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Denomination digs deep in Hillsborough
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| Denomination got the
winner's share of the money in the Hillsborough
(Tom Cooley Photography) |
Ghislaine Head's DENOMINATION (Smart Strike) rallied to the lead in
midstretch and gamely repulsed the bid of Zagora (Fr) (Green Tune) in
Saturday's $150,000
Hillsborough H. (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs. Trained by Christophe
Clement and ridden by Frederic Lenclud, the five-year-old mare earned
her first U.S. stakes victory with the neck decision and completed the
about 1 1/8-mile distance in 1:48 3/5 over the firm turf. She paid
$26.20, $9 and $5.60 as the 12-1 sixth choice among nine rivals.
Cherokee Queen (Cherokee Run) showed the way through splits in :24
4/5 and :49 2/5 as Denomination tracked her in second, a couple of
lengths back after the opening half-mile. Denomination begin to whittle
away the lead on the far turn and went after the pacesetter in earnest
after entering the stretch. Zagora, the 9-5 in her first start since a
runner-up finish in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S. (G1),
rallied wide into the frame off the far turn, sticking a head in front
as she passed the mile mark in 1:37 1/5, but Denomination soon regained
the advantage and out-battled her rival to the wire. |
Bred in Kentucky by Brookdale Thoroughbreds, Denomination is out of the
unraced Storm Cat mare Dreamlike and counts as a half-brother 2005 Smile Sprint
H. (G2) and True North H. (G2) winner Woke Up Dreamin (Holy Bull). The
14-year-old mare is also the dam of a yearling colt by Lemon Drop Kid, and
Dreamlike is a daughter of the terrific Flawlessly (Affirmed), who was named
champion turf mare in 1992 and 1993. Flawlessly earned more than $2.5 million
while compiling nine Grade 1 victories during her 28-race career.
Denomination started her racing career in France, compiling victories in the
Prix Vanteaux (Fr-G3) and Prix Finlande as well as three stakes placings,
including a pair of Group 3 events. The bay mare finished second in the 2009
Pebbles S. at Belmont Park but dropped her first six starts in the United States
before capturing a December 29 allowance/optional claiming event at Tampa Bay
Downs. She entered the Hillsborough off a fast-closing third in the February 12
Endeavour S. (G3).
With Saturday's $90,000 payday, Denomination has now earned $338,884 from a
19-5-4-3 line.
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