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St. John's River roars home in Delaware Oaks
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| St. John's River rallied from last to take the Delaware Oaks
(Melissa Wirth/Horsephotos.com) |
Dede McGehee's ST. JOHN'S RIVER (Include) just ran down a tenacious Strike
the Moon (Malibu Moon) in Saturday's $300,700
Delaware
Oaks (G2) to post a head victory in only her third stakes try. Second by a
length in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) and a neck runner-up in the Kentucky Oaks
(G1) in her past two, the Andrew Leggio Jr. pupil rallied from last in the 1
1/16-mile, fast-track contest to stop the clock in 1:44 1/5 under jockey Jose Lezcano.
Strike the Moon took control of the race when the gates opened, setting the
pace through splits of :24, :48 3/5 and 1:13 while running just off the rail.
Dance Quietly (A.P. Indy) was running just off her flank with Snow Fall (War
Front) and Soundwave (Friends Lake) keeping in close attendance.
All the while, Lezcano kept St. John's River settled in the rear of the
seven-filly field, and the pair were forced to go widest of all around the turn
leaving the backstretch. Strike the Moon headed for home sporting a 3 1/2-length
advantage, but St. John's River was just uncorking her run. The bay lass powered
down the center of the track to get her head in front on the wire and vindicate
her even-money status as the favorite.
St. John's River rewarded her backers with payouts of $4, $2.80 and $2.10 for
taking her first win since breaking her maiden by four lengths on January 21 at
Fair Grounds. Strike the Moon was game in defeat, easily holding second by 1 3/4
lengths over All for Thee (Elusive Quality). Dance Quietly, Snow Fall, Daring
Reality (Include) and Soundwave followed the top three under the line.
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St. John's River made her racing debut a third-place run in a six-furlong
maiden at Fair Grounds in mid-December, and was rallying at the end of that test
to just miss second by a head. Leggio stretched her out for her second career
start and the newly-turned three-year-old responded with an easy win. A neck
second against optional claiming foes followed and St. John's River justified
her placement in graded company in her last two with close finishes. Now
boasting a 6-2-3-1 line, the bay miss has banked $500,070 lifetime.
Bred in Kentucky by Heaven Trees Farm, St. John's River is out of the
stakes-placed Adventurous Di (Private Account), who has since produced an
unnamed yearling colt by Medaglia d'Oro. Adventurous Di's other offspring
includes listed victor Franc (Woodman) and Panty Raid (Include), winner of the
2007 American Oaks Invitational (G1), Spinster S. (G1) and Black-Eyed Susan S.
(G2). The 11-year-old mare is a half-sister to multiple Grade 3-placed stakes
winner Danc'n Jake (Affirmed) and Grade 3-placed sire Deputy Slew (Deputy
Minister).
Others of note in this female family include dual champion Desert Vixen (In
Reality), Grade 1 queens Stub (In Reality) and Shadow Cast (Smart Strike), and
Grade 2-winning sire Valid Appeal (In Reality).
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