Red Tejas Challenge is a treat for Virginia fans
Virginia race fans got their money’s worth with this week’s Red Tejas Challenge. In a furious stretch run, with all five runners piled within a length and a half, Blueblood Schill(KY) edged out the competition to grab a thrilling last second victory. This is the third career stakes victory for this filly out of Artie Schiller, and her fourth win in seven starts. She certainly showed no rust in her relatively late three year old debut, after idling since mid-December. The win brings her career earnings to the $355620 mark, an admirable $50802 per race, especially considering the tenth place finishes in her last two prior starts. The stakes win also helped her maintain her 8th place ranking among three year old filly turf sprinters. The field fed me my usual helping of humble pie this week, with my pick predictably trailing the field home, though I like to think I gave a bit of good advice, as well. Payouts weren’t spectacular, though the trifecta paid decently. The winner paid $9.60 $4.60 $3.40 across the board. The exacta was a bit light with a $33.00 payout, but made up for by a $228.10 payout in the trifecta.
In a field where the oddsmakers called her outclassed, SouthernMelody(JPN) edged out in front early, and managed to get some cushion in the early going. She seemed to surprise some of the early speedsters here, opening up a length on the field by the first call. She had tacked on another length by the halfway mark, and was looking a lot tougher than people were giving her credit for at the outset. As they crossed into the second half, the field started jockeying for position for the late run. As they crossed the third call and headed for home, Southern Melody(JPN) was clinging to a half length, with Blueblood Schill(KY) breathing down her neck and the rest of the field bearing down on the both of them. After a determined fight, Blueblood Schill(KY) edged by late in the stretch, but the battle wasn’t over, with Beckinsale(IRE) making a determined charge for the lead as the wire came into sight. Crossing the wire, Blueblood Schill(KY) had hung on, clinging to a scant three quarters of a length over Beckinsale(IRE). Southern Melody(JPN) hung on for third with a career best run, a length out at the wire.