Valid, here beating Bradester in the 2014 Monmouth Cup, ran second over the weekend. Photo By Ryan Denver/EQUI-PHOTO.
Four horses on the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred/The Racing Biz Top Midlantic-bred Poll were in action this past weekend. Here’s how they did:
[su_list icon=”icon: check”]- Off two straight impressive wins in graded company, Virginia-bred Stellar Wind (more) went off as the lukewarm 3.20-1 favorite in Friday’s Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks — but it would not be her day in the sun. Under regular rider Victor Espinoza, the daughter of Curlin lagged towards the rear of the field for much of the early running, came under a ride rounding the turn, swung very wide entering the stretch before shifting back in, and ended up fourth. She was beaten 4 3/4 lengths by winner Lovely Maria. She now has a seasonal record of 3-2-0-0 and earnings of $346,000. Stellar Wind was the unanimous choice atop the poll of three-year-olds.
- Pennsylvania-bred Dame Dorothy is, it appears, all that and a bag of chips. The daughter of Bernardini — second among older horses in the most recent poll — posted an upset in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff Saturday at Churchill Downs, defeating Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint champ Judy the Beauty by a neck to get the money. Dame Dorothy, trained by Todd Pletcher for celebrity chef Bobby Flay, has two wins and a second from three starts this year and has earned $347,840.
- Pennsylvania-bred She’s a Big Winner was the 9-10 favorite in Friday’s Ultrafleet Stakes at Santa Anita Park, a 6 1/2 furlong test on the track’s famed downhill turf course. But the daughter of Bellamy Road, second on the list of three-year-olds, could not deliver. The Peter Eurton trainee showed speed early, dueling for the lead, before tiring to fifth in the lane. She has two wins and a third from four starts this year with earnings of $91,434.
- Virginia-bred Valid (more), fourth on the list of older horses, was the 6-5 favorite in an open allowance Saturday at Parx Racing. The Marcus Vitali trainee sped to the early lead and controlled the pace but could not hold off the late charge of Mezzano, who defeated him by a neck. The son of Medaglia d’Oro has a 2015 record of 5-1-1-1 and earnings of $109,190; his lone seasonal win came in the Grade 3 Fred W. Hooper Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
