Cotillion Stakes (Grade 1)- $1,000.000 Purse
PRX- For Fillies Three Years Old
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt
September 24, 2016

It was billed as a preview to the BC Distaff, and if that was the case then we are due for a very entertaining race in about six weeks.   Many of the best three year old fillies assembled for the event here at PRX, and in the end just five lengths separated first from fourteenth.  At the front end, there was no separating the top two as the race sees its second dead heat in four years.  Last time it was Karloff and Stella Artois, who each would win over $2,300.000 over the course of their careers.  This year, our dead heat winners are Dirty Deeds and Way Up.   Dirty Deeds may be following in the footsteps of one of those greats, and Way Up is on the way up in her young career.  In May of this year, Dirty Deeds was running in the KYO while Way Up was still a maiden.  Time flies, and today they are fit to be tied.  Aer Stables (Dirty Deeds) and Team 7 Illusions (Way Up) are the winning trainers, each getting their first victory in the stake.  Congratulations to them! That holds true for the jockeys as well, I Ortiz Jr and Mario Gutierrez. The time of the win was 1:41.61, making it the second quickest winning time in the stake’s history.  Only Mrs Bombastic in 2010 was faster.  Let’s take a look how this went down!

1st – 3 (dh)- Dirty Deeds (17/1)- Our first co-winner, running for Aer Stables, for off to a good start right from the gate, though did not push Way Up too hard in the early moments.  Instead, she would tuck in to a position along the rail, about two lengths from the leaders as the race moved into the opening turn.  At the top of the backstretch, she would be third, running to the inside of Technology Sweep, and perhaps just as importantly, this would keep many of the race’s other top contenders coming into race behind her.  Maintained a steady and consistent stride for the duration of the backstretch, and even into the final turn.  Midway through the turn, we started to see her inch ever so slightly closer to the leader as I Ortiz Jr prepared her for the stretch run.  She had a length to make up at the top of the stretch, and would be able to pull even with about a furlong to go.  It seemed inevitable that she would complete the pass for the win outright, but Way Up never backed down.  The two of them had a thrilling run between themselves all the way to the wire, which kept everyone else at bay.  It would be too close to call at the end, and ultimately, the race ends up in a dead heat.  Dirty Deeds is a three year old filly by Folk Art (Charley Farley) and out of the autogen Sumpreme Doggy.  She was bred in California as a first quarter two year old by Downwind Stables.  Aer Stables picked her up, unraced, in private sales for $40.000 in June of last year.  Looks like that worked out! Congratulations to the connections!

1st- 11 (dh)- Way Up (14/1)- The co-winner from Team 7 Illusions was fired out of the gate by Mario Gutierrez, and would lead the way around the opening turn of the event.  She was ready to run quickly, going a quarter in :23.43, and opening up by two lengths on everyone other then Technology Sweep before they even reached the backstretch.  That one eventually backed off, and into the backstretch, the lead was two on everyone as they half went in :46.38.  With a graceful run at that stage, she continued to be unchallenged as though behind her fought for position, some having particularly tough trips.  In the final turn, Dirty Deeds, who had been 2nd or 3rd most of the way, began to close in.  Way Up did seem, at the top of the stretch, to respond well and Dirty Deeds would pull even with a half furlong to go.   She fought that off gamely to the wire, and while she would not hold her off entirely, the two would not be separated at the wire, and everyone else would be held off.  Way Up is a three year old filly by Keyed Up (Skeleton Key/Die Laffin) and out of Kieltys Way (Charley Farley).  She was bred in California by Team 7 Illusions as a third quarter two year old, and they have been together throughout.  Congratulations to the connections!

3rd- 7- Shake It Off (15/1)- Our pre-race selection from Australia Wide went off at a surprisingly high price.  At the beginning of the race, she had no intention of being anywhere near Way Up, but also did not want to be too far back.  Settled into a position five lengths from the leaders into the backstretch running four wide of a group that seemed to be consisting of the four biggest threats to win the race.  Though it was an outer lane, this proved to be to her benefit as she would never have to deal with traffic woes that crippled Wicked Heat and Notarized Kate’s chances.  Maintained a consistent stride in the backstretch and was outstanding in the turn, cutting 2 ½ lengths from her deficit to the leaders.  Though at the same time, she drifted about seven wide at this point, costing her the chance to battle the top two to her best ability.

4th- 5- Ghost Runner (21/1)- Started well early on for Pumpkin Racing with an initial intention of wanting to stalk early.  She would be running alongside Dirty Deeds at this time, before she would ultimately back off a bit, by about three lengths.  Kept a solid cruising speed in the backstretch running behind Technology Sweep.  Ghost Runner would keep pace with those running around her as the run around the turn began, and was able to capitalize nicely on a lane that opened up to the inside of Technology Sweep.  Gradually reeled in the leaders in the stretch, but could not threaten for the win.  In the end, it’s a good finish.

5th- 6- Notarized Kate (8/1)- The filly from Pristine Stables was fine out of the gate, but did not want to get too involved with the fractions being set at the front end.  Instead, Notarized Kate would be running near the back of the field, running with a foursome of familiar rivals: The Hanging Tree, Shake It Off, and Wicked Heat.   Seemed to want to advance more then she actually did while in the backstretch.  Had to check up towards the exit of the final turn due to the fading of Looknlisten.  Once free, she responded to full of run and was arguably the best horse in the stretch out of any of them once she had a chance.

6th- 1- The Hanging Tree (9/2)- Got off to an average start while running along the rail for her trainer, Mb Stables.  She was right smack in the middle of the pack as they moved into the backstretch.  Cruised along with the field during the backstretch, maintaining her position.  Around the turn, she began to cut into the lead a little bit, and would have to move off the rail at the top of the stretch if she was going to attempt to pass Dirty Deeds.  As Dirty Deeds was still full of run, it seemed as though The Hanging Tree seemed content to just try to follow her through.  In the end, she would be part of a very tight photo for 4th.

7th- 13- Aldonza (9/1)- The filly from John Henry started well, but would soon decide to back off any initial challenges for the lead and settled into the sixth position, about four lengths off, in the early moments.  Stayed in this position, about four wide and running right behind Looknlisten for the duration of the backstretch trip.  Moving around the turn, Aldonza was looking quite strong, clearing Looknlisten without too much difficulty, and making headway on others who were ahead of her.  However, once she got to within two lengths, there was no further progress.

8th- 14- Technology Sweep (32/1)- From her outside post, Technology Sweep got off to a good start for The Sidley Stud, and wanted to contest the early lead.  This would mean that she would have a wide trip early into the opening turn before crossing all the way over midway through.  Way Up would pull away from her, however, and she would end up two lengths back heading into the backstretch.  At this point, she mainly looked to keep pace with those around her, and while she had some fight, she was passed by several in the stretch.

9th- 2- Wicked Heat (6/1)- These odds may have seemed like a bargain for the filly from EasyMoney Stables filly, but she would disappoint today.  Wicked Heat would not be too bad out of the starting gate, but as they moved around the opening turn, she would up near the back of the field.  Moving around the turn, if she wanted to make a move, she simply had no room to do this with The Hanging Tree in front of her and familiar foe Notarized Kate right to her outside.  At the top of the stretch, she was clearly looking for a lane but would keep getting bottled up.  Her result can be attributed to this tough trip.

10th- 9- Looknlisten (22/1)- The D J C Racing Stables filly got off a decent start, and looked as though she might stalk the leaders early.  Ultimately, she would sit just off the lead, fourth, and about three lengths back as they moved around the first turn of the race.  Kept this steady stride going for the backstretch run, but into the final turn, she would find herself being passed on both side, and had no answer for those runs.  Looknlisten would not contend in the stretch.

11th- 4- Sneaky Fantastique (12/1)- It would not be the quickest start for the Yahudi Stables filly immediately out of the gate, and as they moved into the turn, she would find herself back in this same 11th position that she would finish in.  Around the turn and into the stretch, she would continue to linger in this position, and ends up with a lot of 11’s on her racing line for the day.

12th- 10- Stellar (34/1)- It was not a stellar start for Stellar and M.b.o. Racing Stable, who found herself ahead of only Love Appeal, who really struggled, in the early moments.  Ended up going about six wide around the opening turn before looking to get a better lane for the backstretch trip.  Made no progress at this point, and seemed flat until the top of the stretch.  At that point she started to show some interest, but it was way too late then.

13th- 8- Love Appeal (19/1)- Broke poorly out of the gate for Hay Makers Inc and was left behind by the field almost immediately.  Fell back eight lengths as they moved into the turn, before stabilizing at that point.  Remained at the back before trying to advance along the rail midway through the final turn.  At that point, she was simply matching the pace of those ahead of her and could not advance.

14th- 12- Neonatalist (4/1)- The unexpected post time favorite from Angelos Stables left a lot of people shaking their heads.  She went right to the back early and was five lengths out before even hitting the first turn, and would trail everyone about midway through it.  Stayed here for the backstretch trip, and positioned herself to make a wide move around the final turn.  It would not amount to anything.

Track: Fast
Time: :23²  :46¹  1:09⁴  1:41³

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 3 – 11 Paid 119.00, 11 – 3 Paid 128.80
$1 Trifecta: 3 – 11 – 7 Paid 729.80, 11 – 3 – 7 Paid 729.80

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES