June 9 2015

Many of the best three-year-old fillies at HRP got together for the running of the Grade I Acorn at BEL over the weekend and while the spotlight might have been on the boys, Shimoon Kruz put on quite a display and ran down the speed late to avenge her close finish in the KY Oaks and finally earn her first Grade I win. Sire Kruz has already produced some very good horses including KT and Just Kruz but never a Grade I winner and coming from the barn of Ekli Stable, he finally produced a top-class performer here, with the lion’s share of the $750.000 purse boosting her lifetime receipts to more than $900.000 from only 11 career starts.

It is a single run down the backstretch for horses going a flat-mile at BEL and outside speed in the Acorn came from Plucky Biscayne (13.75) and Hydro (27.65), two longshots who gave favourites Google Maps (4.80) and Laffin In Texas (5.10) all they could handle early. As Plucky Biscayne got out to the lead, she also sprinted clear enough to run down inside but a wicked opening quarter-mile of 22.76 was asking a lot from the farthest starter and it might have been Hydro who got the best of it with a dream run in second along the rail through the quick splits. Heading into the sweeping far turn, the two leaders dueled neck and neck with two-lengths to spare on Laffin In Texas in third and Lingerie Fantasy (7.00) in fourth, and through a half-mile in 45.81, the outside looked to be the place to be with Shimoon Kruz (6.90) looming perfectly. With three-furlongs to go, the two leaders were still full guns blazing with Lingerie Fantasy giving it up inside and as everyone angled out, Laffin In Texas took first run with Shimoon Kruz behind and Google Maps making her run even wider. Hydro finally wrested the lead from Plucky Biscayne as everyone bunched up and a wicked six-furlongs in 1:09.78 even saw French Liege (17.10) make a run between rivals into contention, with Dying For Iron (6.65) dying for room. At the head of the lane, any one of six or seven fillies had a chance but with a determined rush, Shimoon Kruz emerged with the lead a furlong from the wire and although Google Maps made a gutsy run outside to make things interesting, everyone really stalled late and that led to a one-length win for the now eight-time winner. Hydro actually held on for second in an excellent effort while Google Maps was too far back and could only manage third, a nose in front of Sense Of Stile (30.00) who will be craving more ground in the Alabama. Laffin In Texas hung around for a minor placing inside while Plucky Biscayne finished in midpack with Team Nebraska (*4.60) and French Liege, who failed to quicken at any point in the lane. Dying For Iron found things a little too long, Cowboy Melodie (24.60) wound up eight-wide from post 3, Lingerie Fantasy gave it up big-time in the drive and Lovely Rosa (18.25) was disappointing again after breaking last.

Trainer Ekli Stable has had some very good horses over their years at HRP but few can hold a candle to Shimoon Kruz and after failing in her Grade I debut, she rebounded at BEL on Saturday with a tour-de-force win in the Grade I Acorn and now, can look towards either the Grade I Mother Goose or the Grade II DEL Oaks as potential races to come back in. She rockets to the top of the Three-Year-Old Filly standings along with The Reaper and with a new stakes record to boot, earns that spot and all the accolades that come with it.

Congratulations goes out to owner Ekli Stable and their three-year-old filly Shimoon Kruz, a tremendous winner of the Grade I Acorn at BEL!

Prediction                  Google Maps / Team Nebraska / Laffin In Texas

Winner                       Shimoon Kruz

                                      Three-year-old black filly

                                      Kruz-Shimoon Kapai (M2 Kapai)

Owner                         Ekli Stable

Time                             22.76, 45.81, 1:09.78, 1:35.14 (NSR)

Overall

Shimoon Kruz           6.90 midpack early, clear into lane, held sway

Hydro                           27.65 angled inside, powerful late move, good finish

Google Maps              4.80 wide rally, failed to menace late

Sense Of Stile              30.00 too far back early

Laffin In Texas           5.10 inside run, evened out late

Plucky Biscayne          13.75 set pace, weakened

Team Nebraska           *4.60 no late momentum

French Liege                17.10 loomed, faded

Dying For Iron            6.65 no late room

Cowboy Melodie         24.60 wide late run

Lingerie Fantasy          7.00 pressed, weakened

Lovely Rosa                  18.25 outrun

Triple T Racing 🙂

Categories: Grade I