Lady grabs Velvet to force dead-heat in Sabin

Darley Stable's homebred GOLDEN VELVET (Seeking the Gold) surged to the lead

in midstretch and looked every inch the winner of Sunday's $98,000

Sabin H.

(G3), until Susan & John Moore's LADY MARLBORO (Smoke Glacken) squeezed

through along the rail and got her nose down simultaneously on the line. For

several minutes after the pair flashed by as a team, it was uncertain who had

won and who had finished a tough-luck runner-up. Even the camera wasn't able to

separate them, however, and the two were declared dead-heat winners. The

distaffers stopped the teletimer in 1:37 1/5 for one mile over Gulfstream Park's

fast track.

Lady Marlboro had actually led the way for the first few strides, but 7-5

favorite Mini Sermon (Pulpit) decided to play the front-running role through

splits of :23 3/5, :46 and 1:11. Lady Marlboro prompted the pace while scraping

the paint, and Silver Knockers (Silver Deputy) applied pressure on the outside.

On the far turn, Lady Marlboro feigned a slight retreat, Silver Knockers

commenced a real retreat and Mini Sermon appeared ready to open up on the

field.

Entering the stretch, though, Golden Velvet unleashed her bid on the outside

beneath Eibar Coa, and Mini Sermon had no response to her powerful charge. As

Golden Velvet struck the front, Mini Sermon began to tire, and the dogged Lady

Marlboro continued to plug on to stay within striking range. The scenario

changed abruptly inside the final yards, when Lady Marlboro spurted through

beneath Javier Castellano, despite finding herself in a bit tight between the

rail and Mini Sermon. She drew level with Golden Velvet as they reached the

wire, both pulling 2 1/2 lengths clear of Mini Sermon.

"I really thought when we got around them that (Golden Velvet) was going to

win easy," Coa said, "but (Lady Marlboro) is really game, and my

filly never really exploded. She just sort of floated out there. When we got

back, I saw it was taking so long, and I started thinking, 'I'll take a

dead-heat right now.' I thought we had lost for sure."

"(Lady Marlboro) was in a tough position on the rail and did not like it

there, but I had no chance to move," Castellano explained. "She has a big heart, this

filly -- very competitive. She gave me 110 percent today."

The second choice at 2-1, Golden Velvet paid $3.40, $3.20 and $2.20 and

spearheaded $1 exotics worth $5.80 (exacta), $9.70 (trifecta) and $19.20

(2-1-6-3 superfecta). The nearly 3-1 Lady Marlboro returned $3.80, $3.80 and

$2.40 while keying $1 exotics to the tune of $6.40 (exacta), $12.40 (trifecta)

and $23.40 (1-2-6-3 superfecta). Mini Sermon gave back $2.10 to show. Silver

Knockers faded to fourth, and Potra Clasica (Arg) (Potrillon [Arg]) trailed

throughout. Cindy's Mom (A.P. Indy) was withdrawn.

The top three finishers were all exiting the Top Flight H. (G2) at Aqueduct,

where they were responsible for the trifecta in a different order. Mini Sermon

prevailed by a nose over Lady Marlboro in that mile event, with Golden Velvet

another 2 1/4 lengths adrift in third.

Golden Velvet's first stakes score improved her record to 11-3-2-3, $132,909.

The five-year-old dark bay began her career in Europe, breaking her maiden in

her fourth outing on the turf and placing in the Prix Casimir Delamarre. After

winding up unplaced in three tries in Dubai last winter, Golden Velvet came to

the United States and joined Kiaran McLaughlin. She rolled to a 6 1/2-length

tally in allowance/optional claiming company in her American debut, her prep for

the Top Flight.

The four-year-old Lady Marlboro was recording her second stakes victory,

following a five-length romp in the Life's Magic S. two back at Belmont. The

James Jerkens filly has placed in five stakes besides the Top Flight, including

the Nassau County S. (G2) and Monmouth Oaks (G3). The bay has amassed $231,524

in earnings from her 11-3-3-3 line.

Bred in Kentucky, Golden Velvet is out of multiple Grade 3 queen Caress

(Storm Cat), making her a half-sister to Grade 1 hero Sky Mesa and an unnamed

yearling filly, both by Pulpit. Caress is herself a full sister to multiple

Group 3 victor Bernstein and Grade 3 winner Country Cat, and she is a

half-sister to Grade 2 star Della Francesca (Danzig). This is the family of

Outstandingly (Exclusive Native), the champion two-year-old filly of 1984.

Lady Marlboro was bred by Hopewell Investments in Kentucky and sold for

$65,000 as a Keeneland September yearling. Produced by the stakes-winning Doc's

Leader mare Lady Doc, she is a full sister to five-time stakes scorer Two Down

Automatic. Lady Marlboro has an unnamed juvenile half-brother by Giant's

Causeway.

McLaughlin mentioned the March 9 Rampart H. (G2) as the next likely

engagement for Golden Velvet. Jerkens hasn't penciled in a target for Lady

Marlboro, but he did say that his filly is "better going one turn rather than

two."