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Informed Decision just defends Masters title Augustin Stable's INFORMED DECISION (Monarchos) drew off to a 2 1/2-length victory in the 2009 Presque Isle Downs Masters, but on Saturday the Jonathan Sheppard trainee kept it a whole lot tighter when going for a title defense in the newly upgraded Grade 3 event at the Erie, Pennsylvania, track. The gray champion put in a furious rally in the lane to just get her head down on the line of this year's $400,400 running, stopping the clock in 1:15 3/5 on the Tapeta to move her record at 6 1/2 furlongs to a perfect four-for-four. Under jockey Julien Leparoux, the gray mare settled in the back of the 11-horse field as Dr. Zic (Milwaukee Brew) and Waccamaw (War Chant) dueled through an opening half-mile in :22 and :44 3/5. Waccamaw had managed to pull off to a length advantage by the time she passed three-quarters in 1:09 1/5, but only two heads separated Old Time Religion (Buddha), Dr. Zic and Sweet Lorena (Langfuhr). The Masters turned into a cavalry charge in the stretch, with Dubai Majesty (Essence of Dubai) closing best of all while six wide in the lane. Suddenly, Informed Decision appeared in the middle of the track, circling the entire field and digging in to just get the victory on the wire. Dubai Majesty was game in defeat, overtaking Sweet Lorena for second, and it was another length back to Waccamaw in fourth. Informed Decision was sent off the 3-5 favorite to pay $3.20, $2.60 and $2.20 for capturing her 11th stakes win. Dubai Majesty, back-to-back victress of the Winning Colors S. (G3), actually finished in front of Informed Decision in the Madison S. (G1) earlier this season but then fell back to ninth in the Humana Distaff S. (G1) while her rival ran third. The 4-1 second choice gained a bit of ground on her opponent with this second, which was worth $3.60 and $3. Sweet Lorena was the 29-1 seventh pick and gave back $5.20. The exotics returned $12.60 (exacta), $84.40 (trifecta) and $750.80 (3-1-9-4 superfecta). Red Hot Buddha (Buddha) followed Waccamaw under the wire, with Dr. Zic, Old Time Religion, Denali Glitter (Officer), Don'ttalktome (Cactus Ridge), Mother Russia (Mayakovsky) and Peristaltica (Arg) (Interprete) completing the order of finish. Blackwell (Came Home) was withdrawn, while Rollicking Affair (Black Tie Affair) and Indian Ink (Gold Market) were early scratches. Informed Decision captured six of her seven races last year, including the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1), Humana Distaff, Madison, Thoroughbred Club of America S. (G2) and Chicago H. (G3). It was more than enough for her to be named champion female sprinter, as her only loss came as a third in the Ballerina S. (G1). Thus far this season the five-year-old mare has defended her titles in the Chicago and this event while adding a score in the Windward S. to her line. She entered the Presque Isle Downs Masters off a troubled sixth-place run in the Ballerina, and with the win boosted her earnings to $2,194,426 to go along with a 20-14-0-4 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 half-sisters, a Zavata sophomore and an unraced juvenile named Champagne Dancer (Champali), 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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