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Fantastic Modesty for Fantasia Augustin Stable's FANTASIA (GB) (Sadler's Wells) flew past the pacesetting Wasted Tears (Najran) in Saturday's $150,000 Modesty H. (G3) at Arlington Park to finally earn her first U.S. graded score by a length under jockey Rajiv Maragh. The Jonathan Sheppard charge placed in the Jenny Wiley S. (G2), Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (G2) and Just a Game S. (G1) in her past three, but would not be denied this time around while posting a final time of 1:53 4/5 over the firm turf. Wasted Tears was looking to continue her domination of the filly turf milers following a third-straight victory in the Ouija Board Distaff S. (G3) last out. She immediately took control of this contest and proceeded to lead the field through fractions of :23 4/5, :48, 1:11 3/5 and 1:35 4/5. My Baby Baby (Bernstein) was stalking to her outside while Askbut I Won'ttell (Horse Chestnut [SAf]) held third just in behind. Fantasia, meanwhile, was biding her time in midpack while saving ground on the inside. As Wasted Tears headed into the stretch with a diminishing lead, Fantasia began picking off rivals. The five-year-old split foes before angling out to rally three wide in upper stretch. She collared the fading pacesetter and had more than enough left to hold fellow late runner Romin Robin (Pure Precision) on the wire. "I knew I needed to be a little closer so I moved up a bit without using too much horse, and when I asked her she ran great," said Maragh, who was riding his first winner at Arlington Park. My Baby Baby followed in third by three-quarters of a length, with Askbut I Won'ttell nosing out even-money favorite Wasted Tears for fourth. La Gran Bailadora (Afleet Alex), Endless Expanse (Ire) (Red Ransom) and Oregon Lady (Ire) (Shamardal) completed the order under the wire. "She just got a little too tired, didn't have the punch she usually does," said Julien Leparoux, who was aboard Wasted Tears. Fantasia was sent off the 7-2 second pick in the eight-filly field to return $9.80, $5 and $3.20, and pushed her career record to 18-6-5-2, $673,441. With this victory now under her girth, she's earned an automatic berth, and her entry and starting fees waived, for the Beverly D. S. (G1), which will be run over the local turf on August 13. The bay mare began her racing career with Luca Cumani in England, breaking her maiden in her initial outing before taking the Prestige S. (Eng-G3) and Nell Gwyn S. (Eng-G3) while placing in the French One Thousand Guineas (Fr-G1) and Fillies Mile S. (Eng-G1) in her next four starts. She suffered her first off-the-board run when stretching out to 10 furlongs in the French Oaks (Fr-G1), but returned to the winner's circle when dropped back down to seven furlongs for the Sceptre S. Fantasia was unable to factor in the Sun Chariot S. (Eng-G1) to close out her sophomore campaign, and showed up stateside to make her four-year-old bow with Sheppard. She was a neck runner-up against allowance rivals during Keeneland's spring 2010 meet, and has since captured the River Memories S. and placed in the Addison Mallery S. while recording tough beats in last year's First Lady S. (G1), Just a Game and Distaff Turf Mile. Bred in Great Britain by Ronchalon Racing UK Ltd., Fantasia is out of the winning Darshaan mare Blue Symphony and a half-sister to the multiple listed-placed Pink Symphony (Montjeu [Ire]). Her second dam is English highweight and Group 1 heroine Blue Duster (Danzig), while her second dam is Group 2 victress Blue Note (Fr) (Habitat). The latter mare would go on in the breeding shed to also produce Group 1 winner Zieten (Danzig).
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