June 12, 2016

You have to go back almost 11 years to the day to find the first and only time that owner Wolfs Den took down a Grade I score, when Lone Winner came through in the clutch to score the Foster Handicap as part of his $2700.000 career. But Saturday afternoon, after multiple tries and multiple heartbreaks, they finally got back to that pinnacle when Christine, second two back at 172 in another top class Grade I, stormed home to take the Just A Game over the BEL turf by a nose, with stablemate Clouseau missing by a nose a few races later in the Grade I Met Mile. For Christine, it was the culmination of a surprise turnaround since being claimed for only $25.000 and now, she sports two wins and five top-three placings for her owners and nearly $1000.000 in lifetime earnings, with two triple-digit speed ratings to her credit over both the main track and the grass.

There are some horses who like to take up the mantle early and others who like to take back and just bide their time; Wire Z Wire (8.00) is firmly in the first part of that statement and led the Just A Game field early with superstars Attraction (*2.20) and Broomsticks Copy (6.95) right on her tail. Sure Shot Lady (43.20) was in between runners with You Can Do It (8.20) to their inside and as the full field rocketed through the first fraction in 22.83, Broomsticks Copy was able to assert herself up front. Wire Z Wire held her own in second with Attraction parked perfectly in third and positions remained unchanged through a sharp half-mile in 45.90. As the field raced around the far turn, Attraction slowly started to inch forward as You Can Do It angled out and by the time the field hit the head of the lane, the backfield was getting into gear with Skeleton Spy (7.00) moving inside and Wild Weather (9.35) trying to track her. Attraction took command through six-furlongs in 1:09.27 and Broomsticks Copy had nothing in response after testing fractions and as the closers started their run, the leader sprinted clear and looked to go on to another Grade I victory. Inside the furlong pole, the margin was more than a length and while Skeleton Spy came up the rail with a determined run, the biggest run of the day came from 15-1 longshot Christine (15.40), who absolutely gobbled up the ground and passed ten horses to score by a nose in the last desperate jump. In a race that did not deserve a loser, Attraction was incredible in second while Skeleton Spy ran amazingly in third, with You Can Do It salvaging fourth from a tired Broomsticks Copy. Eva The Diva (7.15) never got involved, Sure Shot Lady faded in the stretch with Wire Z Wire, Three Little Birds (16.85) and Last Voyager (24.20) ran to their odds and Wild Weather was no match late, with only two-lengths separating the last seven while the top three simply ran away.

Second in the La Troienne to champion Lullaby Maker Tf, who had the Grade I Phipps in her control before tiring, and ahead of future Grade I Vanity winner Brawl Dead End, Christine was asked to do something completely different in her return to the grass and became a Grade I winner in the Just A Game with one of the most amazing closing efforts of the past few seasons. To be able to run down a loose on the lead Attraction, a winner of nearly $4000.000 and the defending champion, is something to behold and her 101-speed rating proves that, with any number of top events over both the dirt and the turf at her disposal in the coming months.

Congratulations goes out to owner Wolfs Den and their five-year-old mare Christine, a last-to-first winner of the Grade I Just A Game at BEL!

Prediction                 Attraction / Broomsticks Copy / Sure Shot Lady

Winner                      Christine

                                     Five-year-old bay mare

                                     Joba Expressions-Connette (Fish Stick)

Owner                        Wolfs Den

Time                            22.83, 45.90, 1:09.27, 1:33.31

Overall

Christine                    15.40 last early, eight-wide into lane, just up

Attraction                  *2.20 stalked, pounced, caught in final stride

Skeleton Spy              7.00 inside run, between rivals, clear third

You Can Do It           8.20 pressed, lacked momentum late

Broomsticks Copy    6.95 set early pace, faded in lane

Eva The Diva             7.15 even effort

Sure Shot Lady          43.20 minor speed, weakened

Wire Z Wire                8.00 broke sharp, tired

Three Little Birds      16.85 no factor

Last Voyager               24.20 no factor

Wild Weather             9.35 nothing when asked

Triple T Racing 🙂

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES