Bewitch (Grade 3)- $150.000 Purse
KEE- For Fillies and Mares Four Years Old and Upward
One Mile and One Half on the Turf
April 23, 2021

Number Nine has made her living going long in races like this, but she does it in an impressive fashion, by going right to the front and hoping to stay there until the end. Prior to the Bewitch, three of her six most recent races saw her go wire to wire to get a win, with the races distances being at least a mile and a quarter. On Friday, she would do more of the same, going to the lead, and not letting up, going wire to wire once again. She is trained by Spankys Barn, and for the trainer, it is their first win in this race, and that also the case for jockey D Van Dyke. Congratulations to them! The race was run in a time of 2:26.02, a middle of the road winning time over the race’s history. Here’s a look at it!

(½ Mile- :49.46)- There’s nothing different in the game plan today for Number Nine, as she breaks well from the gate and takes the lead by about a length and a half. Behind her, they are three wide, with none of these horses looking any more interested than another one in getting up and challenging the leader. Pirate Petranella, the post time favorite from Smokey Stover is on the rail, with First Street Stables’ Amaris in the middle, and High Voltage’s Sweetness on the outside. It’s another length to Big Fajita (Rheingold Stables) on the inside of Emmy (Our Athletes). Insist You Fail (Rock Creek) is about two lengths back. And it was dismal from the start for Shunned (Night Rider Stables).

(¾ Mile- 1:13.50)- Number Nine continues to hold an uncontested lead, running down the frontstretch and into the turn in a graceful manner. Behind her, Sweetness is starting to emerge as the best horse of the group of stalkers as she runs on the outside, though Amaris does well to try and stay with her. Pirate Petranella has lost about a half length to them here. Behind them, Big Fajita and Emmy are content to about three-four lengths from the lead. Two more to Insist You Fail, and Shunned has been shunned by the field.

(Top Of Stretch, 1.8F To Go)- There is little for Number Nine to worry about as she runs all by herself on the front end for the backstretch portion of the race and into the turn. About midway into the turn, Sweetness begins to close the gap on her, and as they reach the top of the stretch, Number Nine begins to have some company in front. Amaris is there, too, running between the top two horses, and about half a length behind Sweetness. A large gap is created behind them now, as this portion of the race was particularly difficult for Pirate Petranella, who has fallen about four lengths from the lead. Big Fajita and Emmy are starting to pull alongside her, but is not threatening for anything else.

(Finish- 2:26.02)- With challengers now on her outside, Number Nine needs to step up to hold on to the lead, and she does exactly that, just like a horse that has become used to winning this way. She gets herself a win by half a length and ends up being very close for second. Amaris takes the headbob over Sweetness. It’s a long way back to the rest of the field, with Pirate Petranella edging for Emmy for fourth. Then, it’s Big Fajita and Insist You Fail. We can also proudly report that eventually, Shunned actually was able to finish this race.

About The Winner- Number Nine, trained by Spankys Barn and ridden to victory by D Van Dyke, is a five year old mare by Niner Forty Niner and is out of Silent Partner. She was bred in California by Serenity Stables as a second quarter two year old and was acquired when she was still unraced by Spankys Barn, in a private sale on New Years Eve of 2018. Congratulations to the connections! The win is her sixth in 19 starts, her fourth stake win and third graded win. Her career earnings are now $660.340.

Track: Firm
Time: :49²  1:13²  2:01¹  2:26

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 7 – 4 Paid 27.30
$1 Trifecta: 7 – 4 – 5 Paid 683.40

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES