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Decision decisive in Filly & Mare Sprint
Informed Decision tracked in second behind Free Flying Soul (Quiet American) through fractions of :23 1/5 and :45 4/5. Ventura, the 4-5 choice, was near the back of the nine-horse pack and was forced to swing five-wide turning for home, but by then Informed Decision had taken off and would not be denied. "Pace makes the race. They were going exceptionally slow up front and there wasn't any one up there to help me," said jockey Garrett Gomez, aboard Ventura. "She gave me her usual kick as we started to make our run. She's the kind of filly that you have to time just right. If I ask her too soon, that's not good either. When my filly kicked in, she started to gain on the other one, but she kicked in too and went into a higher gear. I just couldn't catch her." Ventura was three lengths clear of the 35-1 outsider Free Flying Soul for second, returning $2.60 and $2.20. The latter gave back $7.40. The $1 exotics paid $7.70 (exacta), $120.60 (trifecta) and $540 (7-9-1-2 superfecta). Fourth across the wire was 5-1 third choice Sara Louise (Malibu Moon), who was followed by Only Green (Ire) (Green Desert), Silver Swallow (Alphabet Soup), Evita Argentina (Candy Ride [Arg]), Seventh Street (A.P. Indy) and Game Face (Menifee). "I'm pretty sure we'll keep her in training for next year," winning trainer Jonathan Sheppard said. "We'll give her a break as we did last year. Probably bring her back somewhere around Keeneland time somewhere in the spring." Informed Decision ran her line to 14-11-0-2, $1,771,617. She began a five-race win streak in the Missile Belle S. at Belmont Park last September prior to ending her three-year-old season with a 4 1/4-length score in the Raven Run S. (G2) at Keeneland. The gray lass opened 2009 in the Madison S. beating Ventura by a head on the line, and continued her domination of the female sprinting ranks with a three-quarters of a length win in the Humana Distaff S. (G1) on Kentucky Derby Day. She posted a 4 3/4-length victory in the Chicago H. (G3) over Arlington Park's Polytrack on Independence Day, but could do no better than a one-paced third on Saratoga's sloppy dirt in the Ballerina S. (G1). She returned to the winner's circle following a strong 2 1/2-length score in the Presque Isle Downs Masters S. (G3) over Tapeta and last time landed the Thoroughbred Club of America S. (G3). Bred in Kentucky by Charles L. Kidder & Nancy M. Cole, Informed Decision has passed through the sales ring twice, bringing $150,000 as a Fasig-Tipton July yearling and $320,000 as a Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May two-year-old. She is out of the winning Palangana (His Majesty) and has a pair of unnamed half-sisters, a Zavata juvenile and a Champali yearling, as well as a 2009 full brother. Informed Decision's second dam is Grade 3 winner and Grade 2-placed Countess North (Northern Dancer), who produced 1985 New Orleans H. (G2) winner Westheimer (Blushing Groom [Fr]). This is the same family as three-time Grade 1 heroine Banker's Lady (Nijinsky II), Grade 1 scorer Ecton Park (Forty Niner), Grade 2 winners Banker's Gold (Forty Niner), Impetuous Gal (Briartic), Relaxing Rhythm (Easy Goer) and Spring Waltz (Silver Charm) as well as Grade 3 victress Meribel (Peaks and Valleys).
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