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Black Mamba goes out in style in Dowager

Black Mamba has earned just shy of $1 million (EquiSport Photos) In what might turn out to be her final racetrack appearance, Doubledown Stables' BLACK MAMBA (NZ) (Black Minnaloushe) exited the stage the right way with a victory in Sunday's $125,000 Dowager S. at Keeneland. Pressing a dawdling pace of :27 1/5, :54 1/5, 1:19 4/5 and 1:47 1/5 set by Tarheel Girl (Silver Charm), the 8-5 favorite took over from that rival with three furlongs remaining and maintained a clear advantage all the way to the wire under Robby Albarado. She was up a length through 10 furlongs in 2:14 2/5 and finished 1 1/2 lengths ahead at the wire in a time of 2:37 for 1 1/2 miles on the yielding turf. Black Mamba returned $5.20, $3 and $2.40. "With this pedestrian pace, being as good of a quality filly as she is, I figured if I could kick on turning for home and spread the race out a little bit, she'd come nicely," said Albarado, who rode four winners on the card. "She did."

The Grade 1 winner's next public appearance is scheduled to be at the November 10 Fasig-Tipton November Sale in Lexington, Kentucky, where the six-year-old will be sold as a racing/broodmare prospect while sporting Hip No. 56.

Winter View, the 2-1 second choice who had taken the course-and-distance Bewitch S. (G3) during the spring meet, was far back early and launched her bid far too late considering the soft splits. She just got up to nose out Ballynoe (Distorted Humor) for second, returning $3.60 and $2.40. Ballynoe, the 6-1 fourth choice, gave back $3.20. The exotics were worth $16.20 (exacta), $65.20 (trifecta) and $138.20 (11-1-5-2 superfecta).

Caprice (Ger) (Monsun), Soul of Nataka (Perfect Soul [Ire]), Kite Seeker (Seeking a Home), Super Poni (Volponi), Tarheel Girl and French Kiss (Hussonet) rounded out the order of finish. Lemonette (Lemon Drop Kid) and Sweet and Flawless (Unbridled's Song) were scratched.

Trained by John Sadler, Black Mamba now sports a mark of 34-7-7-4 with $988,840 in earnings. Her signature victory occurred in the 2008 John C. Mabee H. (G1), and she's also won the last two renewals of the Beverly Hills H. (G2) as well as the August 28 C.T.T. & Thoroughbred Owners of California H. at Del Mar. Black Mamba has also placed nine times at the graded level, running third in the last three editions of the Yellow Ribbon S. (G1), second in the last two runnings of the Santa Barbara H. (G2), and second in one edition each of the Palomar H. (G2), Las Palmas H. (G2), Dahlia H. (G2) and Buena Vista H. (G2).

Bred in New Zealand by Keltern Stud, the winner is out of the Group 3 queen and classic-placed Sneetch (Grosvenor). She hails from the same family as New Zealand Group 2 winner Rios (Hussonet), hero of this year's Anzac 1600 S., as well as Australasian Oaks (Aus-G1) heroine Tully Thunder (Thunder Gulch) and Oaks S. (Aus-G1) victress Sandy's Pleasure (Aus) (Dash O' Pleasure).

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