Bourbonette Oaks (KYO)- $150.000 Purse
TP- For Fillies Three Years Old
One Mile on the Dirt
March 27, 2021

Smokey Stover made a big investment with Viking Belle Vb, picking her up about a week after she won an allowance, for $250.000 in private sales. She had not run in anything greater than that up to that point, so there is a level of risk with such a purchase. After the Bourbonette Oaks, that is a chance that is now seeing its reward. She would run a smart race here, staying in the middle of the field most of the way before making her move in the stretch, and because of that she picked up 20 valuable KYO points, giving her 40 with a month to go before the race. For Smokey Stover, it is his first win in the race, and that is true for jockey J Lezcano as well. Congratulations to them! The time of the race was 1:35.60. Let’s take a look!

(¼ Mile- :23.32)- Golda Meir goes out to the lead to start this race for her trainer, Patterson Stables, and she takes a length lead over the second place Ginger Lee, out of Nakamura Stables. Right behind her, it’s Quickly Insist (Bomberracing) and Lady Sammyantha (The Sidley Stud), who race side by side for the fourth position. Our eventual winner, Viking Belle Vb, is next for Smokey Stover, holding the rail as she trails the leader by about four lengths. Cartwheel Dumpling (Night Rider Stables) is nearby to her outside, and the trailers are Dead Sneaky (Ace Racing Stable) and Blue Moon Rising (Sccj Stables).

(½ Mile- :46.80)- At the front, Golda Meir continues to enjoy her uncontested lead. Entering the backstretch, a couple horses move up, one of which was Quickly Insist, who takes the second position away from Ginger Lee, and the other is Cartwheel Dumpling, who had a more determined move to be closer to the front. Those three are running side by side and stalking Golda Meir. Lady Sammyantha holds her spot right behind them, and Viking Belle Vb is not concerned by any of this as she remains tight to the rail. Dead Sneaky is next, and Blue Moon Rising is well off the pace.

(Top Of Stretch, 1.7F To Go)- Golda Meir leads the way into the turn, and no one is going to challenge her, not even Quickly Insist and Cartwheel Dumpling, the two horses that were so determined to move up in the backstretch. Those two are backing off, while the stalker that had been running more consistently, Ginger Lee, looms as the bigger threat. She starts to make a move midway through the turn, and when that happens, J Lezcano flips the switch aboard Viking Belle Vb, telling his filly that it’s time to run! Viking Belle Vb responds very well, coming off the rail, but pouncing on the opportunity, moving into third. She’s set up now for a strong stretch run. Further back, Blue Moon Rising had started closing quite well, but she had a ton of ground to still make up.

(Finish- 1:35.60)- In the stretch, Golda Meir drifts to the outside just enough for both Ginger Lee and Viking Belle Vb to each hold their lanes. Even though Viking Belle Vb seemed to be running with the most power in her stride exiting the turn, Ginger Lee was hanging tough until about the midway point of the stretch. That is when Viking Belle Vb had an additional gear that her rival would not have, and she end up winning by a length. Ginger Lee takes second, narrowly over Golda Meir who tried her best to hang in there as well. It’s another length to Lady Sammyantha, who does enough for fourth, topping the late running Blue Moon Rising. Quickly Insist, Cartwheel Dumpling, and Dead Sneaky round it out.

About The Winner- Viking Belle Vb, trained by Smokey Stover and ridden to victory by J Lezcano, is a three year old filly by Viking Bachelor, and is out of Belle Decima. She was bred in Texas by Shermfirm Stables as a second quarter two year old, and was acquired by Smokey Stover, via La Canada Racehorses, in private sales for $250.000 in February 2021. The win is her third in six starts, and her first stake win of any sort. Her career earnings are now $183.840.

Track: Fast
Time: :23¹  :46⁴  1:10²  1:35³

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 1 – 4 Paid 24.70
$1 Trifecta: 1 – 4 – 8 Paid 558.00

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded