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Artemis Agrotera stars in Ballerina
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| Artemis Agrotera served
notice that she's a serious contender for the Breeders' Cup
Filly & Mare Sprint
(NYRA/Adam Coglianese Photo) |
Chester and Mary Broman's homebred Artemis Agrotera tracked pacesetter La
Verdad to midstretch and drew away with authority in Saturday's Grade 1,
$500,000
Ballerina at Saratoga,
stamping her ticket for the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint with a
spectacular 6 1/2-length win.
Rajiv Maragh was up on the impressive
three-year-old filly for trainer Michael Hushion.
"To win a Grade 1 at Saratoga, it doesn't get any better than that," Hushion
said.
"She was pretty dominant today and she was much the best," added Maragh, who
served as the regular rider of two-time champion female sprinter Groupie Doll.
"She might fill (the void of the retired Groupie Doll).
"Groupie Doll is a one of a kind filly, but maybe (Artemis Agrotera) is
another."
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Winner of the Frizette at Belmont Park in her second career outing last
October, Artemis Agrotera was making just her fourth start since that Grade 1
tally.
She finished fifth when making her lone two-turn attempt in the Breeders' Cup
Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita and returned this year with an even fifth versus
Grade 1 rivals in the Acorn on the June 7 Belmont Stakes undercard. The Roman
Ruler filly tuned up for the Ballerina with a 10-length length thrashing of New
York-bred rivals earlier this meet.
"You know, this filly has always acted like a special filly every day I've
had her, so I was more confused by the couple of times she didn't run well and
never surprised when she shows up big," Hushion said.
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Maragh was "gearing down" at the conclusion of Artemis
Agrotera's superb win
(NYRA/Coglianese Photo/Adam Mooshian) |
Artemis Agrotera scorched seven furlongs in 1:21 4/5, nearly a half-second
second faster than her male sophomore counterpart, The Big Beast, needed to win
the Grade 1 King's Bishop at the same distance one race earlier. She was the
lone three-year-old in the eight-horse Ballerina field and left the starting
gate as the 4-1 third choice, returning a $10.60 mutuel to her backers.
The bay lass broke a little awkwardly from her innermost post but quickly
recovered as La Verdad flashed to the front. Artemis Agrotera was clear chasing
the speed in second down the backstretch, a length back after opening splits in
:23 and :45 3/5.
She held her positioning rounding the far turn and was asked for run entering
the stretch drive. Artemis Agrotera accelerated into contention with an
eye-catching turn of foot, effortlessly dispatching La Verdad as she stormed to
the front with a furlong remaining. From that point, it was just a matter of the
winning margin as she flew home.
"I was gearing down inside the sixteenth pole because she had the race
wrapped up and was powering away," Maragh said. "I don't think I squeezed the
lemon dry. I think she has more to give."
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Hushion was asked about breaking from the rail post at the tricky
seven-furlong distance.
"I left it to Rajiv. We talked about it this morning, and he was going to
take the path of least resistance," he said. "She barked out of there pretty
good and he took it from there and it worked out well."
My Miss Aurelia, the slight 3-1 favorite, rallied for second, 1 1/4 lengths
better than the 7-2 Willet in third. It was another half-length to the
late-running Better Lucky, who was followed under the wire by La Verdad,
Kipling's Joy, Geeky Gorgeous and Hit Stones. Voodoo Tales was scratched.
With the $300,000 winner's share, Artemis Agrotera has now earned $763,800
from a 6-4-0-0 line.
Out of the stakes-winning and multiple Grade 2-placed A.P. Indy mare Indy
Glory, the New York-bred filly is a three-quarter sibling to a pair of
stakes-placed runners in Submerge and Time Squared. Indy Glory is a full sister
to Grade 1 winner Stephen Got Even and stakes queen Grand Merger.
Hushion was asked about heading to the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.
"I heard that Mr. Broman told the last interviewer we were going," the
conditioner said. "It sounds good to me."
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