The Empire Distaff ($250.000 Purse)
BEL- For Fillies and Mares Three Years Old and Upward Foaled In NY
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt
October 30, 2021

The Empire Distaff seemed to be a good landing spot for Hot Summer after back to back disappointing races in the Alabama and the TC of America. The competition level would not be as strong, but still be strong enough. It would prove to be a great decision for trainer D J C Racing Stables as his filly picks up the victory in convincing fashion. It was the first time she won a race since December, and at that time she was seen as a very promising three year old filly. This is a great result for her that should allow her to finish the year strong wherever she ends up next. It’s time the second time that D J C has won the race, having also done so in 2018 with Pumpernickel Basil. Jockey E Jaramillo is the winning rider, his first. Congratulations to them! The time of the win on the muddy track was 1:44.84. Let’s take a look!

(¼ MIle- :23.07)- Three horses break well out of the gate, but no one would be quicker than TwinTowersRacing’s Starship Qanon, and she pulls out to a length lead after the opening quarter. Running in the second position would be our eventual winner, Hot Summer, for D J C Racing Stables. She would run in third lane early on. Retrospect, from Mb Stables, was also a quick starter, but seemed to be restrained just a bit from running with the first two. She’d still be within two lengths. Nearby to her were her stablemate, Soviet Sensation, and Gdp Inc’s Speedy Ginger. It was a long way back to the post time favorite, Aligned.

(½ Mile- :48.18)- Running down the backstretch, Starship Qanon continues to be the leader, but she won’t get away from Hot Summer. Instead, that filly pulls up right alongside her for the run into the turn. It’s now two lengths to Retrospect, who is now the inside horse of three wide with Soviet Sensation and Speedy Ginger as those two inch forward to join her. Our pick, Aligned, had the best seat in the house to watch it all unfold at least five lengths in front of her.

Top Of Stretch, 1.8F To Go- At the top of the turn, Hot Summer pulled in front of Starship Qanon by a head, and for the first half of the turn, this is how it stayed until Hot Summer simply left Starship Qanon behind midway through. The margin would only keep growing with every stride until they reached the stretch, where at that point it had grown to about two and a half lengths. There were no new challengers emerging, so at this point, it was looking like Hot Summer had the race wrapped up. Starship Qanon was beginning to drop back, but neither Retrospect or Soviet Sensation were putting in a charge, and their imminent pass seemed to be more because of the pacesetters tiring. Forget about Speedy Ginger, she was dropping out of it even more. Aligned was still not getting involved.

(Finish- 1:44.84)- In the stretch, all that we had left to do was watch Hot Summer finish out the race. She wins by a convincing three, if not four lengths, as no one gets close to her in the end. Soviet Sensation completes the exacta over stablemate Retrospect, with Starship Qanon finishing fourth. Aligned disappoints many in her fifth place finish, beating only Speedy Ginger.

About The Winner- Hot Summer, trained by D J C Racing Stables and ridden to victory by E Jaramillo, is a three year old filly by Que Niagra and is out of Gigafactory. She was bred in New York by D J C Racing Stables as a yearling, and they have been together throughout. Congratulations to the connections! The win is her third in 16 starts, and her second stake win. Her career earnings are now $960.400.

Track: Muddy
Time: :24   :48   1:12²  1:44⁴

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 4 – 2 Paid 110.40
$1 Trifecta: 4 – 2 – 1 Paid 191.50

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded