|
|
Dubai Escapade cruises in easy Ballerina score Darley Stable's DUBAI ESCAPADE (Awesome Again) rebounded from her lone defeat on the dirt and capped off an incredible week for her owners in romping home an 8 1/2-length winner of the $240,000 Ballerina Breeders' Cup S. (G1) at Saratoga on Sunday. Breaking like a shot beneath Edgar Prado, the Eoin Harty charge was soon clear and deflated the hopes of her competitors by the time she reached a half-mile in :45 2/5. As the four-year-old turned for home, she spurted away to an even more convincing lead and poured it on late under little encouragement, stopping the timer for seven furlongs in a solid 1:23 as she posted her initial Grade 1 tally. "It has been a career weekend for Darley and Godolphin," Harty said. "To come here and dominate like that is a terrific effort. There are several options to take with her. I have to talk to Sheikh Mohammad to find out what direction they want to take. The most important thing was to get the Grade 1 race." Sent off as the 6-5 choice, the speedy four-year-old miss gave back $4.60, $3.20 and $3.10 while topping the $27.20 exacta and $132 trifecta (4-2-3). Nothing But Fun (Dixie Union) sat last early but showed some good energy through the lane in garnering the place spot, paying $4.70 and $4.10 at 5-1. Stormy Kiss (Arg) (Bernstein) rated off the pace early and ran quite well to secure the third spot another 1 1/2 lengths back. The 9-1 shot was worth $4.50. Indian Flare (Cherokee Run) was next and trailed by High Button Shoes (Carson City), 2-1 second shot Malibu Mint (Malibu Moon) and Grecian Lover (Friendly Lover). Dubai Escapade moved her career mark to 8-6-0-0 with earnings of $427,050 following the win, more than atoning for an off-the-board finish in Calder's Princess Rooney H. (G1) last out. The scarily fast bay earlier captured the Vagrancy H. (G2) and Madison S. (G2). "She's a supremely fast horse," Harty said. "At Calder, I don't think she handled the track and she appeared confused when another horse went by her. I just threw out that race and started from scratch." Bred in the Bluegrass State by Needham/Betz Thoroughbreds and James Blackburn, the winner fetched a bid of $2 million at the 2004 Barretts March Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale. Produced from the multiple stakes winning Sassy Pants (Saratoga Six), and preceded in stakes glory by Grade 1-winning sprinting half-sister Madcap Escapade (Hennessy), Dubai Escapade counts an unraced two-year-old colt named Real Estate (High Yield), an unnamed yearling colt by Empire Maker and a 2006 filly by Giant's Causeway as half-siblings.
 Send this article to a friend
|
|
