The 19th Running of the G1 BC Distaff
November 5, 2021 17:35
DMR Race #14 $2,000.000 11/8 Dirt
Fillies and Mares 3YO+ 122/124 Lbs
Track Record-1:47.15 (Ecliptic-2021)
Stakes Record-1:47.17 (Millionaire Heiress-2011)
Every so often an equine athlete comes along that is able to capture the hearts and minds of those who bear witness to their greatness. In 2021 at HRP, that equine athlete may just be Naples who, on Satuday, won the 5th G1 of her sophomore season in the $2,000.000 G1 BC Distaff. She is now the most recent winner of the G1 KYO, G1 CCA Oaks, G1 Alabama, G1 Cotillion, and the G1 BC Distaff. On Saturday, she needed all of her talent, heart, and class to overcome a field that included two former BC Champions and a slew of others.
One hundred yards into the race, Naples and the brilliant older mare La Mareseillaise were side by side in the third flight with six horses in front of them. At that point, Naples pressed forward while La Marseillaise drifted towards the rear of the field. Those moves would prove crucial about sixty seconds later. Miss Steel Mazula broke alertly to be the first horse to lead; however, by the time the field approached the first turn, she was overtaken by the duo of Z Command and Intolerable. It was Z Command at the head of the field as she completed a half mile in :46.90 with Intolerable and Miss Steel Mazula right on her flanks. Naples, having made the decision to stay a bit closer to the pace, was running comfortably about four-lengths off of the lead in fifth while La Marseillaise was 12th and five lengths further back.
Z Command led the field towards the turn as she completed six furlongs in 1:10.51 with Miss Steel Mazula clinging to the rail and only a length off of her. Intolerable was third, but Sundress was starting to get going and Naples was inching-up on the rail. Around the turn, Naples started making her advance to the front. She was only a couple lengths off of Z Command and Miss Steel Mazula and she was traveling better than Intolerable and Sundress, even if she hadn’t passed them yet. At the same time, La Marseillaise was still well back and she was at least eight wide as she approached the top of the lane.
Z Command was still clinging to the lead as she reached the furlong marker in 1:35.29, but Miss Steel Mazula and Naples were both starting to challenge her in earnest. Naples took command just before the sixteenth pole and looked to be ready to draw off…..but out in the center of the course, La Marseillaise was gobbling-up the ground. Naples was clear, but the 5yo mare to her outside was reducing the deficit. The wire was approaching, but so was La Marseillaise. Naples called-on all of her reserves at reached-out for the wire as La Marseillaise drew closer. She would get to within three-quarters of a length, but Naples hit the wire in 1:47.85 and took home the hard-fought victory. La Marseillaise, valiant as she was, came home just before Wbf No Regrets and a game Z Command. It was another length back to Laffy Crack who was followed home by Sundress, Intolerable, Power Walk, Secret Eyes/Drink Me Pretty (DH 10th), Mag Ol, Empire World, and Forever Phooey Party.
Naples (Shark Force o/o Pivotal Cherokee) was the third BC winner on this Championship Weekend for Arindel and improved her record to 15-10-1-0 for earnings of $3,985.000. For certain, the breeding shed is in the very near future for some of these runners and, to them, we say thank you. For those that will continue to race, we say good luck. And to Naples and her trainer Arindel, we say congratulations on their victory in the G1 BC Distaff.
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES
