|
|
Winter Memories along in time in Appalachian
As Dos Lunas skipped clear, Winter Memories was just preparing to mount her rally, and lost ground wider out as well. Despite her rival's getting the ideal trip from both a pace and ground-saving perspective, Winter Memories was simply too good to be denied. Quickening even better, she lengthened stride, collared the would-be upsetter, and finished the mile on firm turf in 1:37 1/5, repaying her supporters with $3.80, $3.20 and $2.40. "We're obviously very pleased," owner John Phillips said. "The whole family is down here celebrating. To win at Keeneland is a big thing, especially for the family. Memories of Silver won on this course -- set a course record, which still stands today. (Winter Memories) is the fifth generation of our family, so we're really proud of her. (Trainer) Jimmy (Toner) and the crew have done a great job." "We're very happy with the way she came back," Toner said. "She wintered very well. She matured. She developed. We gave her the time, and I couldn't be happier with the way she ran today. She put some weight on. She just matured and filled out a bit -- just exactly what we want for a horse over the wintertime." Dos Lunas sparked mutuels of $21.40 and $8 for her fine second, 2 1/2 lengths ahead of the pack. Parting Words (Artie Schiller) took third in a blanket finish, followed by My Redbyrd (Royal Academy), Blushandbashful (Even the Score), Harlan's Ruby (Harlan's Holiday), Fast Tip (Najran), New Normal, Santina Dond (El Prado [Ire]) and Ruthenia (Pulpit). Smart Sting (Smart Strike), Diva Ash (Tapit), Artisanal (More Than Ready) and My Phi Temper (More Than Ready) were all withdrawn. Winter Memories now sports a 4-3-1-0 mark with $360,600 in earnings. Her dam, Memories of Silver, captured eight stakes during her three seasons of racing, including the 1996 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S. (G1), in a Keeneland course-record 1:45 4/5 for 1 1/8 grassy miles, and the 1997 Beverly D. S. (G1). The bay mare also placed in the Matriarch S. (G1), Yellow Ribbon S. (G1) and Flower Bowl Invitational H. (G1) during her career and bankrolled more than $1.4 million. Memories of Silver's first two foals were stakes winners, British Blue (Storm Cat) and War Trace (Storm Cat), but she didn't have a graded-class runner until La Cloche (Ghostzapper) finished second in the Pucker Up S. (G3) on September 6. Memories of Silver's latest progeny are a yearling colt by Bluegrass Cat and a newborn colt by Tiznow. She is herself a half-sister to Memories (Hail the Pirates), who captured the first division of the 1988 Miss Grillo S. (G2) when it was run at Aqueduct; Grade 3-placed stakes winner Memories of Gold (Time for a Change); and Irish listed-placed Childhood Memories (The Minstrel). Memories is herself the dam of Group 3 victor Russian Revival (Nureyev) while Childhood Memories is the granddam of multiple Grade 2 winner Liberian Freighter (Bertrando), who just garnered the Arcadia S. (G2). Winter Memories' third dam is Grade 3 queen Java Moon (Graustark), and she comes from the same line as turf champions Ryafan (Lear Fan) and Sunshine Forever (Roberto); multiple Grade 1 winner and classic-placed Brian's Time (Roberto); and Grade/Group 2 heroes Tillerman (In the Wings [GB]) and Freedom Crest (To Freedom). Also in this family is Grade 1 victress Andover Way (His Majesty), best known as the dam of top sire Dynaformer (Roberto). Toner has already identified Winter Memories' primary goal for 2011: to emulate her dam in the Queen Elizabeth II back at Keeneland in October. "Probably go in the Sands Point ([G2] on May 30 at Belmont Park) next," Toner said, "but our main objective is to come back here in the fall."
 Send this article to a friend
|
|
