Sea Calisi Captures the Beverly D with a Late Run
On a sun-kissed day in Chicago, Sea Calisi scored a popular late-running victory in the $700,000 Beverly D. Stakes (G1) at Arlington Park. Going into the race owner Martin Schwartz voiced his displeasure with the ride the 4-year-old daughter of Youmzain received last out in the New York Handicap. In that race, she was trapped down on the rail while trailing a dawdling early pace.
Today, Schwartz and trainer Chad Brown employed the services of a rabbit in the form of French import, Elusive Million. Sprinting out to a quick early lead under jockey Julio Felix, Elusive Million opened up a 1 1/2-length advantage through an opening quarter in 23 3/5 seconds.
As the field spun onto the backstretch, Elusive Million continued to lead after a half in 47 3/5, with Zipessa tracking outside of her. Meanwhile, the eventually winner was in eleventh some 13 lengths off the pace. As the field approached the 5 furlong marker Zipessa took over as the rabbit did her job, ensuring a quick early pace, with the Aidan O’Brien duo of Coolmore and Ballydoyle stalking the new leader.
After 6 furlongs in 1:12 2/5, Zipessa opened a 1 ½- length lead, but Sea Calisi began to gather momentum widest of all, assuring she would not encounter any traffic.
Once in the final straight Sea Calisi engulfed the leader, storming down the center of the course to complete her 1 3/16 miles journey in 1:54 4/5 for jockey Florent Geroux by a measured half length over Al’s Gal. “She’s a very nice filly, definitely no distance problem at all – she can win at longer. We got helped a lot today with the pace maker, it was good for that, she needed some pace and clean trip and it worked out good,” Geroux said.
The runner up rallied late for Ken and Sarah Ramsey and rider Corey Lanerie. “It was a good trip. She rated kindly toward the rear. I tracked the winner all the way, but just couldn’t get it done today,” Lanerie said.
After tracking the swift early pace, Zipessa gallantly held on for the bronze medal. Jockey Joe Bravo was over the moon with the effort and looks for better things down the road. “Awesome filly, I’d say she’s got a big future ahead of her. No hidden secrets, she’s a frontrunner, and you put 123 (pounds) on her, rabbit against her, and she still gets beat two lengths? She’s got a great future.”
But the future is now and solely belongs to Sea Calisi and Geroux, who captured four of the day’s five graded stakes. “Other than being out in the parking lot to start, Florent with his beautiful ride overcame that. We couldn’t be more overjoyed,” Schwartz said.
Sea Calisi returned $4.20 to her backers and $386,400 to owner Martin Schwartz, who captured his fourth Beverly D. with the victory. Though no plans have been made for where she'll next race, expect Sea Calisi to make her presence known in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf towards the year’s end.