August 29, 2016
If you were brave enough to handicap the Grade I Personal Ensign at SAR on Saturday afternoon, you needed to look no further than the three-year-olds, as the only four among the field of ten occupied the top four placings, led by Grade I Mother Goose winner Shake It Off. The daugher of Quench is lightly race but high on talent and now boasts two straight top class wins and more than $900.000 in earnings, while The Hanging Tree now has seven runner-up finishes in ten career starts after failing to close enough in what has become the best division at HRP this year.
As expected, Quiet Elegance (18.85) broke best and established the early pace in the Personal Ensign as Vertigineux (34.25) sat second from her outside gate with Technology Sweep (10.25) tucked into third. The two outside runners both got to the front rather easily as the field of nine sorted itself out and it was Vertigineux who took the advantage with both Shake It Off (*2.25) and Lullaby Maker Tf (4.55) sitting perfectly just in behind the leaders. A sharp opening half-mile in 47.50, coupled with a hot pace duel up front, set things up for those in behind the frontrunners and Technology Sweep angled out for her shot early, bringing Lullaby Maker Tf and Shake It Off into the race as well. Quiet Elegance tried to re-engage Vertigineux through six-furlongs in 1:11.35 but the momentum was clearly with the outside runners and a new shooter was emerging as The Hanging Tree (3.00) got going from midpack. The leaders were quickly swallowed up at the top of the stretch as Shake It Off burst through from between rivals and a wall of five stretched across the track, making for one of the more exciting finishes of the afternoon. Lullaby Maker Tf simply did not have it and both Quiet Elegance and Vertigineux backed away after their early pace encounter, leaving Technology Sweep to chase the leader with The Hanging Tree charging out wide. But at the end of the day, nothing could stop Shake It Off from running away with her second straight Grade I triumph and she stormed home to a one-length win with The Hanging Tree second, Technology Sweep third and Princess Legion (21.50) closing up the rail for fourth. Lullaby Maker Tf, Vertigineux and Quiet Elegance finished in midpack with Donna Chang (8.55) outrun, Chili King (11.70) dismal and wide throughout and Danzing Logic (18.60) last in her first start for the new barn.
Australia Wide won the 2005 Personal Ensign with Darling Harbour and the 2006 edition with Bentenichi, both by commanding margins, but their win this year with Shake It Off was a little more tepid and much more challenging, yet she was more than up to the task. She now has her spot in the starting gate for the BC Distaff assured and can take a breather, knowing that she could ship for the Grade I Zenyatta or stay in NY for the Grade I Beldame.
Congratulations goes out to owner Australia Wide and their three-year-old filly Shake It Off, a rousing winner of the Grade I Personal Ensign at SAR!
Prediction Chili King / The Hanging Tree / Quiet Elegance
Winner Shake It Off
Three-year-old bay filly
Quench-Majic Dust (Dust Brothers)
Owner Australia Wide
Time 47.50, 1:11.35, 1:35.80, 1:48.44
Overall
Shake It Off *2.25 midpack early, found room, clear
The Hanging Tree 3.00 wide run both turns, up for second
Technology Sweep 10.25 pressed, good late run
Princess Legion 21.50 inside trip throughout
Lullaby Maker Tf 4.55 stalked, no late response
Vertigineux 34.25 set pace, weakend
Quiet Elegance 18.85 pace early, tired
Donna Chang 8.55 no threat
Chili King 11.70 wide, outrun
Danzing Logic 18.60 no factor
Triple T Racing 🙂
Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES
