The 17th Running of the G3 Lecomte Stakes
January 22, 2022 16:20
FG Race #11 $200.000 11/16 Dirt
3YO C/G 122 Lbs/F 117 Lbs (plus penalties)
KYD Points Race (10-4-2-1)
Track Record-1:39.97 (Phuneios-2013)
Stakes Record-1:41.33 (Shadow Police-2022)
Seeing as the author of the preview was called an idiot soon after Shadow Police defeated the eleven males who opposed her in Saturday’s G3 Lecomte at FG, suffice to say that the race went a little differently than was expected. After setting all of the fractions in both of her wins coming into the race, Shadow Police utilized a well-timed rally from off of the pace to set a new stakes’ record; she also secured the 10 KYD qualifying points awarded to the winner, as well as the lion’s share of the $200.000 purse in the 8.5 furlong contest. The win, the first going two turns for the Smokey Stover-trained filly, improves her record to an impressive 4-3-0-0 with earnings of $188.400.
Racing in sixth and travelling in the three path, Shadow Police bided her time as The Greek and Blasphemy sped through an opening quarter in :23.67. Seemingly content with how things were playing-out, Shadow Police maintained her path and position as The Greek hit the half-mile point in :47.20.
Although she was gathering momentum through the turn, when The Greek hit six furlongs in 1:11, the evntual winner had drifted-out to about the six path and she still had five rivals to get by. When new leader Keyhunt reached the furlong marker, Shadow Police had reached that one’s inner flank, had not a hair in her path, and only two horses left in front of her. She took over just inside the sixteenth pole and powered home a length in front of Keyhunt, who drifted-out badly through the stretch, as that runner held-off Mr Nix Nooks for the place honors. Another two lengths behind the show horse, Custom Continental secured fourth, and the singular qualifying point that came with it, and was followed home by Changing Times, The Greek, Warrior Of Chiefs, Winstorm, Blasphemy, War All The Time, Chai West, and The Tonight Show.
Shadow Police hit the wire in a new stakes-record time of 1:41.33 for the 8.5 furlongs; she is the first Lecomte winner for trainer Smokey Stover (who also took the local KYO prep as well). Congratulations to both horse and conditioner for their victory in the G3 Lecomte at FG.
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES
