Be Yourself Survives at Wire to Win Pocahontas

By Nynl Stables on September 17, 2023

Pocahontas (Grade 3)- $300.000 Purse
CD- For Fillies Two Years Old
One Mile on the Dirt
September 16, 2023

It may or may not be a glimpse into the KYO trail for next year, but Saturday at CD, we saw a group of two-year-old fillies who are showing plenty of potential early in the careers go at in the Pocahontas. None of them were able to catch the frontrunner of the race, Be Yourself, as the post time favorite got out on the lead early and stayed there to score the big win. She wasn’t our top pick but was among them as she picked up her second win in three starts. She is trained by Mb Stables, and he is no stranger to winning the Pocahontas, as it is the fourth time he has done so. Of them is Feral Impact in 2020, who would go on to win the BC Juvenile Fillies that same year. Aboard the winner was HRP-legend F Pennington, who hasn’t seemed to have been talked about as much lately. It’s his first win in the Pocahontas. The time of the win was 1:35.64, and that is a new stake record! It should be mentioned that close to half the racetrack of the race were at a slightly longer distance. Let’s take a look at it now!

(1/4 Mile- :23.36)- Out in front, it is indeed the eventual winner of the race, Be Yourself, for Mb Stables. She jumped right out of the gate, and looked like she might have the entire field cleared by a full length, but the Alydar Stables- trained maiden Aquiel wasn’t going to let it be that easy and joined her on the front end. There would be three stalkers, and with a head in front of them, it’s the massive longshot, Long Siesta, from Luz International on the outside and then TwinTowersRacing’s Radio Ruffian on the rail, with Jive Inc.’s War Show running between horses. It’s another length to Macka Diamond (Nakamura Stables), and another to Lawbreaker (Diablo Diablo). Trailing the field while running next to one another are Gospel (Team 7 Illusions), Torna A Casa (Riggins Racing), and Mad Mad Maple (The Sidley Stud).

(1/2 Mile- :47.15)- The field heads down the backstretch without much change in how they run. Be Yourself continues to hold the upper hand, and she’s pushed about three quarters of a length ahead of Aquiel. That one still seems to be running fine, and the three stalkers remain the same. Radio Ruffian is now somewhat ahead of Long Siesta and War Show, but it is still close between them. Not much is happening yet, behind them.

(Top of Stretch, 2F To Go)- As soon as the run around the turn began, Be Yourself would overpower the entire field, not just Aquiel. They had been running close to one another, but very quickly she began to open up on Aquiel. That wasn’t because that one had been tiring out, either, because the three stalkers who had been behind would also lose ground on the leader. Radio Ruffian took over second, and yes, Aquiel was beginning to lose some steam, but even Radio Ruffian was about two lengths back now. War Show had a head in front of the rest of the pack, but she was four out of it. Time was running out for the others, especially considering how well Be Yourself was running.

(Finish- 1:35.64)- It’s a good thing Be Yourself did open up a big cushion within the turn, because rivals would be coming for her in the stretch. For a little while in the stretch, Be Yourself seemed to have in the bag, but she would get leg weary in the final moments, and Radio Ruffian would look to snatch the win right away from her. At the wire, we would have a photo finish, but it would show that Be Yourself had survived the bid of Radio Ruffian to get the win. On the extreme outside, Lawbreaker closed nicely to be third, making her trainer what would have been if she didn’t have to cover so much extra racetrack. Macka Diamond was close by four fourth. War Show and Gospel were next, the latter there disappointing me with how much of an non-factor she was here. Rounding it out are Mad Mad Maple, the fatigued Aquiel, Torna A Casa and Long Siesta.

About The Winner- Be Yourself, trained by Mb Stables and ridden to victory by F Pennington, is a two-year-old filly by Falling Angel, and is out of Reasoning. She was bred by her trainer in New York as a first quarter two-year-old, and they have been together throughout. Congratulations to the connections! The win is her second in three starts, and her first stake win. Her career earnings are now $232.800.

Horse Name

Owner Name

Jockey

Odds

Fin

Time

SRF

Be Yourself

Mb Stables

Pennington F

3.40

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