Tempted win not so Elusive for Lady

Gold Mark Farm LLC's ELUSIVE LADY (Van Nistelrooy) moved to the front despite

being bumped at the start of Sunday's $106,600

Tempted

S. (G3), set the pace through splits of :23 2/5, :47 3/5 and 1:13 1/5, then

drew away in the stretch for an easy 4 3/4-length score while making her stakes

debut under Eibar Coa. The John Kimmel-trained gray lass was the 5-1 third pick

in the five-horse field and gave back $13.60, $5.80 and $2.70 while finishing a

mile on Aqueduct's fast dirt in 1:38 2/5.

Meriwether Jessica (Freud) came three wide on the turn to challenge in the

stretch, but had no answer for the winner, settling for second at 7-1 to pay

$6.90 and $2.90 while ending the $68.50 exacta. Even-money favorite Sunday

Holiday (Sunday Break [Jpn]) found herself trapped on the rail behind the winner

and inside of the runner-up in the stretch run. She gave up the ghost late to

finish another length back in third, returning $2.10 and completing the $163.50 trifecta (4-5-6). Hope Bay (Smart Strike) followed

another 7 1/4 lengths adrift, and According to Plan (Out of Place) rounded out

the field. Dagger (Tactical Cat) was withdrawn.

Elusive Lady made her racing debut at Saratoga, finishing sixth, then broke

her maiden next out at Belmont Park by three parts of a length prior to this

one. She's accumulated $96,538 in earnings, already surpassing her sales price

of $90,000 as a Keeneland September yearling.

"In her first start, she took a lot of kick back," Kimmel explained away her

unencouraging bow. "Her head was up in the air and she was pretty much climbing

the whole way. She had a much better trip in her second start.

"She wasn't blowing very hard in the winner's circle (here)," he added. "She

certainly didn't look very stressed out. We will point her for the (November 24)

Demoiselle ([G2] at Aqueduct)."

Bred in Florida by Donald L. Ming, the juvenile miss is out of the unraced

Song of Royalty (Unbridled's Song) and has an unnamed yearling half-brother by

Macho Uno.