The Spinaway (Grade 1) (BC)- $350.000 Purse
SAR- For Fillies Two Years Old
Seven Furlongs on the Dirt
September 3, 2016

Six weeks ago, I had the pleasure of watching Que Seras Creeps run in the Lynbrook, and she ran pretty well there.  She jumped out on the lead and looked really good, until late in that race.  Que Seras Creeps would not win the race, but she really did well to dig down and try to hold off the top two.  There’s plenty of talent with this filly, and heading into the Spinaway, I liked her again but I had some concern about the distance.  She would run this race a little differently, and instead of going right to the front, she would have a nice stalking trip early, allowing her to have more left for the stretch.  When that time came, she showed her great desire again, and this time, it would be good enough to get the win! Our winning trainer is D J C Racing Stables, who wins this stake for the first time in his career.  That also holds true for the winning jockey, I Ortiz Jr. The time of victory of 1:21.79 sets a record for the stake!  Let’s look at how it was won!

1st- 4- Que Seras Creeps (7/1)- Our eventual race winner from D J C Racing Stables got off to a good start, and likely a very smart start to not get up there and challenge Talent Quest too soon.  Instead, I Ortiz Jr would keep her in a good position about two lengths from leader over the backstretch portion of the event.  She would handle the turn brilliantly, especially as they reached the exit of the turn.  At the top of the stretch, she had pulled to within a half length of Talent Quest.  Her rival would make her earn the pass, but Que Seras Creeps would be too much for her, and with a furlong to go, she had pulled out to about a length lead.  The quickest running closer was way outside, so all that was left to do was watch her run and pick up the big win!  Congratulations!  Que Seras Creeps is a two year old filly by Mr Creepy (Mordred/Die Laffin) and out of Que Sera (Charley Farley).  She was bred in New York by D J C Racing Stables as a first quarter two year old, and they have been together throughout! Congratulations to the connections!

2nd- 3- Talent Quest (6/1)- Exploded out of the gate for Mb Stables, and quickly opened up a length and a half on the field.  While never letting up over the course of the backstretch, she would set the opening quarter in :23.32 while leading by two over second place Que Seras Creeps as they moved into the turn.  She would still lead at a half mile, setting that in :46.35, but was beginning to lose ground quick to our eventual winner.  Tried to hang for a while, but could not hold her off.  This fight, however, allowed her to still prevail for second in a tight photo.

3rd- 8- Silent Waters (5/1)– The other entry from Mb Stables looked on from near the back of the field as her stablemate jumped out to the quick lead.  She was running about four lengths off, to the outside of Laffin Juliet.  From there, she probably ran one of the more unspectacular but efficient third place races that you’ll see.  While others were pushing forward, or dropping, Silent Waters simply made very slow and gradual progression over the second half of the race.  It would allow her to almost catch her stablemate.  Ironically, I said in the preview that they looked like very similar horses and I couldn’t tell which of the Mb entries would be better, and here they finish .01 apart.

4th- 5- Shes El Grand (5/2)- The post time favorite from Pan Farms was content to start the race at the rear of the field, and was six and a half lengths out as they moved into the turn.  Once they did, she made an emphatic move to the outside, but as good as it looked, she didn’t gain as much here as maybe the trainer would have preferred.  Eventually in the stretch, we did start to see Shes El Grand make the push that the jockey wanted from her a little earlier.  In her wide-most lane, she was the unlucky one in a three-way photo for second.

5th- 7- Zapatista (13/1)- Started well for John Henry and offered an initial challenge to the frontrunning Talent Quest before dropping back several lengths as they approached the turn.  Once stabilizing in the fifth position, we never really much from Zapatista.  She ran level with those around her, but never made a bid to reclaim some of that early conceded ground.

6th- 2- Desmarais (10/1)- The Jerry Garcia Racing filly started in the middle of the field, and seemed to have a nice position on the rail right behind Que Seras Creeps as they moved into the turn.  J Lezcano seemed to have some uncertainty as to the lane he wanted to take with Desmarais, first looking to the outside of Que Seras Creeps before going back to his original position on the rail for the stretch run.  Her run would fizzle out with about a furlong to go, and she would lose spots late.

7th- 6- Laffin Juliet (7/2)- Our selection did not make us look good here today.   The Delta Farms filly started towards the back of the field, but still seemed to be in a decent position on the track as they moved into the turn.  Unfortunately, when others began to make their runs on exit of the turn and into stretch, Laffin Juliet had no response.

8th- 1- Charm (11/1)-   As soon as they made it out of the starting gate, the Night Mare Racing filly was at the back of the field, and she would never become a contender in the race.  There’s not really much else to say.

Track: Fast
Time: :23¹  :46¹  1:09⁴  1:21³

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 4 – 3 Paid 64.60
$1 Trifecta: 4 – 3 – 8 Paid 350.30

Scratched: Wine And Bubble

— NS

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES