Run for the ages in Child Focus

As Equinics fans placed all eyes on the Child Focus Stakes (Gr. I) for two minutes on Saturday, they were treated to an absolutely incredible race that won’t be soon forgotten.

Long-shot Rome (29/1) pulled out an improbable victory with what could best be described as a last-to-first stampede that left her favored challengers in the dust and brought home the ultimate glory to trainer kevoman2 and the EAAA Racing residency.

With 18 talented fillies and mares set to go 10 furlongs on Vermont’s fast dirt, few were looking at the English-bred, Irish-heavy Rome, especially as the horses broke from the gates and the brown mare immediately dropped to the very back. Instead, they were watching the front of the pack, where Bathsheba II and Prayer of Love traded the lead back and forth down the first stretch. As expected, 31/1 Woette’s Danseur also battled for the lead and pushed the pace, while my pick, Cosimo, and Latin entry Chalina stalked close behind. Quantumimmortality and Aptitudeforsuccess ran as expected, leading the second group of challengers but proving to be above their heads. At 4.5 furlongs the two horses quickly lost steam and dropped straight to the back with nothing left.

Favorite Luzerne grooved into the middle of the pack, while closing contenders Dehere Dabear, Mind Eraser and upstart Depudini settled further back, waiting for the right time to make a move. Annana, Hoosier Queen and Sorocoba filled out the middle of the group and found it mostly hard going to improve their standing throughout the contest.

Shoalwater Bay and Smell It sat back with their closing instincts poised and ready, while The Green Man, previously un-run on dirt, also immediately slid to the back, where she sat in front of a horse that was just waiting to make her move while bringing up the rear — Rome.

With the top three — Bathsheba II, Prayer of Love and Woette’s Danseur — fighting hard for the lead, Cosimo was happy to sit back and let them drain themselves. At about the ½-mile mark some of the long-shots began to show some wear, with Woette’s Danseur beginning to drop along with some of the other middle runners.

Cosimo grabbed the lead at the 6-furlong mark, just edging past Bathsheba II, who stood firm and challenged Cosimo the whole way. Meanwhile, the closers began to make their moves from the back, as Rome slowly moved past tiring runner after tiring runner. Some of his opponents made a faster charge, with Dehere Dabear, Mind Eraser and Depudini carefully picking their way through the field and towards a position to challenge the lead. Hoosier Queen made the earliest move, but could not hold off the stronger on-comers. Smell It and Luzerne never really fired off, and were left pretty much where they were running from the start.

As the field rounded the final turn, Cosimo looked to be in control, with the closers making a move but not challenging the front-runner. A roar went up from the crowd as the horses hit the stretch as Rome, who was 12^th and nearly 10 lengths back as they hit the stretch, came pounding down the track with an unbelievable close that will forever be remembered amongst the greatest moments in racing history.

The other closers could do little to stop Rome, and neither could Cosimo, who seemingly still had enough left in the tank to hold everyone off. But Rome stormed up the middle, on a mission and deterred by no one, to clip Cosimo with about 50 feet left to go.

“Wow. Unbelievable,” jockey N Lawton said. “She did exactly what I asked her the whole race. I couldn’t have asked for more.

“I could tell she wanted to go when we hit a mile, but I held her back and gave her just enough to get her in a little better position. Then we came around the turn and I just let her run her race. That was all Rome out there. I didn’t have to do a thing. Unbelievable.”

Rome grabbed the majority of the $1 million purse and the gold medal, while paying out $60.80 to bettors who picked her to win. Silver went to Cosimo, despite an incredible effort, which paid out $9.20 to place. Mind Eraser got the best of the other closers and rounded out the top three the bronze medal, paying out $8.60 to show. The exacta went off for $414.60 and lucky trifecta winners picked up $4,296.20.

Bathsheba II ran up front all day before finishing in fourth and Dehere Dabear’s stretch effort came up a little short to leave her in fifth. Depudini capped the on-rush of closers to end up in sixth. Betting favorite Luzerne never threatened and landed in eighth place.

Rome’s winning speed mark was 103, while Cosimo and Mind Eraser also ran triple-figure marks with a 102 and 101, respectively. The winner crossed the line in 2:01 4/5.

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Child Focus