October 20, 2016

The rains came to WO on Sunday afternoon for the Grade I Taylor Stakes and that played right into the hands of off-track specialist Charged Adage, who rocketed home from last to score her first Graded Stakes win and second straight off a less-than-firm going. The best daughter of unraced sire Adage, she was purchased at the end of last year for only $65.000 but has gone on to earn more than $430.000 this year with three wins and seven consecutive top three placings for new owner, with impressive speed ratings over the turf as well.

As expected, Natural Flower (65.95) used her sprinting speed to take the early lead in the Taylor with Dragonville (*2.80) to her inside and Pure Ninja (4.45) to her outside and as Maistro Power (23.30) moved forward, the other half of the field dropped off the modest pace. The quick turn into the backstretch saw the leaders moving away but the outside runners fell back into a midpack position with the others spread out and as Natural Flower kept to her task, she was able to lead the group of eight to a first half-mile time of only 48.56. Positions up front remained unchanged to the far turn passing six-furlongs in 1:12.80 and it became clear that the middle of the track was best, as everyone started to angle out, and at the head of the lane, Natural Flower was all out to hold off two closers from both the inside and the outside. With an incredible turn of foot not usually seen in racing today, Charged Adage (10.30) looked like she was shot out of a cannon and with a furlong to run, simply ran past the entire field apart from Smokin Nebalue (3.35), who also closed from the back of the pack. At the wire, those two had separated themselves from the rest of the field with Pure Ninja re-rallying for third over Natural Flower, with Maistro Power an inside fifth, Dragonville a tired sixth and Regal Portrait (3.90) and Triptych (5.40) trailing home after failing to handle the yielding turf.

Three-for-three over an off-track, Charged Adage is certainly hoping for rain at SA on BC Weekend and could be a major force in the F&M Turf off her huge win in the Taylor Stakes at WO, if others defect and she earns her way in. She could be a good one over a firm course too but many will look to her off-track form as the key and the hope is that she can find some pace to chase in her next race, with options like the Goldikova or the Mrs Revere as back-ups with a better chance for a yielding or soft ground.

Congratulations goes out to owner Australia Wide and their three-year-old filly Charged Adage, a going-away winner of the Grade I Taylor Stakes at WO!

Prediction            Dragonville / Maistro Power / SCRATCHED

Winner                 Charged Adage

                                Three-year-old bay filly

                                Adage-Low Charge (Revolt)

Owner                   Australia Wide

Time                       48.56, 1:12.80, 1:37.63, 2:02.61

Overall

Charged Adage    10.30 last early, exploded, clear

Smokin Nebulae  3.35 broke slow, inside run, up for second

Pure Ninja             4.45 pressed outside, closed belatedly

Natural Flower     65.95 set pace, even late effort

Maistro Power      23.30 midpack throughout

Dragonville            *2.80 no late gains

Regal Portrait        3.90 outrun

Triptych                   5.40 outrun

Triple T Racing 🙂

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES