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Cotton blooms in Schuylerville
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Cottom Blossom made a successful stakes debut for Pletcher
(Joseph DiOrio/Horsephotos.com) |
Dogwood Stable's COTTON BLOSSOM (Broken Vow) tracked the pace in Wednesday's
$111,300
Schuylerville S. (G3) before asserting herself with a bold four-wide
rally on the far turn. She faced a challenge in upper stretch from 7-5 favorite
Desire to Excel (Mt. Livermore), but Cotton Blossom repulsed the bid and
eventually edged clear to a 1 3/4-length decision on the opening-day feature.
Now perfect from two career starts, the Todd Pletcher-trained juvenile filly
completed six furlongs over the fast Saratoga track in 1:11 3/5.Chief Officer (Officer) rushed up to grab the lead as Desire to Excel stumbled
badly at the start. Cotton Blossom broke well under John Velazquez,
eventually settling into fifth, about a length back of Chief Officer, as the
pacesetter ripped off the opening quarter-mile in :22. Chief Officer continued
to lead the way through a half-mile in :45 4/5, but Cotton Blossom had advanced
to second by this point and was moving beautifully on the far outside. Desire to
Excel rallied between horses to reach contention turning for home and was only a
head back of Cotton Blossom after five panels in :58 2/5, but the winner
steadily increased her margin through the final furlong.
Sent off the 8-1 co-third choice in the eight-horse field, Cotton Blossom
paid $18.60, $6.90 and $4.70, and she keyed the $49.60 exacta with Astoria S.
queen Desire to Excel, who gave back $3.20 and $2.50 after
suffering her first career loss. It was 7 1/4 lengths back to Chief Officer, and
the 5-2 second choice returned $3.20 for the show. The 7-8-1 trifecta totaled
$160. Expertise (Hennessy) finished fourth, and Audacious Chloe (More Than
Ready), Angel Island (Forestry) and Becky's Flute (Parade Ground) rounded out
the order of finish. Frances G (Officer) fell in upper stretch and was vanned
off, and Baroness Thatcher (Johannesburg) was scratched.
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Bred in Kentucky by J.D. Squires, Cotton Blossom was acquired for $210,000 at
the 2005 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July yearling sale and has now earned $88,380 in
her two starts. The bay miss is out of the stakes-winning For Dixie (Dixieland
Band), who is also the dam of Grade 3 winner Vicarage (Vicar). This is the same
female family of multiple Grade 1 winner Dontstop Themusic (Stop the Music).
"We let her do her own thing, and she ran a very professional race," Pletcher
said. "She looked like a winner every step of the way."
Cotton Blossom will likely run back in the Spinaway S. (G1) on September 3.
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