Humana Distaff (Grade 1)- $300.000 Purse
CD- For Fillies and Mares Four Years Old and Upward
Seven Furlongs on the Dirt
May 6, 2017

Lea went off as an overwhelming favorite on a sloppy CD racetrack for the Humana Distaff, and there would be no getting in her way.  She was simply dynamite in picking up the 10th win of her career, which now embodies 21 starts.  Her earnings now exceed $1,600.000, and I have to wonder, is she the most underrated horse in our game right now? She has done quite a bit now in her career, much of it with current trainer Mb Stables, but she flashed this talent as well with prior trainer D J C Racing Stables, too.  It’s her third Grade 1 win, and with the way things are going with her, we can expect see some more.   The Humana win is the second for Mb Stables, who also captured the race in 2014 with Carnegie Steel.  Aboard the winner was R J Albarado, just like he was last year!  Congratulations to the winners! The time of the win in the slop was 1:26.50.  Let’s take a look at it!

(1/4 Mile- :23.67)- Everyone seems to break well out of the gate, and after about a furlong, we start to see the first three begin to pull away from the field.  The early lead would go to Zenna The Ruler (Night Mare Racing), who was in the middle of three wide as they hit the quarter.  Queen of Broadway (John Henry) got off to a good start as well, and Notarized Kate (Pristine Stables) was not messing around early and was battling the Queen for second.  These three pulled a bit, as you would have to back three lengths to find Lea (Mb Stables).  The eventual race winner ran fourth, but had no traffic to worry about.   Sudden Interest (TwinTowersRacing) had the 5th spot with West Wind (Fractious) to her inside.  At the back, were Asclepios Trail (Kopites) and Balais Bruit (Drabfantasy).

(½ Mile- :47.84)- As the field moved down the backstretch, both Zenna The Ruler and Notarized Kate began to pull away from Queen Of Broadway, who was starting to have a tough time keeping up.  It would be Notarized Kate showing her class in the turn as she took over the lead, and began to inch away from Zenna The Ruler.  Queen Of Broadway remained third for now, but those who had been behind her were closing the gap.  Lea hadn’t sliced much into the lead quite yet, and the biggest mover at this point was Asclepios Trail, who looked to take it three wide around the turn.  West Wind and Sudden Interest remained glued to one another, and Balais Bruit was still waiting for her time to strike.

(Top Of Stretch, 1.6F to go)– While rounding the turn, Lea was revving it up and preparing to show this KYD crowd at CD that there are more special horses running today then just in that race.  On exit of the turn, she cut into the lead of Notarized Kate all the while Notarized Kate was pulling away from the others.  At this point, Notarized Kate led by a length and a half, and Lea was passing Zenna The Ruler for second.  The stage was being set for them to battle!  Zenna The Ruler was still trying to hang tough, and Queen Of Broadway was still in fourth here.  Asclepios Trail began to fizzle a bit, and now it was Balais Bruit making the move from behind.  She would swing out on exit of the turn four wide, quickly getting by West Wind and Sudden Interest, and set her sights on the front!

Finish (1:26.50)- Lea would continue to draw closer, and with a furlong to go, she was even with Notarized Kate.  The runner up could not handle the wicked heat that Lea brought her in stretch, and Lea would pull away in the dying moments to secure the victory, winning by about a length and a half.  Notarized Kate started to labor and was glad to see the wire come up just time to maintain her second.  Balais Bruit gave it her all in the stretch to get the third spot.  Asclepios Trail re-found her kick in the stretch and battled for third, but some late stretch indecisiveness by Ju A Garcia may have cost her third.  The rest of the pack was not a factor with Sudden Interest and West Wind being the best of the rest.  Zenna The Ruler and Queen Of Broadway tired into the last two spots.

About the winner: Lea, trained by Mb Stables and ridden by R J Albarado is a four year old filly by Quick Code, and out of Internet Speed.  She was bred in New York as a second quarter two year old by D J C Racing Stables, and was acquired by Mb Stables via private sales in July for $400.000.  Congratulations to the connections!

Track: Sloppy
Time: :23³  :47⁴  1:13¹  1:26²

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 5 – 7 Paid 10.40
$1 Trifecta: 5 – 7 – 8 Paid 55.30

Scratched: Regal Portrait(L)

Winner and Exacta picked by NS

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES