Caprice earns first graded score in Robert G. Dick

Under a ground-saving Jeremy Rose ride, NP Bloodstock's CAPRICE (Ger) (Monsun)

outkicked her rivals to prevail in a bunched-up finish in Saturday's $171,050

Robert

G. Dick Memorial H. (G3) at Delaware Park. The Graham Motion mare stalked

the slow early tempo, rallied past the fading pacesetter Astrologie (Fr) (Polish

Precedent), and held off the belated thrust of Trensa (Giant's Causeway) to

score by a neck. The 7-1 shot completed 1 3/8 miles on firm turf in 2:16 2/5 and

paid $17.20, $8 and $5.20 for her first graded stakes tally.

Astrologie, the 9-5 favorite, carved out dawdling splits of :25 2/5, :50 3/5,

1:15 2/5 and 1:40 through the opening mile. Dyna's Lassie (Dynaformer) applied

mild pressure, while Dress Rehearsal (Ire) (Galileo [Ire]) and Caprice took up

tracking roles. Despite the steady pace, Dress Rehearsal weakened turning for

home, and Astrologie likewise began to tire in midstretch. By this point,

Caprice burst through on the inside, striking the front inside the final furlong

and staying on gamely to the wire.

Trensa, who had been racing in fifth virtually throughout, rallied boldly to

the inside of Caprice and just missed. Sent off at 13-1, the runner-up returned

$10.60 and $6.40 and ended the $149.80 exacta. Dyna's Lassie kept on for third,

another three-quarters of a length adrift, and yielded $6.20 at 9-1. The

trifecta was worth $1,145.80, and with Astrologie hanging on for fourth, the

5-3-6-8 superfecta totaled $3,429.60. Avie's Tale (Tale of the Cat), nearly 5-2

second choice Winter View (Thunder Gulch), Jaunty Gale (Tiger Ridge) and Dress

Rehearsal rounded out the order of finish. Precious Princess (Horse Chestnut [SAf])

was scratched.

Caprice improved her scorecard to 22-4-2-7, $244,947. After competing in

allowance, handicap and minor stakes company in France, she was transferred to

Motion and made her American debut at Delaware last summer, winding up a

troubled third in an allowance/optional claimer. Caprice has mostly plied her

trade in stakes since then. She placed in the Claire Marine S., Dowager S. and

Hermosa Beach H. in 2008, broke through with a convincing victory in the La

Zanzara H. in her 2009 bow, and subsequently placed third in the Yerba Buena S.

and Sheepshead Bay H. (G2). Prior to the Sheepshead Bay, she checked in fourth

to Winter View in the Bewitch S. (G3), but avenged that defeat here.

Bred by Gestut Schlenderhan in Germany, Caprice sold for $193,082 as a

three-year-old at Deauville December. She is out of two-time German highweight

Catella (Ger) (Generous), a Group 1 winner over males who finished third in the

2000 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1). Catella is also the dam of an unraced

juvenile colt named Cabuchon (Fantastic Light). This is the family of the

formidable full siblings Diamond Shoal (GB) (Mill Reef) and Glint of Gold (Mill

Reef), who racked up multiple championships on the European continent in the

1980s. Caprice's fourth dam, multiple stakes winner Treasure Chest (Rough'n

Tumble), is a full sister to champion My Dear Girl, the dam of influential

stallion In Reality (Intentionally).