DIZZYING INTELLECT blows minds in MD Distaff
By ITCH
Gobidon’s DIZZYING INTELLECT ($18) ran home smartly to win as much the best in the Grade 2 MD Distaff here in Maryland on the Middle Jewel undercard.
While the gigantic accomplishment by another female racer will take the headlines on this day of racing in Maryland (Congrats to Dixie and FINAL EXIT), Gobidon will go away quite pleased indeed with what his mare was able to do on Saturday.
As stated in the preview, Dizzying Intellect is a remarkably versatile mare, and added another important feather to her cap in terms of what she has accomplished on a Sim track. She now has won graded stakes at 6.5 furlongs, a mile and a sixteenth and 10 furlongs. She’s won a listed stake going 12 furlongs. Not bad for a California-bred!
“I love this horse!” Gobidon proclaimed in CVBear’s Brag and Cry thread on the main message board. “The coolest horse in the game.”
The 2012 MD Distaff may be remembered for one of the most dizzying pace battles you want to see, as three mares laid it down early, battling for the lead. The top-ranked mare coming into the race, KOO KOO KACHOO, had been used to leading by open lengths entering the stretch in her races. No such luck in the MD Distaff!
Koo Koo Kachoo lost the pace duel to NOT IN THE HABIT, who fought on bravely to be third.
QUEEN OF MY LIFE put in a closing run that was second only to Dizzying Intellect. Pisano’s 4yo brown daughter of Oasis Dream rose to No. 9 in her division despite only winning four of 21 races lifetime.
Following are our weekly result comments:
DIZZYING INTELLECT: Reserved early in sixth amidships with San Fran Gold, accelerated away from that one a half-mile into the race. Up to fourth by the head of the stretch and was the obvious danger to the trio of tiring pacesetters. Hit the button turning for home and blew past Not in the Habit to win going away as much the best.
QUEEN OF MY LIFE: Away slowly on the inside, reserved in ninth inside a wall of horses. Advanced past a fading Bottle of Bubbly at the midway point. Closed strongly to be a clear second without threatening the winner.
NOT IN THE HABIT: Broke alertly to engage in a brutal three-way speed duel for the lead between Koo Koo Kachoo and Hard Secret. Began to wear down her rivals at the midway point, slowly pulling away from those two, but faced an onslaught of closers in the stretch. Two of them caught her, but she held on for a clear third. It’s worth noting that the other two mares in the speed duel faded to finish ninth and 10th, so she was much the best of those three.
BY AND BY: Away slowly, content to drift back to last of 13 in the early stages. Fell behind by as many as 9 1/2 lengths before she started her run. Still had a lot of work left to do at the head of the stretch. Closed strongly to finish fourth but could not catch the tiring pacesetter for the show money.
SPECIAL RIVER: Broke fifth, racing just off the hip of Bottle of Bubbly early. Outraced that one but could not respond when the eventual winner went by. Fought on to the wire but lost ground to a couple of the late runners.
K’S WALL STREET: Jostled out of the gate, raced in tight quarters early toward the back. Eventually escaped trouble but could make only modest gains.
KOSCIUSZCO: Taken back early while racing wide outside a wall of closers. Advanced modestly but got passed by K’s Wall Street and By and By. Tried to come back on K’s Wall Street for the wire but could not, and it was only for sixth place,, anyway. Both this mare and Koo Koo Kachoo struggled off their 1-2 finish in the Grade 3 Wiley Jenny, so that must have been like an oppo-key race or something.
CLEVER HAACK: Away slowly, jostled with K’s Wall Street, got his feet under him and began chasing that rival. Chased him all the way home while never threatening a serious move.
KOO KOO KACHOO: Away alertly from the rail post position to quickly engage in an all-out pace battle with Not in the Habit and Hard Secret. What a tough trip for this classy mare. She was in front for the first half mile, but barely, as Not in the Habit and Hard Secret were giving their all on her outside. Lost the fight to Not in the Habit about halfway home and was a sitting duck for the closers. Really ran out of gas late and faded all the way to ninth.
HARD SECRET: Away alertly to join a suicidal pace duel at the front end. Widest of the three pacesetters, ran very hard to press the pace and never could get her nose in front of the other two. Began to fade about halfway home and faded through the pack with Koo Koo Kachoo.
SAN FRAN GOLD: Broke decently into good position while fifth, amidships with eventual winner Dizzying Intellect. Had no response when the real running started at the halfway point. Faded.
BOTTLE OF BUBBLY: Broke decently in fourth, the first horse chasing the trio of leaders. Cork popped about a half-mile into the race and she went empty from there.
KITTY WELLS: Broke in a tangle and then jostled with K’s Wall Street. Something might have gone wrong with the mare in that early shuffle as she slowed significantly throughout.