Cotillion Stakes – Grade I (P4) [BC]
1 1/16 Mile Dirt Stake Purse $1,000.000 Filly 3 Year Olds.

1st Cardi B Gdp Inc Wilson E J

The three year old form is just about impossible to read this season and here we saw yet another name rise to the top of the pile. If you take out her terrible run in the KYO on an off track and her 9th after being stumped by the outside speed push in the Acorn her form would be pretty convincing but that really is the difference in these horses these days, the conditions and the trip they get on the day. She had never been taken so far off the pace before but that seems to be the two options from a wider gate, fast or slow and it was definitely the right choice. Flying home she just nabbed victory by a head and sets up her challenge for the BC as the in form filly.

2nd High On Haggis Winning Link Stables Pennington

This daughter of Ginger Haggis REALLY hates the wet so her trainer would have been very happy to see the sun shining and as she ran home with the eventual winner she very nearly pulled off the win. Beaten nine lengths into ninth in the Alabama last time she bounced back to her best in the dry today and as she sneaked into 12th for the BC Start you would have to give her a decent chance if the rain stays away come November.

3rd Cannolo D J C Racing Stables Gaffalione T

This ultra consistent filly was once again narrowly beaten but continues to shine in a brilliant season so far. Today’s choice of tactics was to go on the speed and she is such an easy filly to control with the keyboard that it is totally unclear what her favored running style actually is. Still right there inside the final furlong i thought she had it won until as usual the late finishers managed to catch her. I wouldnt be writing her off as the BC Distaff winner just yet and if she got a decent draw i would be loading the Disney dollars on her in the big one.

4th Spicy Poke Estero Farms Bejarano R

Took option A from the wide gate and went up on the speed and also took the usual option of getting run down late. The gate was always going to make it tough for this filly and it looks now as if she has missed out on a BC berth despite being less than a length off an automatic qualification. Such is the narrow margin between failure and success here at HRP.

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES