MAHOGANY, 2022 GOLD Cup winner and last year’s runner-up, allowing winner SHE’S MY DESTINY 17lb, confirmed seven furlongs as his pet trip with an easy victory at the distance against open-allowance runners in yesterday’s Poorlittlerichgirl Trophy.
Reporting off a fourth-place finish in the fast-run Clovis Metcalfe Trophy at seven and a half furlongs on July 7, MAHOGANY franked the form of the event with an out-of-class victory, romping home seven and three-quarter lengths clear of EASY AS A. B. C. in 1:26.2.
Tracking early leader YELLOWSTONE from along the rail with MADELYN’S SUNSHINE to his outside, MAHOGANY took over a half-mile out with Shane Ellis, going past the three-furlong marker in a 48.0 split, pedestrian fractions by his standards.
Straightening well clear of United States-bred EASY AS A. B. C., who made his bid three furlongs out past weakening YELLOWSTONE, MAHOGANY changed his lead early in the stretch run when asked by Ellis to sprint away in a crippling six-furlong split of 1:12.4.
The expected speed duel with last Saturday’s winner, MADELYN’S SUNSHINE, failed to materialise, the American finishing fourth behind third-place stablemate THALITA.
Running strong with his customary blinkers refitted and ridden out by Ellis with topweight 126lb inside the final furlong, MAHOGANY won unchallenged for an 18th career win from 35 starts.
MAHOGANY’s victory broke his losing streak, going winless in five previous starts since avenging his Gold Cup loss to SHE’S MY DESTINY with back-to-back victories last season, following FUNCAANDUN as the second horse emerging from the Clovis Metcalfe as either a winner or losing epic races.
MAMMA MIA, who was destructive when winning the Clovis Metcalfe from in front with fractions of 34.0, 45.2, 57.4 and 1:10.3, returned 20 days later in the She’s A Maneater, setting up stablemate FUNCAANDUN, after running topweight ATOMICA off her legs in 24.0, 34.3, 46.0, 58.2, 1:11.3 and 1:25.0.
Tevin Foster rode two winners, opening the nine-race card with STORM VALLEY, followed by MIDNIGHT FLIGHT, halting Raddesh Roman’s gnaw into his lead atop the jockeys’ standings. Roman, now trailing Foster by four winners, made all aboard INDESTRUCTIBLE in the third event.
Racing continues on Saturday.