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Choo nothing to sneeze at in Virginia Oaks Flying Zee Stable's homebred I LOST MY CHOO (Western Expression) played the waiting game to good effect in Saturday's $200,000 Virginia Oaks (G3), switching into overdrive in the stretch to catch long-time leader Julia Tuttle (Giant's Causeway) to win going away by 1 1/2 lengths under Edgar Prado. The 2-1 favorite in a field of nine three-year-old fillies, I Lost My Choo returned $6, $3.40 and $2.80 while topping exotics of $22.80 (exacta), $162.40 (trifecta) and $1,732.60 (10-7-2-3 superfecta). Much of the drama surrounding the Virginia Oaks involved Julia Tuttle, who was eight lengths ahead at the first call and at one point held an expansive 15-length margin down the backside while setting fractions of :24 2/5, :48 2/5 and 1:12 3/5. She was noticeably leg weary even with a 10-length cushion after a mile in 1:37 2/5, and simply couldn't hold on as she was surpassed by the winner, who completed 1 1/8 miles on the firm Colonial Downs turf in 1:50, and Namaste's Wish (Pulpit), the 3-1 second choice who prevailed for the place by a half-length, bringing back $3.60 and $3.20. Julia Tuttle, at 11-1, held third by 1 1/2 lengths and paid $4.80. Nijinsky Ballet (Rahy) completed the superfecta and was followed by Athena's Gift (Fusaichi Pegasus), Cherokee Queen (Cherokee Run), Born to Be (A.P. Indy), Clara's Song (Brahms) and Three Graces (Doneraile Court). Miss Mafioso (Alphabet Soup) was scratched. After finishing fifth in her Aqueduct debut last November, I Lost My Choo reeled off three straight victories at Gulfstream Park to begin this campaign. She then finished a head third in the Appalachian S. (G3) at Keeneland, and followed that with another show award in the Sands Point S. (G2) at Belmont Park. In her most recent start, the New York-bred miss prevailed by a head as the odds-on choice in the Elmont S. for New York-breds at Belmont Park. Overall, the Phil Serpe trainee has bankrolled $271,640 from a line of 8-5-0-2. I Lost My Choo is out of the winning Tom Rolfe mare Fairy Queen, who also produced multiple stakes winner Kevin's Decision (Expensive Decision). I Lost My Choo's fourth dam is Iberia (*Heliopolis), who was named 1971 Broodmare of the Year following the exploits of her son Riva Ridge (First Landing), the two-year-old champion of that season who was a dual classic winner the following year and champion older horse in 1973. Another of Iberia's sons, Hydrologist (*Tatan), won the 1969 Discovery H., and the following year captured the Excelsior H. and Stymie H.
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