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Somali Lemonade tartly dismisses foes in Jessamine
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| Somali Lemonade has come from the clouds in both starts
(Keeneland/Coady Photography) |
Caroline A. Forgason's Somali Lemonade employed a powerful last-to-first
rally in Thursday's Grade 3, $150,000
Jessamine Stakes at Keeneland, setting her
up for a tilt at the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Now two-for-two, the
Michael Matz trainee joins her unbeaten stablemate Union Rags, the likely
Juvenile favorite, on the road to Louisville."She's a very talented filly, that's for sure," Matz said. "I was a
little nervous because she's only had one start, but she showed her
class today."
Somali Lemonade was dispatched as the 6-5 favorite off an impressive debut
maiden score at Belmont Park on September 11, where she also rolled from the
tail of the field going seven furlongs on the Widener turf. Reunited with Alex
Solis in her first stakes, and two-turn, attempt, the daughter of Lemon Drop Kid
was anchored in dead last here in the early stages.
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Meanwhile, the trailblazing Falconess and Soonerette had gone clear. The two
initially matched strides, but Falconess soon took sole command and rattled off
fractions of :22 1/5 and :47 2/5 on the yielding turf. Sweet Cat stalked in
third, began to draw closer through six furlongs in 1:13 3/5, and struck the
front at the top of the stretch.
But Somali Lemonade was making good-looking progress. Passing rivals on the
far turn, she angled out wide entering the stretch and gathered momentum. The
game Sweet Cat plugged on, pursued by the inexorable Somali Lemonade, and they
separated themselves from the rest of the field. Somali Lemonade collared her
target and edged away by 1 3/4 lengths. After covering 1 1/16 grassy miles in
1:45 1/5, the popular winner gave back $4.40, $3 and $2.40.
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| Somali Lemonade is closely inbred to Mr. Prospector and Nureyev
(Matt Wooley/EquiSport Photos) |
"She likes to take her time leaving the gate," Solis said. "After that, just
like the first time (race) I just let her do her thing. She's so professional
behind all those horses.
"When we got to the half-mile pole, I called on her a little bit and she
jumped in the bit right away, and she was ready to do whatever I wanted. At the
quarter-pole, I got her out in the opening and she flew home."
There was a yawning gap of nine lengths back to third-placer Emerald Gold,
who held off the late-running Spring Eclipse by a neck. Grace for Grace,
Falconess, Honey Talk, Quick Silver Song, Soonerette, Piskacha, Charming Vixen
and the eased Bless My Halo rounded out the order under the wire. Dream Pegasus
and Slip Along Band were scratched.
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Bred by Cina Forgason in Kentucky, Somali Lemonade quadrupled her bankroll to
$120,000. She is a half-sister to stakes winner Rasta Farian, the Grade 3-placed
Chic Joy and the winning Brusca, the dam of current French Group 3 hero Baraan,
who was an unlucky third in the French Derby.
Somali Lemonade's dam, the unraced Nureyev mare Chic Corine, is out of Grade
1 star and successful broodmare Chic Shirine, herself a full sister to champion
Queena. Current family members of note include Grade 2 turf winners Hungry
Island and Al Khali.
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