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Riposte relishes added ground in Sheepshead Bay
"There wasn't a lot of speed," Rosario recapped, "and going a mile and three eighths and (with) how the track is I wanted to get in position, and she was in front. I just tried to take my time with her and try to go all the way." "I think (her being on the lead) was just the way the race came up," Mott said. "I thought (Irish Mission) would show more speed, but the pace didn't really develop." Abaco pulled 3 3/4 lengths clear of Irish Mission, who appeared finished turning for home, but regrouped to get up for third. Fitful Skies checked in fourth, followed by Caroline Thomas and Modernstone. Viva Rafaela was scratched, along with the main-track-only entrants Belle Gallantey, Flash Forward and Lady Cohiba. Riposte now sports a mark of 10-3-3-1, $342,587. Originally trained by the late Sir Henry Cecil, the daughter of Dansili wasn't ready to begin her career until she turned three. Riposte was runner-up in her debut in a 1 1/4-mile maiden at Sandown last spring, promptly scored next time over 1 1/2 miles at Newmarket, and stayed at that trip over the summer. She emphatically handled the rise into Group 2 company for the Ribblesdale, just nine days after the passing of Sir Henry, and thereby handed Lady Cecil a poignant winner at the Royal meeting. Subsequently fifth in the Irish Oaks, but beaten only 1 1/2 lengths by Chicquita, Riposte ran well below form when fifth in the Yorkshire Oaks. She was only seventh in the about 1 9/16-mile Prix de Royallieu at Longchamp on Arc weekend, her European finale. Riposte made her American premiere for Mott in the February 8 Suwannee River at Gulfstream Park, where she broke slowly and found herself well off an early crawl in the 1 1/8-mile event. The bay rattled home belatedly for second, however, in an encouraging performance. Again lining up in an about nine-furlong test in the March 8 Hillsborough at Tampa Bay Downs, Riposte once more closed too late and had to settle for third. Her sights were lowered to an April 11 Keeneland allowance, but still at 1 1/8 miles. Although she got involved earlier and struck the front, she was outkicked and just denied. "The first two times she ran," Mott said of Riposte's fledgling American career, "we were going nine furlongs and the fractions were very, very slow. She found it hard to close into those fractions. "We've got a shot for some of the longer races. She ran in some very important races over in Europe. She won the Ribblesdale, which is a very good prep race, and she wasn't beaten much in the other races." Bred in Great Britain, Riposte was produced by Group 3 queen Rainbow Lake. That Rainbow Quest mare has turned into a blue hen with such offspring as Irish highweight and millionaire Powerscourt; Group 3 victor Last Train; and the aforementioned Kind, a Group 3-placed multiple stakes winner herself. Aside from Frankel, Noble Mission and Joyeuse, Kind is also responsible for Bullet Train, Frankel's Group 3-winning three-quarter brother and sometime pacemaker. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
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