Rider Alan Garcia captured his third race of the day here at Woodbine, taking Team 7 Illusions longshot sophomore Firekeepers ( 33-1 ) to the winners circle, and earning her a first ever stakes title in seven career starts.
- Fury Stakes – Purse $125.000
- Woodbine Racetrack- For Fillies three years old
- Seven Furlongs Main track
- May 12th, 2019
While the Raptors down the 76ers in last minute buzzer beating fashion, so to did Firekeepers make a late charge to the front to win this years Fury Stakes. Content on sitting fifth after the initial quarter mile some four back, she was still comfortable at that distance come the half mile mark.
While the lead was held by Eutectoid Point ( Second Chance Farms ) for the first three quarters of a mile, a stalking Kapalua ( Smokey Stover ) would take over the lead, with a quick closing Firekeepers to her outside on a race to the wire.
The opening fractions of 23.52 and 46.74 by the early frontrunner would be replaced by Kapalua in 1:10.31 with a furlong to run. Digging in deep with ever stride, Firekeepers was determined to make this her graduation day, taking the lead just inside the sixteenth pole. She would race on to stop the clock in a final time of 1:22.30, a length better then Kapalua. Eutectoid Point would manage to hold on for the show money.
While it is her first stakes title, Firekeepers sire Cherokee Sunset‘s 2018 second quarter sophomores have been on fire as of late. Two weeks ago, Hopewell Tradition captured the $100 Campanile, and last weekend Coles Creek took home the $100 Silver Charm. So this bloodline should work well for this filly in future events. The removal of Bute may have be a determining factor as well.
Looking like she had it all wrapped up, Kapalua definitely showed she is a contender after a dismissal effort in the Gr. III Fantasy. She does have two victories in five starts, so she should build off this effort.
Eutectoid Point has placed in the money five of her seven starts, with three being victories. Maybe a six furlong event next time around with this running style could pay dividends.
Rounding out the event would be Charlies Heart ( Chili King Stables ) who should bounce out of this event to break her maiden in next asking. Sassy Mamba ( Mb Stables ) , who had the support of the betting public, but may need some more time under the watchful eye of this top trainer. Aces High Ltd’s Mill Wheel would be the final runner in this affair, and just coming off her maiden victory, this was a tall order to fill.
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded
