July 14, 2015
The top three finishers from the WO Oaks came back on Sunday to compete in the Bison City Stakes but when Oaks winner Angelic Appeal failed to get to the lead as expected, it was Unsecured who benefited and overcame a runner-up finish last time out to score her first stakes win in only her fifth career start. Regally bred by Charley Farley, out of a former Bison City runner-up in Beautiful Era, she went one better than her dam and took down the lion’s share of the $250.000 purse, while earning a 95-speed rating that ranks as her best to date and one of the best from an ON-bred filly all season.
Only four horses lined up for the Bison City and while Angelic Appeal (*0.80) was the expected pacesetter, it was Rhaella (37.90) from the outside to garnered the early lead from the outside and led the quartet into the first turn. It did take her a full quarter-mile in 24.59 to finally get down to the rail but she did nonetheless and that left Unsecured (1.60) two-wide and Angelic Appeal pinned along the fence. Everyone tucked into single file down the backstretch with Rhaella comfortably in control but a half-mile in a quickening 48.60 set the stage for a showdown in the final furlongs as the field waited for the right moment to pounce on the leader. Around the bend, Rhaella angled into the two-wide path for some reason while Unsecured hugged the rail and Ancient Royalty (3.70) started her run and after six-furlongs in 1:12.05, each of the four had a chance to step up for the win. As Rhaella continued to race very wide down the WO stretch, Unsecured used the path of least resistance and simply ran less distance and in the end, when it looked like the leader would hold on, she faded and the victory went to the second-choice by a nose, with Ancient Royalty also nosing out Angelic Appeal for third money.
Angelic Appeal failed to get to the early lead and that cost her at odds-on, and when Rhaella failed to maintain a straight line in the stretch drive, it was Unsecured who benefited while adding her name to a long list of stakes winners for sire Charley Farley with her score in the Bison City. A logical spot for her next start might be the Eternal Search over the same course and distance, or the Wonder Where on turf, but she might want to return to tougher company with the Grade I Alabama the greatest test with the greatest of her generation against her.
Congratulations goes out to owner Team 7 Illusions and their three-year-old filly Unsecured, an inside winner of the Bison City Stakes at WO!
Prediction Angelic Appeal / Unsecured / Rhaella
Winner Unsecured
Three-year-old black filly
Charley Farley-Beautiful Era (Jolly Be Great)
Owner Team 7 Illusions
Time 24.59, 48.60, 1:12.05, 1:42.33
Overall
Unsecured 1.60 stalked, inside run, up in time
Rhaella 37.90 set pace, wide into lane, missed
Ancient Royalty 3.70 wide run around turn, got third
Angelic Appeal *0.80 no late momentum
Triple T Racing 🙂
Categories: FEATURED STORIES
