At Ascot: ‘Super’ Duper!

Super Gold let Carson Touch(NZ) do all the heavy lifting for a quarter-mile, and then took over and coasted, a two-and-a-quarter length, much-the-best winner of the $500,000 Filly Grand Prix at Ascot Saturday.  Vindictive Touch charged down the stretch belatedly to finish third, two-and-three-quarter lengths behind the winner.

Super Gold had previously never trailed at any point of call in her career, but breaking from post #14, she conceded a fair early pace to Carson Touch(NZ) for two furlongs.  But on the backstretch, after settling into a stalking position, Super Gold made an easy move to the front, and was in complete control thereafter.  Ridden by P Harzheim, the two-year-old daughter of Seeking The Gold looked very professional, covering the mile on the firm Ascot grass in 1:37 2/5, and earning a respectable speed figure of 84 in the process.

The leader of every juvenile filly turf division, Super Gold earned $300,000 for the super20 stables, and has established herself definitively as the one to beat on the lawn for the upcoming Breeders Bowl Juvenile Turf Filly next month.  Immediate decisions on whether the horse will get one more prep or just train up to the Breeders Bowl had yet to be confirmed at press time. 

As for the runners-up, Carson Touch(NZ) moved to second in the classic turf division for two-year-old fillies, and Vindictive Touch climbed to fifth.  Their possible Breeders Bowl plans are also unconfirmed, Vindictive Touch in particular, as she now owns high rankings in the turf and dirt divisions; her late run should appreciate the added ground of future races at stakes level.