PRINCESS QUEST Challenge Stakes

For the second week in a row, the Vermont feature was won by the betting favorite. 5-year-old ULTEGRA easily won today’s $65,000 PRINCESS QUEST Challenge Stakes on the Vermont turf over a mile and 3/16, although not without some controversy, paying $6.00, $2.90 and $2.10 for owner maruxa.  Winning rider H Dudderar broke a two-week feature-winning streak for S Gravina.

The early pace was set by HOT SAUCE DEMOSS, who broke cleanly and led until the far corner.  The leader was stalked for the first half of the race by ENOUGH MON and SHY BUDA, who both later faded to finish sixth and seventh.  ULTEGRA raced along quietly from the start, saving energy in fourth.  Consistent with her past efforts, this writer’s pick DEAD SOLID PERFECT fell back early and trailed by as many as nine lengths by the time they hit the backstretch.  CARSFLY SEATTLE was never a factor and finished eighth.

True to her form, DEAD SOLID PERFECT began to make her move at the end of the backstretch.  Seeing her coming, ULTEGRA went as well and appeared to block her in the far turn while moving around ENOUGH MON, causing DEAD SOLID PERFECT to check up and lose ground.  ULTREGA continued advancing, was three clear of the field coming out of the turn and held on gamely for the win.  DEAD SOLID PERFECT recovered with unhappy jockey B Langhorne and moved up to second down the stretch, but wasn’t able to seriously challenge the winner.  GETTIN’ IT, after trailing the field early, made a late charge to get up for third, but was no threat to the top two.

ULTEGRA’s winning time of 1:55 earned her a SP of 104.  The 5-year-old daughter of WOODMAN earned her second consecutive stakes win and third in her last four outings, bringing her lifetime earnings to $431,345.

Next week’s feature at Vermont will again showcase the older females, this time going 9 furlongs on the dirt in the $60,000 WEST INTO DANCER Challenge.