Las Virgenes Stakes (KYO) (Grade 2)- $200.000 Purse
SA- For Fillies Three Years Old
One Mile on the Dirt
February 9, 2019

Magic Command did not have a lot of people believing in her for the 15th running of the Las Virgenes Stakes. Whether that was because of the outside post, the presence of Camp Hollywood, or not having as strong of a history as the others coming in, she was 17/1 on the odds board. She has shown promise from the start, and a win at a TUP ungraded stake rekindled that confidence to put her into this type of race. She would not disappoint, and picks up the first win in the race for trainer Allinthegate. Jockey K J Desormeaux is now a three-time winner, having last won in 2013 with the late Carnegie Steel. Congratulations to them! The time of the win was 1:35.52. Let’s take a look!

(1/4 Mile- :23.37)- Sassy Mamba looks good out of the gate and jumps out to the early lead for Tiratzo, but she does have Sharp Suit, from Rampage Stable, keeping her close as they move around the first turn. Sassy Mamba’s lead is a length, and it’s another length from second to third, where we find Bodacious, for Joshua Stables. Camp Hollywood, the heavy post time favorite is fourth, just to the outside of Bodacious. Test Of Time is right there with them, for La Canada Racehorses. Next come Kaikoura (Smokey Stover) and Diamond Di (Aer Stables) are side by side in outer lanes. Five and a half lengths from the lead, we find our eventual winner, Magic Command, from Allinthegate, patiently running her race in the early going, and she has Blondewithawarrant (Mb Stables) to her inside. It’s a couple lengths more back to the trailer, Honorable Melody (LionKing Stables).

(½ Mile- :47.00)- We some movement in the running order over the backstretch, but none of that happens on the front end. It’s still Sassy Mamba by a length over Sharp Suit, who’s ahead of Bodacious by another length. Then things get very interesting in terms of both Camp Hollywood and Magic Command. Camp Hollywood, who had been fourth at the start of the backstretch drops back and loses valuable track position, as she is now 8th in the running order, and four and a half lengths out. Meanwhile, along the outside, Kaikoura made an advance, and now runs even with Test Of Time. Behind Kaikoura, Magic Command liked that idea as well, and followed Kaikoura forward. Then, as they approved the final turn, Desormeaux moved her to the five wide position. Blondewithawarrant continued to run even with Magic Command, and advanced toward the inside. Diamond Di ran with Camp Hollywood in her new track position, and it was a gap of four lengths to Honorable Melody who was really spotting the field considerable distance.

(Top Of Stretch, 1.5F To Go)- Well, this will be fun. At the top of the stretch, you would have a five way photo for the win if they hit the wire in the manner they were at this point. How did we get here? Much the way it looked it was developing as they began the run around the turn. The top three, Sassy Mamba, Sharp Suit, and Bodacious were all still involved, but both Sharp Suit and Bodacious were even now with Sassy Mamba. Test Of Time had moved up, too, having stalked the top three, and had her own sights set on the wire. Magic Command took the fifth lane that she has been looking over too, and did very well to make up ground. Now, they were five wide and heads apart, but they were not the only ones. Kaikoura was actually only half a length behind them and part of this pack as well. Blondewithawarrant continued to advance, and was a length back, but would have more difficulty maneuvering around the wall now. Diamond Di And Camp Hollywood were also another length. Camp Hollywood had a little bit of daylight to come on through between Sharp Suit and Test Of Time. Diamond Di would need a little more help. You could say a length and a half separated the entire field if it wasn’t for Honorable Melody, who had the best seat in the house, five lengths behind.

(Finish- 1:35.52)- It was going to be a 1.5F sprint at this point. Who do you take? Most would probably take Camp Hollywood, given she won the BC Juvenile Fillies three months ago, but she had a little ground to make up. If only she had not conceded that ground on the backstretch. Track position can be so important in a race, and here we see a good example of it. With a half furlong to go, we had a clear winner as to who the best stretch sprinter was going to be as Magic Command simply made it look easy. This should be remembered when we see her in upcoming KYO prep races, because it was not only that she won here, it was the manner in which she did it. Quickly, she had a length on the rest of the field. Test Of Time and Bodacious, at first, looked like the next best runners, but Camp Hollywood found her way through, taking more time to do so then I thought she would, but she would be second, ahead of Diamond Di, who also looked good late. Nothing wrong, at all, with how they ran. Bodacious ends up in a dead heat for fourth with Test Of Time. Kaikoura runs 6th, as she could have used more energy in the stretch. Seemed like she was capable of better. Blondewithawarrant ran well, but the traffic trouble did her in. Sharp Suit and Sassy Mamba dropped back, and Honorable Melody at least joined the rest of the field at the wire.

About The Winner- Magic Command, trained by Allinthegate, and ridden to victory by K J Desormeaux, is a three year old filly by Perfect Command, and is out of Chai Magic. She was bred in New York by Allinthegate as a yearling, and they have been together throughout. Congratulations to the connections! The win is her fourth in six starts, her second stake win, and first graded win. Her career earnings are now $211.710.

Track: Fast
Time: :23¹  :47   1:10⁴  1:35²

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 10 – 5 Paid 38.90
$1 Trifecta: 10 – 5 – 4 Paid 1,432.40

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES