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Miss Shop rides rail to Rampart victory Hobeau Farm's homebred MISS SHOP (Deputy Minister) returned to the winner's circle on Saturday off a week's rest, slipping through on the rail to take the $200,000 Rampart H. (G2) by an easy 6 3/4 lengths under Rafael Bejarano. Trained by Allen Jerkens, the bay lass was content to settle just in behind the dueling Classy Charm (Silver Charm) and Prop Me Up (Reparations) through splits of :23 3/5 and :47 2/5 with Round Pond (Awesome Again) just to her outside. As the top two reached the second turn, Classy Charm abruptly began backing up, leaving Prop Me Up alone through six furlongs in 1:11 4/5 as Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) queen Round Pond started her move along the outside. All the while, Bejarano kept Miss Shop down on the inside and maneuvered around Classy Charm as that one fell back. When Prop Me Up rounded the turn, Miss Shop launched herself through on the rail and grabbed the lead, going on to finish 1 1/8 miles on Gulfstream Park's fast dirt in 1:49 2/5. "She broke really sharp and she likes to come from behind like she did in the (Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf)," Bejarano said. "I took her back but when the three (Prop Me Up) and the four (Round Pond) tired she didn't need much urging to get the lead." Miss Shop was sent off the 9-2 third choice to return $11.40, $6.40 and $14.80. Prop Me Up held well for second at 22-1, paying $14 and $24 for keeping Swap Fliparoo (Exchange Rate) a length back in third. Swap Fliparoo, also trained by Jerkens, came running late to return $11.20 at 3-1. The $1 exotics were worth $59.30 (exacta), $226.30 (trifecta) and $342.10 (1-3-5-4 superfecta). Round Pond faded to finish another 3 1/4 lengths back in fourth and was followed under the wire by Tiger Belle (Tiger Ridge) and Classy Charm. Though she didn't win her first race back after taking the Distaff, Round Pond is still on track for the April 7 Apple Blossom H. (G1) at Oaklawn Park, according to trainer Michael Matz. "We had a little problem with her in midweek," Matz explained. "She tied up, but seemed OK to go ahead. Still, we got a race into her and hopefully can go on from here with the Apple Blossom next if she's OK." Miss Shop captured her four-year-old debut, the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf, two back, before finishing fifth in the grassy Honey Fox H. (G3) last Sunday. She earned her first black-type score last season in the Beru S. before adding the Castle Royale S. and Turnback the Alarm H. (G3), and also owns placings in the Ruffian H. (G1) and Coaching Club American Oaks (G1). Her record now reads 20-8-1-4 and she's earned $736,630 in lifetime earnings. "This filly's just good -- period," Jerkens stated. "I decided just this morning at 11 o'clock (EDT) that we had to take the turf shoes that (Miss Shop) had on from last week off, and put on her flat running shoes. I got to thinking that in case (Swap Fliparoo) couldn't go a mile-and-an-eighth, that this one could. I probably wasn't going to race her again before Belmont (opens), so she was going to have plenty of rest after coming back after a week." The Florida-bred miss is out of the winning Shopping (Private Account), making her a half-sister to stakes winners Bought in Dixie (Dixieland Band) and Shop Again (Wild Again) as well as Grade 2-placed Bulling (Holy Bull) and an unraced juvenile filly named Shop Glack (Smoke Glacken).
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