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Daisy Devine surprises at 43-1 in Valley View turf debut
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| Daisy Devine upsets the form choice Bizzy Caroline (left)
(Keeneland/Coady Photography) |
James M. Miller's Daisy Devine had suffered three double-digit losses
since taking the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks in March, but a switch to
turf sparked a major form turnaround in Thursday's Grade 3, $150,000
Valley View at Keeneland. Ignored as the second longest shot on the
board at 43-1, the Andrew McKeever filly forged to the lead in deep
stretch and triggered payouts of $89, $23.20 and $9.40.Daisy Devine, who picked up a new rider in Calvin Borel for her turf
debut, capitalized on a stalking trip. She was parked right off the
pacesetting In Step through fractions of :23 1/5, :47 3/5 and 1:12 2/5
on ground officially labeled good. Bizzy Caroline, the 8-5 favorite in
her class drop from Grade 1 company, bided her time in fourth early, and
moved into third on the far turn.
As In Step stayed on resolutely down the stretch, Daisy Devine was
equally determined in pursuit. Bizzy Caroline inched forward on the
outside, but not enough to encourage favorite backers. Meanwhile, Daisy
Devine was wearing down the longtime leader. She finally prevailed by a
half-length, completing 1 1/16 miles in 1:43 1/5. |
"Perfect trip," Borel said. "I was a little leery of the grass, but he (McKeever)
told me she had worked on it. She went fine. It was amazing. She handled it real
good. She's a very light filly, and I know the turf is a little wet and deep.
But she just kept right on.
"I hit her a couple of times left-handed, and when I hit her right-handed she
took off and got the lead horse (In Step). From then on I was pretty
comfortable."
Bizzy Caroline managed to deprive In Step of the runner-up spot by a head at
the wire, and jockey Manoel Cruz believed that the ground conditions were
against the favorite.
"The grass today is very soft," Cruz said. "I don't think that helped my
horse at all. She did the best she can for me. Everything sums up OK. She pulled
up good. The race set up beautiful. Probably on regular grass, not soft, and if
I had a little bit of pace, I'm sure she would win easy. We'll wait for next
time."
Holidaysatthefarm checked in another 1 3/4 lengths back in fourth,
followed by Pinch Pie, Dynamic Holiday, Safe Crossing, Barbies M, Christmas Cove
and Maid of Heaven. New Normal, Smart Sting, Diva Ash and Trac N Jam were all
withdrawn.
Bred by J. Reiley McDonald in Kentucky, Daisy Devine was a bargain $5,500
yearling purchase at the Keeneland September Sale. She has now earned $488,349
from her record of 9-4-1-1.
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| Daisy Devine masters In Step
(Matt Wooley/EquiSport Photos) |
Daisy Devine made an inauspicious debut on Keeneland's Polytrack last
October, fading to ninth in a 10-horse maiden field, and had raced on dirt ever
since. After breaking her maiden next time out for a $30,000 tag at Fair
Grounds, the bay cleared her entry-level allowance condition. That punched her
ticket to stakes company. Daisy Devine just missed as a wide-trip runner-up in
the Silverbulletday Stakes, then promptly broke through in the Fair Grounds
Oaks.
A well-beaten seventh in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, she tired badly again
when fifth in the Grade 3 Iowa Oaks on June 25. Daisy Devine did not reappear
until the Grade 2 Indiana Oaks on October 1, but once more dropped far back down
the lane and finished a distant third. McKeever subsequently worked her on the turf, and took a shot that paid off in the Valley View.
"I worked her a couple of times on the turf and she really liked it,"
McKeever said. "So Mr. Miller wanted to take a chance on the turf and we did.
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"She can handle anything. She's a very sound filly. She does everything
right. She just hasn't been the same from the Kentucky Oaks until the last two
weeks when she's really come back to herself."
By Kafwain, Daisy Devine is a half-sister to New York-bred stakes winner
Patent Pending. They are out of the Devil's Bag mare Devil's Dispute, who is
herself a half-sister to multiple Grade 1 queen Banker's Lady, the dam of
multiple Grade 2-winning sire Banker's Gold. Grade 1 hero, millionaire and sire
Ecton Park is also in the immediate family.
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