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Communique breaks spell in Bewitch For much of her sophomore campaign in 2007, COMMUNIQUE (Smart Strike) turned in solid efforts in graded stakes without managing to win one. At Keeneland on Thursday, the G. Watts Humphrey Jr. homebred broke through in swashbuckling style in the $150,000 Bewitch S. (G3). With Garrett Gomez aboard, the Rusty Arnold filly produced a fine burst of speed inside the final furlong to reel in the pacesetting Tejida (Rahy), completing 1 1/2 miles on the firm turf in 2:28.91. The final time was just .17 off the course record set in 1997. Tejida, the 3-1 favorite, enjoyed a comfortable lead through splits of :25 1/5, :49 4/5, 1:14 3/5, 1:39 2/5 and 2:04 2/5. At the top of the stretch, the longtime leader appeared to hold a commanding position as she kicked three lengths clear. Meanwhile, Communique, who had been loping far off the pace, stealthily advanced along the inside. When Tejida began to lose a bit of steam in deep stretch, Communique angled to the outside and took off, just collaring her target by a half-length at the wire. Communique rewarded her loyalists with mutuels of $10.80, $5 and $3.60 as the nearly 9-2 third choice in the 10-horse field. Tejida held second by 1 1/2 lengths, yielding $5.20 and $3.60. Rising Cross (GB) (Cape Cross [Ire]) raced evenly throughout and wound up third, with a neck to spare over a rallying Flawless Treasure (War Chant). The third-placer paid $3.60 to show at 7-2. The exotics were worth $49.60 (exacta), $217 (trifecta) and $1,604.40 (8-5-1-11 superfecta). Palmilla (Crowd Pleaser) crossed the wire fifth, followed by Jive (Dynaformer), Final Refrain (Lion Cavern), Swingit (Victory Gallop), Eres Magica (Chi) (Stuka) and Monte Crystal (Per) (Surely Six). Gulchic (Gulch) and Viva La Flag (Rahy) were scratched. With this first stakes score to her credit, Communique improved her mark to 13-3-3-2, $265,164. As a juvenile, the bay filly was ambitiously spotted in her career debut in the Caressing H. at Churchill Downs, where she was not disgraced in sixth. After duly capturing a maiden event at Gulfstream Park next time out, Communique returned to stakes company and finished a rallying third in the Gaily Gaily S. and runner-up in the Herecomesthebride S. (G3). She was a creditable fourth in the Regret S. (G3) and the American Oaks Invitational (G1), but could manage only a non-threatening fifth in the Lake Placid S. (G2). Communique was then given class relief by dropping into entry-level allowance company for her last four starts. The four-year-old finally cleared that condition last time out, earning her way back into the graded ranks. The Kentucky-bred is the first foal from the winning Pleasant Colony mare Martinique, who is herself a half-sister to Muhtarram (Alleged), an Irish and Italian highweight, and Grade 3 victress Profit Column (Private Account), the dam of Grade 3 heroine and multiple Grade 1-placed Final Round (Storm Cat). This is the family of Italian champion St Hilarion (Sir Ivor) and multiple Grade 2-winning millionaire Savinio (The Minstrel). Communique has two younger full brothers, an unraced juvenile named Final Count and an unnamed yearling.
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