November 13, 2016
A move back to WO, a change in jockeys and a complete change in tactics were all factors that helped Darling Smile come up with a career-best effort and the Mb Stables trainee was able to win her second stakes win of the year on Saturday in the Princess Elizabeth going two-turns for the first time. A daughter of top sire Chai Latte from a Grade II winning mare, she scored the Muskoka from off the pace but led all the way in this spot and now has four career wins from only five starts and more than $320.000 in earnings for her top efforts this season.
The start of the Princess Elizabeth saw Social Zero (3.45) very slow into stride while Darling Smile (12.05) sprinted to the lead and into the first turn, she was a length in front of Attitude Adjustment (20.85), who got going early to sit a clear second. Burbs (10.10) and heavy favourite Talent Quest (*0.35) sat nicely near the back as the quintet rolled into the backstretch but an opening split of 23.99 was quite solid for the distance and saw the field strung out a bit. Despite the splits and the fact that Darling Smile was alone up front, it was clear that Social Zero wanted to come make a race of it and angled up four-wide to engage Burbs for second as Attitude Adjustment dropped to last. A soft middle half in 48.45 was enough for the leader to hold her own and as the backfield overcame their greenness, Talent Quest moved outside of runners like so many others to try and come at Darling Smile. The pace quickened around the far turn with three-quarters up in 1:11.95 but the longtime leader hugged the rail nicely to secure her trip and with a furlong to go, everyone was trying to make up the necessary lengths and steal the win. At the wire, everyone save Social Zero was making gains but Darling Smile had enough in the tank to hold on by a neck over Burbs with Talent Quest out wide, Attitude Adjustment between them and Social Zero taking up the last spot.
Darling Smile was outrun against open company in the Frizette at BEL but ran her state-bred record to three-for-three on Saturday with a big wire-to-wire score in the Princess Elizabeth, using a frontrunning tactic that sets her up nicely for future races. Her ability to handle the class and the distance will be nice and a move to FL for the Winter should benefit her before she comes back for the biggest races of the WO season as a new and even improving three-year-old.
Congratulations goes out to owner Mb Stables and their two-year-old filly Darling Smile, a gate-to-wire winner of the Princess Elizabeth Stakes at WO!
Prediction Social Zero / Burbs / Attitude Adjustment
Winner Darling Smile
Two-year-old bay filly
Chai Latte-Piston Broke
Owner Mb Stables
Time 23.99, 48.45, 1:11.95, 1:42.45
Overall
Darling Smile 12.05 cleared early, hugged rail, held well
Burbs 10.10 even paced, stalked, maintained second
Talent Quest *0.35 wide into far turn, closed
Attitude Adjustment 20.85 even effort
Social Zero 3.45 broke slow, never factored
Triple T Racing 🙂
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded
