The Alabama – Grade I
1 1/4 Mile Dirt Stake Purse $600.000 Filly 3 Year Olds.

1st Z Command Smokey Stover Alvarado J

Nine wide into the first bend it took an age for her to get to the rail thanks to the invisible force field around each horse but she finally found the stalk and the rail and from there on in had the perfect trip. Either by luck or design this was the perfect tactical race and as often happens the horse that gets the trip wins the race. She has been ridden further back since her second in the Ashland and she certainly looked more at home in teh stalk but had to work really hard to get there and in the end this was a tough display. Considering how badly she ran in the KYO on an off track i thought the mud would be against her in this race but apparently she has been having swimming lessons at Smokey Stovers barn and didnt seem to mind it at all today.

2nd Red Lucy The Sidley Stud Ortiz I Jr

Ridden a little bit back, again she didnt look as though she would be suited by the track but put in her usual game and consistent run to nab second on the line. She got a fairly economical run from her gate which certainly helped her cause but this is the sort of honest effort we expect from this filly who was running on as strongly as the muddy track would allow at the end.

3rd Cannolo D J C Racing Stables Contreras L

Whilst the winner managed to get to the rail this filly ran the race pretty wide and by the time it came for the fight inside the final furlong she had already run her race. She kept on really gamely though and was only beaten a half length in the end which is surprising as she looked the most likely of the first three to be suited by the off track, but trip is everything here and she didnt get all favors in the end.

4th Blue Caviar Waldo Lermyte J

For me this was the run of the race and a real black booker. Taken back from her wide gate she followed a wall of horses for a long way and to be honest never looked like getting the run. For some reason her jockey refused to move and stuck to the inside looking for a miracle gap. It never really opened up but she was so full of running that her rider still refusing to move from the rail had to bump and barge his own way through and it has to be said with another furlong to run would have won going away.

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES