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Asi Siempre opens season with Doubledogdare Unraced since being disqualified from second to fourth in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1), Spinster S. (G1) queen ASI SIEMPRE (El Prado [Ire]) made a triumphant return to the races on Wednesday at Keeneland, capturing the $108,600 Doubledogdare S. (G3) by a length. Owned by Martin Schwartz and trained by Patrick Biancone, the five-year-old mare closed from last-to-first in the five-horse field, overhauling runner-up and stablemate Pyramid Love (Fusaichi Pegasus) in the stretch to win convincingly. She traveled 1 1/16 miles over the Polytrack in 1:46 2/5 under Garrett Gomez. Pyramid of Love came out running erratically at the start, but she still led by a length through an opening quarter-mile in a pokey :27. She finally settled into stride and extended her margin to seven lengths through a half-mile in :52. The pacesetter led by 2 1/2 lengths when passing the three-quarters mark in 1:16 4/5, but Asi Siempre was beginning to make up ground at this point. The eventual winner closed rapidly while five wide on the far turn to reach contention and mowed down her rival shortly after straightening for home. She was gathered up under the finish line by Gomez. Favored at 2-5, Asi Siempre paid $2.80, $2.10 and $2.10. Pyramid Love, her uncoupled stablemate at 5-2, was good for $2.60 and $2.40. It was three parts of a length back to the 29-1 Warrior Girl (War Chant), who generated a $3.60 show mutuel. The exotics returned $6.20 (exacta), $32.60 (trifecta) and $59.20 (5-1-6-4 superfecta). Soul Search (A.P. Indy) and Dance Away Capote (Capote) rounded out the order of finish. Bootery (Storm Boot) and Mo Cuishle (Saint Ballado) were scratched. Bred in Kentucky by Almagro de Actividades Commerciales, Asi Siempre opened her racing career in France, winning a listed event and placing in a Group 3, before being imported by Schwartz. She captured the 2005 Valley View S. (G3) over Keeneland's turf and added the grassy De La Rose S. at Saratoga last season. She also placed in the Garden City Breeders' Cup S. (G1) and two Grade 2 races over the past season. The gray mare made her main track debut in the Spinster, winning by 2 1/4 lengths over the Polytrack, and proved her versatility with a strong effort over the dirt at Churchill Downs in the Breeders' Cup. Out of the Silver Hawk mare Siempre Asi, she's now earned $828,608 from a 17-7-3-2 line. Asi Siempre has an unraced juvenile half-brother named Otrosi (Langfuhr) and an unnamed yearling half-sister by Distant View. Biancone's long-term goal for Asi Siempre is the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Monmouth Park. "Let's cross out fingers," the conditioner said.
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