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Marketing Mix much the best in Mrs. Revere

Marketing Mix has yet to find a North American-based three-year-old filly who can beat her on the turf (Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography) Glen Hill Farm's Marketing Mix boasted the strongest resume in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,550 Mrs. Revere at Churchill Downs, and her class duly told as the 8-5 favorite brushed aside her rivals with disdainful authority. With new rider Julien Leparoux engineering a textbook stalk-and-pounce trip, the Tom Proctor filly stretched clear at the head of the lane before gearing down late. Marketing Mix was under a hold as she completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:42 2/5 on the firm turf, posting the second-fastest time in the 21 runnings of the Mrs. Revere, behind Mary's Follies' 2009 stakes record of 1:41 3/5. "That was a really nice field and she won pretty easily," Proctor said. Now three-for-four since switching to turf, Marketing Mix was coming off her only loss on the grass, when a clear second to the Aidan O'Brien-trained Together in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland. There were no Europeans standing in her way on Saturday, after the formerly French-based Louvakhova scratched, and Marketing Mix got right back on the winning track.

Poised just off the flank of the pacesetting New Normal through splits of :24 and :49, Marketing Mix ranged up to accost her through six furlongs in 1:13. The race was essentially over as they straightened up for home, for the winner spurted away in a matter of strides. Marketing Mix was 3 1/2 lengths clear in midstretch, but once Leparoux throttled her down, the margin shrank to a charitable 1 1/2 lengths at the wire. She returned $5.40, $3.20 and $2.60.

"We got a good trip and went at an easy pace," Leparoux said. "When we got a few lengths in front in the stretch, I (geared her down). She's a nice filly and she won; she didn't need to win by 10 (lengths)."

A trio of closers fought out the minor awards in a photo. The  4-1 second choice Bizzy Caroline took second by a nose from the 4-1 Hungry Island, who was in turn a head up on the 9-2 Smart Sting. Next came Don't Tell Sophia, Tourmaline, Groupie Doll, Holidaysatthefarm, New Normal, Sea Level Drive and Trac N Jam.

Marketing Mix's third stakes victory improved her scorecard to 9-4-2-1, $538,826. The Ontario-bred looked useful on Polytrack earlier this season, breaking her maiden at Keeneland and finishing second and third, respectively, in the Fury Stakes and Woodbine Oaks. After her fourth in the Bison City Stakes, she took her game to the turf and has looked like a different animal ever since. Marketing Mix dominated the Wonder Where Stakes at Woodbine by 4 3/4 lengths and the Grade 3 Pucker Up Stakes at Arlington Park by 3 1/4 lengths. The dark bay fared the best of the American-based fillies in the October 15 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup, 3 1/2 lengths clear of third-placer Nereid.

Bred by Sean Fitzhenry, the daughter of Medaglia d'Oro was purchased by her current connections for $150,000 as a Keeneland September yearling. She was produced by the Kris S. mare Instant Thought, and her second dam, the multiple Grade/Group 3-placed Nimble Mind, is a full sister to multiple Grade 2 heroine Skimble, the dam of two-time Grade 1 Pacific Classic star Skimming. This is also the family of Grade 1 winner Contredance; Group 2 scorer and multiple Grade 1-placed Eltish; and Group 1 One Thousand Guineas victress Wince, the dam of Group 1 queen and classic-placed Quiff.

Proctor is prescribing some rest and relaxation for Marketing Mix.

"She's had a great year and has won over $500,000," the trainer said. "She'll head to the farm (near Ocala, Florida) now and I'll let her eat grass and have some fun for a few months."

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