McPeek Wins And Loses In Gaily Gaily
Central -- Heiligbrodt
Racing Stable's unbeaten Lady Tak continued to train sharply in
preparation for Saturday's $500,000 Fair Grounds Oaks (Grade II), a
major prep for Kentucky Oaks 129 (GI).
Jockey Donnie Meche told the New Orleans Times-Picayune that a
six-furlong breeze last Monday was designed to expose the Steve Asmussen
trainee to things she may experience in the 1 1/16-mile Fair Grounds
Oaks.
"Awesome," Meche said. "She worked behind horses. I just sat
behind the other two horses. We let her get dirt in her face...She came
back like she never even worked."
Lady Tak completed the breeze in 1:13.60 and left her rider
brimming with confidence about Saturday's race.
"I know one thing -- my horse doesn't know how to get beat,"
Meche said. "She loves the winner's circle."
Du-Zee Stable's Unbridled Femme took the lead on the far turn
and cruised to a 13 1/2-length romp over Slammin Lil in Saturday's
$50,000 Valdale Stakes at Turfway Park. The daughter of 1990 Kentucky
Derby (GI) winner Unbridled, trained by David Pate and ridden by Brian
Peck, will run next in the $150,000 Bourbonette on March 22 at the
Northern Kentucky track.
West -- Trainer Bob Baffert
pronounced Robert and Beverly Lewis' Composure "ready to roll" in the
$300,000 Santa Anita Oaks (GI) on March 8 after a six furlong work at
Santa Anita.
The winner of the Las Virgenes (GI) covered the distance on
Saturday in 1:11.60. A field of six that also includes Elloluv, who
upset Composure in the Hollywood Starlet (GI), is expected for
Saturday's race at the Southern California track.
East -- Michael Sherman's
favored Elegant Designer, an invader from Laurel Park in Maryland,
rallied in the stretch to catch Virgin Voyage and then held off a late
charge from the latter's stablemate, Xtra Heart, to win Saturday's
$81,450 Busher Stakes on Saturday at New York's Aqueduct.
The Tony Dutrow-trained Elegant Designer survived the
three-horse photo finish to win by a head over Xtra Heart.
The 1 1/16-mile race was the first effort at a two-turn distance
for Elegant Designer and she completed the distance under jockey Mario
Pino in 1:45.20. The Suave Prospect filly has won four consecutive
races and has six wins in eight starts.
"She had to fight hard and she was very game," Dutrow said.
"For her to run like that off a few months layoff in itself was
impressive, but considering it was her first time around two turns, it
was even more impressive."
Southeast -- Friday's win by Devil
At The Wire in the $65,000 Gaily Gaily on the Gulfstream Park turf was a
story of mixed emotions for trainer Ken McPeek, who saw the daughter of
Devil His Due suffer a career-ending injury as she galloped out after
her neck victory over favored Formal Miss.
Devil At The Wire was pulled up on the backstretch by jockey
Mark Guidry and left the track in an ambulance.
"She was sound as could be but she didn't change leads when
pulling up after the race and she suffered a fractured sesamoid bone in
her right front leg," said McPeek. "We were able to save her and now
she's being retired to be bred."
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