casi Kruz third 1 ¼ length back in the fastest Busanda on record.
It was the second career win and first at stakes level for each. Pink Beauty’s record stands at 4-2-1-0 $71.400, while stablemate Laff How finishes the day with a 5-2-1-0 $55.560 record. Each winner earned 10 KYO Qualifying points for the win.
Pink Beauty – Stalked the pace and took control at the head of the stretch.
Laff How – Trailed the field and made a tremendous move in the stretch to catch her stablemate.
Casi Kruz – Settled on the rail to wait for an opening and pulled within a length of the winners.
Cash – Got up late from mid-pack to take fourth.
Updated – Made a move in the stretch but could do no better than fifth.
Muffler – Never closer than fifth, finished sixth.
Cape Velvet – On the lead early, but faded to finish seventh.
Laffin Lady – Led at the first two calls, but faded to finish eighth.
Rest of the field: Shes El Grand, Gemini Sspoils, Ladies Night
DOUBLE CONGRATULATIONS GDP!
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded
