The Flower Bowl (Grade 1) (BC)- $500.000 Purse
BEL- For Fillies and Mares Three Years Old and Upward
One Mile and One Quarter on the Inner Turf
October 7, 2018

The picture for the BC Fillies and Mares Turf has become a lot more clear this weekend. It should be an entertaining race, and one should not rule out today’s Flower Bowl winner, Free Sunset, as being one of the favorites in the race. Ever since the adds were changed to running with Bute and a shadow roll, this filly has become more consistent. The proud winning trainer is Team 7 Illusions, and assuming that he is still intending to put everything in the auction in December, this is going to be one that will bring him a nice profit, especially if she carries this form into the BC. The longtime trainer won the Flower Bowl back in 2006 as well, with Catachresis, and a month later Catachresis won the BC Fillies & Mares Turf. She even squeezed in the Grade 1 Taylor between those races, and won that as well. Don’t expect to see Free Sunset squeeze another race in between, times have changed in this game. Her jockey, Alan Garcia is a first time winner, and the race was won in a time of 1:58.98. That’s the third quickest winning time in the race’s history. Congrats to the winners! Let’s take a look at it.

(½ Mile- :47.49)- Pip Kadabra, the winner of the 2017 Flower Bowl, jumps out to the early lead from her outside post and shows that way around the turn with a length advantage for Chili King Stables. This is a lot different then how she ran tactically last year, when she was ten lengths out after half a mile. Running in the second position was our eventual winner, Free Sunset, for Team 7 Illusions. She broke well out of the gate, though did not apply pressure on Pip Kadabra, and was content to sit a length and a half behind. Next in line was Millinneal, running on the rail for Mb Stables. Her stablemate, Tornado Warning, was next, and running a length behind her. Running three wide, from inside to outside while approximately five lengths out were Quick Trigger (D J C Racing Stables), Cross Culture (Mb Stables), and Broken Chat (Estero Farms). Running at the back were Hide N Seek Pup (Gdp Inc) and Well Built (Smokey Stover).

(3/4 Mile- 1:10.90)- Pip Kadabra is looking very good on the front end, and she extends her lead to two lengths during the backstretch trip. Free Sunset was not interested in challenging her for the top spot, and instead continued to run with Millinneal in a battle for second. Tornado Warning would remain fourth. The big mover at this portion of the race was Broken Chat, who pulled away from the two that she had been running with to begin making an advance along the outside. She had not quite made up a torn of ground yet, but her intentions were very clear. Quick Trigger and Cross Culture did not go with her, and now had Well Built looking to come between them. Hide N Seek Pup remained at the back, and trailing by seven lengths.

(Top Of Stretch, 1.7F To Go)- Pip Kadabra maintained her lead while entering the turn, but as they made their way around it, her rivals starting closing in. Free Sunset looked to make a move to her outside, and Millinneal would time a move of her own and it seemed as though both were going to make this pass. Free Sunset was alongside Pip Kadabra and ready to assume the lead. A little further back, Tornado Warning came to life and looked to swing around the frontrunners to the outside as well, but may have had to hesitate for a brief moment since Free Sunset claimed that lane she was trying to set up for herself. Broken Chat was to the far outside and making progress, she was just two lengths off the lead now, and definitely loomed as a major contender for the stretch. Well Built was making up ground as well, but doing so along the inside. Hide N Seek Pup began moving just as they exited the turn, but still had a lot of ground to make up. Cross Culture tried to hang with her. Further back, Quick Trigger was showing why she was a big longshot.

(Finish- 1:58.98)- In the stretch, Free Sunset would be the best of them all, and there was no room for any letting up. Pip Kadabra was admirably competitive in the stretch, and Broken Chat was coming on strongly. With those rivals hanging tough, Free Sunset had to buckle down even more to get this win. Pip Kadabra holding off Broken Chat for second was pretty impressive. Along the inside, Well Built was coming on with a late charge, and it wasn’t completely meaningless, as it gives the trainer a fourth place check. Hide N Seek Pup was also running well late, and gets fifth. Then it’s the three from Mb, and he can’t be happy that Millinneal came up a bit flat when he seemed destined for a better finish then 6th. Similar story with 7th place Tornado Warning. Next is Cross Culture, and last is Quick Trigger, who was over her head against this crowd.

About The Winner- Free Sunset, trained by Team 7 Illusions, and ridden to victory by Alan Garcia, is a three year old filly by Cherokee Sunset, and is out of the late Bonnie Farley. She was bred in New York by Team 7 Illusions as a first quarter two year old, and they have been together throughout! Congratulations to the connections! The win is her fourth in 14 starts, her second stake win, both being graded, and her first Grade 1 win. Her career earnings are now $705.920.

Track: Firm
Time: :47²  1:10⁴  1:34³  1:58⁴

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 8 – 9 Paid 53.50
$1 Trifecta: 8 – 9 – 6 Paid 418.80

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES