Deceptive Vision rallies to win Doubledogdare Stakes

With a powerful stretch run, Deceptive Vision (Can), ridden by Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, fought along the outside of a group of four horses, held off Lunar Surge, who was closing fast along the rail, and crossed the finish line the winner by a head of the 21st running of the $100,000 Hilliard Lyons Doubledogdare Stakes (G3) at Keeneland on Friday, April 17, 2015.

Finishing second was Lunar Surge, while Blue Violet got past Twenty In One for third.

“She’s a lovely filly," said winning trainer Malcolm Pierce. "She’s got a lot of talent. She made me sweat a little bit today. I didn’t know whether she’d won or not, but I’m happy with the outcome.”

Five-year-old Deceptive Vision ran the 1-1/16th mile race on the dirt in 1:44.34.

The Doubledogdare was Deceptive Vision's first race of 2015, and her first one on the dirt since Feb. 22, 2013 in an allowance race at Fair Grounds, which she won. It was also her first stakes win on the dirt as well.

Deceptive Vision, who is by A.P. Indy-Eye of the Sphynx (Can), by Smart Strike, came into the race off four starts at Woodbine at the end of last season; all of them on turf. Her last race came on Oct. 19, 2014, when she finished third in the E.P. Taylor Stakes (G1). Prior to that, she scored a win in the Canadian Stakes on September 14, 2014.

With the morning-line favorite My Miss Sophia scratched, along with Handmade, the Doubledogdare took on a different look than first expected, as three horses seemed to be the new potential favorites: Deceptive Vision, Lunar Surge and Blue Violet.

As the gates opened, Tiz Windy hurdled out of the gate and went to the front as the field of seven headed into the first turn, with Twenty In One in second, followed by Blue Violet, Deceptive Vision and Pretty Fancy.

Twenty in One took over the lead as the field moved into the back stretch, setting fractions of :24.21, :48.16 and 1:12.85, with Blue Violet shadowing her on her right shoulder on the outside, while Tiz Windy sat in third, Deceptive Vision in fourth and Pretty Fancy in fifth.

Heading into the final turn, Blue Violet took the lead from Twenty in One, as Pretty Fancy moved up into third and Deceptive Vision continued to run comfortably in fourth.

As the field came out of the final turn and moved into the top of the stretch, Pretty Fancy took the lead from Blue Violet, while Deceptive Vision moved up into third on the outside, four-wide off the rail. Meanwhile, Tiz Windy and Twenty in One began to fade towards the back.

As the horses came flying down the stretch, four of them – Deceptive Vision on the outside, Lunar Surge along the rail, along with Blue Violet and Pretty Fancy sandwiched between those two – all became bunched together.

As they reached the finish line, Deceptive Vision got the win by a head over Lunar Surge, who snuck up along the rail to take second.

“She was traveling so well the whole way around," said Velazquez of Deceptive Vision. "About the sixteenth pole, it looked like she was going to win easily. As soon as she opened up a half-length with the other horses inside her, she started waiting. Her ears went up and she saw the tire tracks (from the starting gate). She didn’t really pay attention at all. So (I was) trying to keep her momentum going and keep her mind on running. She never saw the horse on the inside. I just wanted her to stay focused. She held on.”

For Velazquez, it was his fourth win in the Doubledogdare. He also won it with Embur's Song in 2011, Pool Land in 2006 and Colony Band in 2005.

A half-length back between Deceptive Vision and Lunar Surge was another race all by itself, as Blue Violet and Pretty Fancy battled to the wire, with Blue Violet getting third by a nose in a photo finish.

“The race went great," said Kerwin Clark, jockey of Blue Violet. "My filly left running and was real comfortable where she was. She gave me everything she had. We just got outrun. Had a perfect trip.”

Rounding out the order of finish was Pretty Fancy in fourth, followed by Tiz Windy, Twenty in One and Liberated.

Owned by Sam-Son Farm, Deceptive Vision now has five wins, two seconds, two thirds and $462,355 in earnings in nine career starts.

Going off as the 6-5 favorite, Deceptive Vision paid $4.60, $3.00 and $2.40, while Lunar Surge returned $3.60 and $3.00,an Blue Violet paid $2.80.

As for pre-race favorite, My Miss Sophia, runner up in last year's Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), according to reports, she was held out today so she can run in the La Troienne Stakes(G1) at Churchill Downs in the Oaks undercard on May 1.