Informed Decision scores in Chicago

Augustin Stable's INFORMED DECISION (Monarchos) took the lead out of the gate of Saturday's $140,000 Chicago H. (G3), withstood the continued pressure of Authenicat (D'wildcat) to her outside, then kicked it into gear in the stretch run and pulled off to post a 4 3/4-length decision under jockey Julien Leparoux. The Jonathan Sheppard-trained four-year-old, who earned her fifth straight victory in this spot, completed the seven-furlong Arlington Park feature in 1:21 2/5 over the Polytrack.

Informed Decision, the 1-5 favorite, was worth $2.40, $2.20 and $2.10 for setting fractions of :23 2/5, :46 3/5 and 1:09 3/5 en route to her third consecutive graded victory. Unforgotten (Northern Afleet) rallied from last to take down second as the 17-1 longest shot in the six-horse field, giving back $5.80 and $4 while ending the $17 exacta. Authenicat held third by one length over Crown of Diamonds (Distorted Humor) to return $3.40 at 9-1 and finish the $63.40 trifecta. Crown of Diamonds rounded out the $247.40 superfecta (3-5-4-1), while Choragus (Harlan's Holiday) and Tiz to Dream (Tiznow) followed the top four under the line.

Informed Decision began her current win streak in the Missile Belle S. at Belmont Park in 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. (G1) back at that same venue, just edging Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint heroine Ventura (Chester House) 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 last out. This victory pushed the four-year-old's lifetime earnings to $811,617 and she's now posted a 10-8-0-1 career mark.

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 Nner), 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).