K’s Joan Bach notches 1st black type score
South Carolina– Quite an eye-catching victory by K’s Joan Bach in the $50,000 Peintre Hunter Special over 8.5 furlongs. The 4YO Forestry filly lost a photo finish in her initial stakes bow, but didn’t dare repeat that heartbreaker this time around. Closing picture-perfect from off pace, verdugote’s rising star wore down a loose speedster to impressively win by 2 1/2 lengths.
Sent off as the slight 3/1 favorite, K’s Joan Bach made her 11th career start a coming-out party. As expected, silverazor’s classy frontrunner Charlotte bolted out of the gate, overpowering the field through honest fractions. It was a sweet scenario for the Charismatic-sired 4YO — she was a Grade 3 winner sprinting last year and was this writer’s upset pick.
But “other” talent and perhaps the extra sixteenth did Charlotte in. K’s Joan Bach cruised near the back of the pack through the first half-mile. Jockey Vestario Webb though didn’t let the golden brown filly canter too much — he threaded the filly through the field late down the backstretch and had her poised to crunch the stalkers around the far turn.
As the field of nine distaffers turned for home, K’s Joan Bach still had over 5 lengths to make up. Webb knew he had plenty of horse left but had to steer clear of determined traffic. K’s Joan Bach exploded though — her sweeping stride gobbled up ground and was more than enough to catch and collar a tiring Charlotte midway through the stretch. In the final hundred yards, K’s Joan Bach impressively extended her lead to 2 1/2 lengths.
Charlotte held on for second over phartlap1’s late-closing Unhabitable (another classy gal who suffered a troubled trip, breaking last, and inevitably beaten only three lengths by the winner).
Final time for the main track 8.5 furlongs was 1:42 3/5 (100 SP#).
K’s Joan Bach recorded her 6th victory from 11 outings. She did not arrive to the races until February of her 3YO season (2004). Since then, she exhausted her conditions in textbook fashion. K’s Joan Bach already has a victory over 9f, so she might be Breeders Bowl Distaff material if she can continue to successfully climb the stakes ranks. One to watch!