Longshot Queen's Award runs down Madame Giry for Franklin County victory

Longshot Queen's Award runs down Madame Giry for Franklin

County victory

"No. That was the plan," Caramori said when asked if he was worried about his

charge being in last early. "Kent (Desormeaux) knew the filly;

he rode her in Chicago. He rode her with confidence. We needed a Hall of Fame

rider to do a Hall of Fame ride, and he did it today. We got it today because of

Kent."

"Down the stretch, she found another gear and took dead aim

at that last target (Madame Giry)," Desormeaux remarked. "I was very thankful for

her to have that desire. She's a winner."

Queen's Award rewarded her faithful, but few, backers with $63.80 for the win

and had a half-length to spare over Madame Giry. Sweet Cassiopeia was another

half-length back in third while just a neck up on fourth-placer and 6-5 favorite Silverette. Magical Moon, Making Waves, Bounding Bi, Dene Court, Trippin' Along

and Lignite completed the order under the line. Facey's Spirit, Jan's Perfect

Star, Ms Anna Destiny and Mosaicist were all scratched.

Campaigned by Coudelaria Jessica Inc., Queen's Award earned her first stakes

victory in this spot. The six-year-old mare's first stakes credit came when she

made her stakes debut a neck runner-up in last December's Holiday

Inaugural at Turfway Park. She followed that with an eighth-placing, beaten

just 1 1/2 lengths, in the Lighting City at Tampa Bay Downs and a close fourth

in Gulfstream Park's Ladies Turf Sprint.

Queen's Award raced twice during Keeneland's spring meet, finishing fifth in

the Madison before a third-place run against optional claiming rivals 12 days

later. Her next start saw the daughter of Medaglia d'Oro just miss in the

Chicago by three parts of a length, and she entered the Franklin County off a

subpar sixth in the Presque Isle Downs Master. The mare has racked up $233,344

in career earnings to go along with her 27-5-4-5 scorecard.

Bred in Kentucky by Carl Hurst and Fred & William Bradley, Queen's Award is

the first registered stakes winner out of the stakes-scoring Williamstown mare

Town Queen. This female family includes Grade 2 heroine Megans Bluff and that

one's unbeaten Grade 3-winning daughter, Elusive Bluff. Also of note in this

female line are Canadian champions Queen Louie, Gentleman Conn and Perfect Soul.

Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com