The Ballston Handicap (Grade 2)- $400.000 Purse
SAR- For Fillies and Mares Three Years Old and Upward
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Inner Turf
August 25, 2018

D J C Racing Stables had a good start to the graded stake portion of the day at Saratoga, and in the Ballston Handicap, Peppermint Miss picked up the biggest win of her career. It was a small field, with just five going to the gate, but three of them were owned by one trainer, Mb Stables. It did seem as though Peppermint Miss was the one to beat, and while she was not the favorite, she was very well bet. For D J C Racing Stables, it is his second win in this stake, having also won back in 2014 with Royal Irish Lancers. Aboard the winner was L H Colon, who made the most of his day at SAR by picking up his first career win in this race. Congrats to them! The time of the victory was 1:34.50, the second quickest in the stake’s history. Let’s take a look!

(1/4 Mile- :23.66)- Peppermint Miss, out eventual winner from D J C Racing Stables, goes right to the front. She will not overdo her early lead, but it clear in front by a length and a half. Stalking her are a pair of Mb Stables’ runners, as both Broken Chai and Feel The Thunder run side by side. Two more lengths back it’s the highweight, Trump Princess, running fourth for Winning Link Stables, while the final Mb runner, Change Perception is at the back. There is a gap of just four lengths from first to last at this point in the race.

(½ Mile- :46.98)- Around the opening turn, and into the backstretch, Peppermint Miss is looking very good. It seems to be an effortless stride at this point, with quick but not ridiculous fractions being set as her lead is now about two and a half on the rest of the field. Broken Chai is still in that position, with stablemate Feel The Thunder running right beside her to the inside. These two are not concerned with the leader at this point, and that does come back to haunt them. Trump Princess, the post time favorite, is in the back with Change Perception, with five lengths to make up now.

(Top Of Stretch, 1.5F To Go)- Down the backstretch and throughout the turn, Peppermint Miss is simply in cruise control. Surely, this cannot be this easy, can it? Because, she is making quick work of her opposition here. The lead is now three, as Broken Chai runs in second still, pulling away a little from Feel The Thunder. Change Perception was looking ambitious towards the exit of the turn, but starting making this move too late. She still had three and a half to make up on Peppermint Miss, and that seemed pretty impossible. It was really just a matter of who’s name would be on Mb’s second place check. Trump Princess remained at the pack, perhaps struggling with her weight disadvantage.

(Finish- 1:34.50)- No one is catching Peppermint Miss. She had given this field the slip in the turn, and was still in full stride all the way to the wire. It is an impressive victory for her going forward, and she would have beaten a full field here as well. Change Perception gets within a length to her credit, but she spotted too much ground to the winner. Broken Chai is the best of the rest, finishing ahead of Feel The Thunder and Trump Princess.

About The Winner- Peppermint Miss, trained by D J C Racing Stables and ridden to victory by L H Colon, is a four year old filly by Peppermint Moon, and is out of the late Adorable Miss. She was bred in California as a second quarter two year old by Allinthegate, and acquired by D J C via private sales in May of this year for $350.000. Congratulations to the connections! The win is her seventh win in 17 starts, her fourth stake win, but first graded win. Her career earnings are now $593.010.

Track: Firm
Time: :23³  :46⁴  1:09⁴  1:39²

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 3 – 5 Paid 29.60
$1 Trifecta: 3 – 5 – 2 Paid 618.10

Scratched: None

Winner picked by NS

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES