Grade-1 Dell Webb Oaks Recap
Round and the round goes the parade of Grade-1 winners in the 3 year old filly Turf Route Division. The latest winner, trainer Tetsch’s Tom And Pap has been throwing hints like her 2nd place effort in the Grade-1 Japanese 1000 Guineas and her win in the Grade-2 Full Moon Handicap that she’s been ready to join the Grade-1 winners club. She did it in fine fashion in the Grade-1 Dell Webb Oaks, rallying from 8th she “mowed” down trainer Skunkbred3’s Stash Your Gold and the tiring trainer Wispa2’s A Thousand Up to prevail by a widening 1 ¾ lengths. Much to trainer Tetsch’s delight the spoils from the victory also propelled Tom And Pap’s career earnings over the $1-Million dollar mark and stamped her as a probable Breeder Bowl contender.
RACE RECAP:
As expected trainer Alysheba11’s filly Street Princess streaked to the early lead, running the opening quarter mile in a speedy 22:75. However, the lead didn’t come easy however, as trainer Wispa2 had instructed apprentice jockey Y. Bower to run with her and apply as much early pressure as she could. Trainer Broohar3’s filly Arc’s A Comin and Mtk76hold’s filly Law Of Success stalked in 3rd and 4th about 1 ½ lengths behind the lead pair. The mid pack group was led by trainer Skunkbred3’s filly Stash Your Gold while trainer Tetsch’s filly Tom And Pap and trainer Correction’s filly Mercato brought up the rear of the field, 7 ¾ and 10 lengths back respectively.
The half mile went in a quick 46:18 and there was never more than a length separating Street Princess and A Thousand Up. The rest of the field remained in early order but all dropped a bit further behind, with the exception of Mercato who was obviously struggling just to remain in contact with the field.
Street Princess hung on to the lead thru 5 furlongs, but as the field hit the 6 furlong marker on the far turn, A Thousand Up had inched by her to assume the lead. Arc A Comin, Law Of Success and Stash Your Gold all loomed large and were bunched up only 2 ½ to 3 ½ lengths back. Tom and Pap was rolling as she passed the struggling Surrealistic and Kubanskaya and had already cut 5 ½ lengths off the leaders cushion. M. Billig was feverishly urging Mercato, but she just wasn’t firing with her usual late enthusiasm.
Deep Stretch saw both Stash Your Gold and the “flying” Tom And Pap rapidly catching the now tiring A Thousand Up. The race was over for the rest of the field, with early race pacesetter, Street Princess fading badly and the rest struggling just to keep pace. With 50 yards to go the 3 leaders were noses apart, but it was obvious that A Thousand Up was really tiring from her early efforts and would have to settle for 3rd, Stash Your Gold was still going fairly well but just couldn’t match strides with Tom And Pap, who went by her in a flourish and was pulling away at the wire.
.
Race Comments: (in order of finish)
TOM AND PAP: she didn’t plod or grind in today’s race, rallying with a “flourish” throughout the stretch drive, prevailed 30 yards from the wire and won pulling away, it looked like she could run all day. Tetsch’s millionaire filly has that Breeder Bowl look!
STASH YOUR GOLD: stalked the early leaders in 5th mid pack, steady gain between 5 & 7 furlongs, running 2nd and was steadily catching the tiring leader by mid stretch. Had dead aim on the fading leader and the race in her grasp but couldn’t hold off late rallying winner.
A THOUSAND UP: tough, game effort, applied hard pressure to early leader, surged to the lead at 6 furlong call. Dug in but tired in mid stretch and faded to 3rd, easily best of the rest
LAW OF SUCCESS: good even effort, unable to match strides with early leaders, stalked pace never far back to 7 furlongs, dug in and dueled Arc’s A Comin throughout stretch, prevailed to earn 4th.
ARC’S A COMIN : stalked leaders comfortably in 3rd, to 6 furlong call, no rally response when jockey asked for more in stretch, dueled Law Of Success for 4th throughout stretch but eventually settled for 5th.
STREET PRINCESS: betting favorite led thru 5 furlongs, but had steady pressure to deal with and could never separate and draw away. Lost lead at 6 furlong call and tired badly from 7 furlongs out.
SURREALISTIC: even decent effort, was an uncompetitive 7th throughout, no rally at 6 furlong pole, but remained steady, didn’t lose much ground but couldn’t gain ground either.
KUBANSKAYA: never prominent, tracked early speed in 6th mid pack, also remained steady and didn’t lose much ground but like Surrealistic couldn’t gain ground either and faded back to 8th.
MERCATO: dull effort, couldn’t keep up with early pace, already had dropped 15 ½ lengths back at 4 furlong call. Offered no real response to jockey urging at 6 furlong call, “bounced” after 2 huge efforts?