August 1, 2016
Although there were some very good fillies and mares lined up in the Grade II Shuvee Handicap at SAR on Sunday, Memorandum was clearly the class of the field given her recent form and stamina experience and she toyed with rivals en route to a wire-to-wire score by more than a length, with plenty to spare. From the first crop of stakes winning sire La Briganderie, she set the pace in the Ashland last year before finishing third and has found that back class in spades this year, posting her fourth win in six starts while topping $260.000 in seasonal earnings, with lots of big races ahead of her at these long distances.
There was a clear distinction between the early speed and the late closers in the Shuvee and while Sure Shot Lady (25.85) and Unsecured (2.60) dropped back, favourite Memorandum (*1.45) did not and took the lead in an effort to save some ground into the first turn. The Reaper (6.05) held her spot along the fence in second as Xanadu Magic Tf (6.35) kept Stellar (4.40) wide in fourth before she dropped back to the fence and as the field marched to the backstretch, it was clear who was the boss of the nine-furlongs. Positions remained unchanged passed the half-mile in 48.12 with Memorandum still in charge and as her lead stretched out into the far turn, the fractions were clearly on her side with stamina to spare. Six-furlongs in 1:11.60 came up and the leader was still rolling along but with those splits, she was ripe to even out and angle into the two-path and that gave enough room for The Reaper to come forward if good enough, with Stellar angling out for her shot out wide. As the field hit the head of the lane, Memorandum was still in complete command but out in the four-path and with a minor late move, The Reaper started to eat into the lead, albeit slightly. But at the wire, more than a length to the good, Memorandum was able to last in gate-to-wire fashion with Stellar making a race of it before falling a neck short of second to The Reaper, with Xanadu Magic Tf fourth, Sure Shot Lady fifth and Unsecured last after failing to fire at any point.
Memorandum was clearly the best of a good field assembled in the Grade II Shuvee Handicap but a lack of early pace pressure and modest fractions led to a visually impressive victory that will need to be backed up against tougher rivals. Competition could get tougher with a potential start in the Grade I Personal Ensign on the horizon, as well as efforts in the Beldame, Zenyatta and Spinster to look forward to against the best of the Distaff division.
Congratulations goes out to owner Mb Stables and their four-year-old filly Memorandum, a tour-de-force winner of the Grade II Shuvee Handicap at SAR!
Prediction Memorandum / The Reaper / Sure Shot Lady
Winner Memorandum
Four-year-old chestnut filly
La Brigandiere-Backer (BigBoysBack)
Owner Mb Stables
Time 48.12, 1:11.60, 1:35.71, 1:48.35
Overall
Memorandum *1.45 fast start, never in doubt
The Reaper 6.05 inside run, held second
Stellar 4.40 wide first turn, up for third
Xanadu Magic Tf 6.35 pressed, faded
Sure Shot Lady 25.85 no factor
Unsecured 2.60 outrun
Triple T Racing 🙂
Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES
