Campanile ($100.000 Purse)
GG- For Fillies Three Years Old Foaled in CA
One Mile on the Turf
May 1, 2016

You don’t name a horse Track Star if you never had high expectations.   Looking at the placement of this filly early on, it is very clear that those expectations were high and the name not earned because it was combination of her parents’ names.   After winning two of her first three races at high level tracks, Track Star was shining bright.  Her two year old season ultimately saw her run in races like the Johnson at SAR, and Grade 1 Starlet at LA.   She never hit the board in any of them, and her only wins for 2015 would be those two early races.   Track Star again began a year off well this year with two optional claiming wins, but you know that Chili King Stables wanted more then that.   On Sunday, much like we saw with Bottoms Out in the Sullivan (and you can say that these two winner seem to be on similar paths to success), Track Star found her calling in going this distance on the grass, and finally picked up a stake win.  It is likely this will lead to bigger races in her future.  It is the first win in the stake for both trainer, and jockey D Van Dyke.  The winning race time of 1:33.57 also becomes your new stake record.   Let’s look more at this result.

1st- 4- Track Star (3/1)- Our eventual winner from Chili King Stables got off to an average start, content to stay in a midpack position, about four lengths from the lead around the opening turn and into the backstretch.  Remained here until it was time to hit the final turn, and here we began to see make her move.  D Van Dyke gave a look at how the race was shaping up in front of her before choosing the lane that he wanted Track Star to take, and that would be along the rail.  She cut about two lengths off her deficit in the turn, and in the top of the stretch, the race was hers for the taking.  Neither Low Flush or Hang Fire were making a move on Secret Raggs, so she would be the only stretch threat to the leader.  In the stretch, Track Star showed a lot of speed, and made the pass look easier then it really was.  This gets her the win in a stake record time of 1:33.57.  Congrats to winning trainer Chili King Stables!  This three year old CA-bred filly is by Abra Kadabra, and out of Coyote Bridge.  She was bred as a yearling by Chili King Stables, the only owner for which she has ever known.

2nd- 1- Secret Raggs (186/1)- The longest shot on the board, from Riggins Racing, had the couple people that bet on her screaming early as she jumped out to the early lead and led the field into the backstretch, setting the opening quarter in :23.51.  Continued to pace the field, setting the fractions at both a half (:46.72) and three quarters, and never really got much pressure from the two that had been stalking her as the race moved into the stretch.  She wasn’t going to hold off Track Star, but to her credit she did a very good job holding on to her second position especially when it seemed inevitable that a couple more would get by.  In the end, she not only made Riggins Racing money, but those who bet on her as well.

3rd- 5- Low Flush (6/1)- Looking for his fourth win in seven Campanile’s, R A Baze has his Pocket Aces entry off to a strong start before ultimately settling her into the third position, in the third lane about a length and a half from the lead.  Remained three wide into the final turn, but would only be able to pass Hang Fire while in the stretch. Got close to Secret Raggs, but never past her, and had nothing for Track Star.

4th- 3- Hang Fire (4/1)- The Paradise Stable entry was in good form early on, assuming a stalking position around the opening turn, and was within a length of Secret Raggs as they moved down the backstretch.   Looked like she was poised to make a move on Secret Raggs on exit of the turn, but she was not able to make that advance stick, and would ultimately never be able to pass that one here.

5th- 7- Acer Line (13/1)- The entry from Asgar did not show much today.  She would start the race near the back of the pack with about five lengths to make up to the leaders in the backstretch.  In the stretch, she briefly looked as though she might make a move, but it never materialized.

6th- 2- Gran Finale (9/2)- Not surprisingly, this Night Mare Racing filly found herself at the back early.  The traditional deep closer left a lot of ground to make up though, two lengths behind the next closest filly and overall seven lengths from the lead.  Remained at the back of the pack for most of the race, but when it was time for the close to begin, we never saw it.

7th- 6- Nebraska Ag (2/1)- The always consistent post time favorite, as well as our pick, left a lot of people scratching their heads at the end of this one, the first of which is her trainer, Tiratzo.  Her start was average, though she seemed a little awkward in the backstretch, running four wide when their really seemed to be no reason to do so.  This would sum up her race, and she would be flat all the way to the wire.  Hopefully the trainer knows why this could have happened.  Looked like blown meters.

Track: Firm
Time: :23²  :46³  1:09⁴  1:33²

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 4 – 1 Paid 329.70
$1 Trifecta: 4 – 1 – 5 Paid 970.80

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded