Modesty Stakes (Grade 3)- $100.000 Purse
AP- For Fillies and Mares Three Years Old and Upward
One Mile and Three Sixteenths on the Turf
July 17, 2021

Folsom Tradition has run well since being acquired by Hippyheart in private sales, and that would be enough for her to be made the post-time favorite. I was not as optimistic, being concerned about her last start, but in this case the betting public made the right decision. Hippyheart’s mare did not break quickly but ran very well in the stretch to win by nearly a length over Rules Are Madness, saddling our pick with yet another second place finish. Folsom Tradition’s win gives Hippyheart their first win in the stake. Jockey E T Baird is now a three time winner, but you have to go back to 2011 for their last win. Congratulations to them! The race would be run in a time of 1:52.73, which is right in line with other recent winning times. Let’s take a look!

(½ MIle- :47.52)- Shes One Of A Kind jumps out to the early lead for Maxmillion Farm, but does not have anyone go with her. The rest of the field is rather unconcerned about her down the front stretch and into the opening turn. Rules Are Madness, out of Angelos Stable, is able to move to the rail in the second position, about two lengths back after half a mile. Hitch A Ride is another length back for South Shore Stables, and it’s another length to Hollywood Chef, for Mis Hijos Stable. Next up is our eventual race winner out of Hoppyheart, Folsom Tradition, who trails Shes One Of A Kind by six early on. Longshot Shark Bitten (Barcelona Farms) is the trailer.

(¾ Mile- 1:10.52)- The backstretch trip is very uneventful as the field is all lined up without any movement going on. Shes One Of A Kind maintains her lead going into the turn over Rules Are Madness. Approaching the turn, it looked like Folsom Tradition was about to break out of line, so let’s move forward and see how it goes.

(Top Of Stretch, 1.8F To Go)- It’s still Shes One Of A Kind in front, and she has not felt much pressure behind her as of yet. Her lead on Rules Are Madness is a length and a half, as we wait for that one to make a stronger push to the lead. Meanwhile, Folsom Tradition was doing exactly that, moving into the second lane and quickly passing Hollywood Chef. Midway into the turn, she put into a higher gear, and made the pass of Hitch A Ride look pretty easy as well. She was clearly a threat to Shes One Of A Kind now, slicing her deficit to three lengths with plenty of time to go in the stretch.

(Finish- 1:52.73)- In the stretch, Shes One Of A Kind was doing a good job staying in front of Rules Are Madness, but that was not the one to be concerned about. Folsom Tradition kept coming, and with a furlong to go, she only had a length and a half to make up. With the pace that she was on, she would get there with time to spare, and at the wire, it is Folsom Tradition scoring the win by almost a length. In the final strides, Shes One Of A Kind lost second to Rules Are Madness. It was two lengths further back to Shark Bitten, and both Hollywood Chef and Hitch A Ride are disappointments.

About The Winner- Folsom Tradition, trained by Hippyheart, and ridden to victory by E T Baird, is a five year old mare by Cherokee Sunset, and is out of the late Beyond The Stars. She was bred by Team 7 Illusions as a second quarter two year old, and was acquired by Hippyheart, via John Henry, in private sales for $100.000 in late February 2021. Congratulations to the connections! The win is her seventh in 19 starts, her third stake win, and first graded win. Her career earnings are now $368.200.

Track: Firm
Time: :47²  1:10⁴  1:34³  1:52³

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 3 – 4 Paid 9.90
$1 Trifecta: 3 – 4 – 6 Paid 45.80

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES