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Spacy Tracy reaches the stars in Top Flight upset

Spacy Tracy won going away once she found clear sailing in the Top Flight (Ross Woodson/Horsephotos.com) Mercedes Stables' homebred SPACY TRACY (Awesome Again), who had graduated for a $25,000 claiming tag a year and a half ago, turned in an impressive display to comfortably win Friday's $150,000 Top Flight H. (G2) at Aqueduct by three parts of a length under Jeremy Rose. It was the first graded victory for the Tony Dutrow-trained five-year-old, who returned $15.20, $7 and $4 at odds of 6-1 in the field of six fillies and mares. In the clear outside of horses in fifth down the backside, Spacy Tracy chased a pace set by Qualia (Saarland), who rattled off a quarter in :23 3/5 and a half in :46 3/5. By the half-mile marker Spacy Tracy had advanced to fourth and moved closer to the rail, but found herself behind a wall of horses turning for home after six furlongs was reached in 1:10 4/5 with Qualia still in the lead. That one was joined at that point by Our Khrysty (Newfoundland) with Funny Moon (Malibu Moon), a length behind following a wide journey.

With a furlong to go, Qualia was still up a head over Our Khrysty but tiring, while Funny Moon's bid outside those two began to sputter. When a gap failed to materialize between those rivals, jockey Jeremy Rose was forced to alter course and took the mare outside the top three. Once in the clear, Spacy Tracy accelerated past those rivals to win going away in a time of 1:35 1/5 for a mile on the fast main track.

"The trip was pretty much perfect, other than that I had to wait a lot longer than I wanted to," Rose said. "She's coming into her own and every race she's been getting better and faster. Tony, the exercise riders, everyone is doing a great job with her."

Our Khrysty prevailed for the place honors by 1 1/4 lengths, and returned $4.40 and $2.70 at 4-1. Qualia held off Funny Moon for third by three parts of a length and paid $3.70 at 3-1. The exacta paid $60.50 and the 3-4-5 trifecta was worth $242.50.

The disappointment of the race was 8-5 favorite Sara Louise (A.P. Indy), the 2009 Top Flight winner who swung wide for the drive but had no kick. She finished fifth and only beat Way With Words (Sefapiano) to the line. R Betty Graybull (Holy Bull) was scratched.

"I felt very good about her handling one turn," said Dutrow in regards to the placement of his mare in the Top Flight. "I was more concerned about the competition, but she was in great form, so I was very hopeful. She'll get a little bit of rest now."

Spacy Tracy began her career in California under the tutelage of Angelo Tekos Jr. After a win and two second-place finishes out west, she was shipped east to Dutrow. She won two of her first four starts for Dutrow on turf, and has now won three straight on dirt. These include a second-level allowance at Philadelphia Park, the Justakiss S. at Delaware Park, and now the Top Flight. Her record now stands at 10-6-3-0, $240,690.

"We just wanted to see how she'd do on the dirt, it was as simple as that," Dutrow said. "She has been good on every surface. She was good on artificial surfaces and on the turf, but she has been excelling since we moved her to the dirt."

Bred in Kentucky, Spacy Tracy was produced by the winning Theatrical (Ire) mare Tracy, making her a half-sister to this year's Berkeley S. (G3) winner Run It (Cherokee Run). Tracy herself is a half-sister to 1992 champion juvenile filly Eliza (Mt. Livermore), Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner Dinard (Strawberry Road [Aus]) and multiple stakes winner Power Bidder (Lines of Power). All were produced by the unraced Daring Bidder (Bold Bidder).

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