Ladies Marathon (Grade 3)- $1,000.000 Purse
KD- For Fillies and Mares Three Years Old and Upward
One Mile and Five Sixteenths on the Turf
September 7, 2024
It doesn’t have as high of a purse as other races at KD may have on Saturday, but there is never anything wrong with running for $1,000.000. That’s what a field of ten will do in the third running of the Ladies Marathon. As its name suggests, it is a long race, going a little more than a mile and a quarter. Three-year-olds were eligible for the race, but none have been entered, so older females will have the race all to themselves. In 2023, Stinky Rene won the race for TwinTowersRacing, which was part of an incredible three race stretch for her that also saw her win the Beverly D and the Taylor Stakes, each of which are Grade 1’s. She started this year well, but did not sustain that to the trainer’s liking and has since been retired. Here’s a look at the ten heading to post this year:
1- Sneaky Panther (Nakamura Stables, ridden by S Elliott)- Since being promoted to graded competition, Sneaky Panther has hit the board in five of six races (not all being a stake, though), but only one of those have resulted in a victory. That came in the Grade 3 Valley View at KEE last October and since then she has been close to the winner, but that’s been it. Only has made three starts this year and was second in an optional claimer at DMR last time out. It’s her first stake since March.
2- Lady Hilltopper (Black N Gold Stable, ridden by J R Velazquez)- Last year, Stinky Rene won the Ladies Marathon right after she won the Beverly D. Lady Hilltopper will be hoping to the same, as she won that race by an impressive two lengths last month. She’s had three graded wins this year, part of her eleven total for her career. Last year, she ran in the BC Fillies and Mares Turf bad had a flat performance, and since we know she will back after the Beverly D win, she seems poised to improve on that. But first things first, and that’s the Ladies Marathon, where she figures to be one of the top options.
3- Shining At Knight (Our Athletes, ridden by F Geroux)- Makes her turf debut here in the Ladies Marathon off of winning the DEL Handicap (Grade 2) two months ago. Prior to that, she was second in the Grade 1 Phipps, so this surface change is not a response to recent mediocre performances. Her one public turf work was a good one back in February, so that may be enough to feel positive about the move, and surely the private works are promising.
4- Shes So Pure (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by S X Bridgmohan)- In twenty starts, Shes So Pure has been able to hit the board twelve times but only of them has been a victory. Seven times, she has been third. It’s interesting how she always seems to be close at the end, but still can’t get that second win. She needed fifteen starts to break her maiden. Perhaps the longer distance will help her.
5- Horing Gal (Night Rider Stables, ridden by T Conner)- A filly that continues to get opportunities at the highest of levels but has not really done enough to justify that. Early in her career, sure, she showed promise and if this race was being held before last Christmas, I would find her a little more appealing. Her last three starts have been flat, and sure, the Apple Blossom before that was a great effort but right now that looks more like the outlier, and not vice versa. Of course, if she finds that side of her again, she can surprise.
6- November Storm (Mb Stables, ridden by W T Buick)- Mb Stables invested $300.000 in this filly last year, and that has certainly paid off. November Storm was promptly placed into graded races and would win the Grade 1 QE II Challenge Cup last October. Since then, she has continued to be very consistent with hitting the board in top races, even though she does not have a real glamourous win other than the Grade 3 Sheepshead Bay in May. Should be very comfortable with this distance.
7- D Souza (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by A Cedillo)- This is the one that the trainer is hoping gives him a return trip to the winner’s circle in the Ladies Marathon, and it is a good thing that D Souza doesn’t know that. After all, that would be a lot of pressure for a filly that is running in a stake, of any type, for the first time. She’s won twice and hit the board eight times in fifteen starts, so has been hit and miss, something that has held true regardless of surface. Hasn’t raced since late June, so at least she will be fresh.
8- Ajar (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by F T Alvarado)- A veteran five-year-old mare that will be making her 33rd career start. In that time, she’s won five times but has been better with getting finishes in the money. Most of those races, including her last start which was a win in the $125.000 Johnstone Mile for NY-Breds at the Spa, have been on the dirt. She’s been very consistent on the grass, though, hitting the board seven of eight times. When she ran a mile and a half on the turf in January, she looked good, and I don’t see why that cannot happen again.
9- Beaucucamonga (Mo Mentum Farm, ridden by Mar Garcia)- Another veteran of the racetrack, as she will make her 27th start here in the Ladies Marathon, and is no stranger to winning. She’s done that eleven times, but not always at the highest of levels. With Mo Mentum Farm, who claimed her in November, she’s been able to see rather stakes. Also, she’s been able to see the grass, making her turf debut in May and winning two of four since the move: the Grade 3 Beaugay at AQU and Grade 3 RGD at DEL. Not sure what happened last time out, with a real ugly race line, but whatever it was, I can throw it out.
10- Tapioca Pudding (Mb Stables, ridden by P Lopez)- From the outside, this Hamilton mare will be looking for her fifth straight win. It’s safe to say that something has clicked between her and Mb Stables, as the trainer claimed her for $45.000 in February, and she is a perfect 4-for-4 since then. Last time out, she came from behind to win the Grade 2 Glens Falls, at a mile and a half on the turf, at SAR, and she won at that distance at CD in May as well. Very appealing in this field.
Prediction: 2-10-8-6
— NS
Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES
