Devil's Cave repels foes in Ocala Stakes
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Leading up to the $100,000 Ocala Stakes, it appeared to be a two horse race on paper. My Pal
Chrisy had won three straight stakes races at Gulfstream before finishing a
good third in the G2 Go For Wand at Aqueduct. Her main foe, or so it appeared,
was the three-year-old Sweet N Discreet, sister to graded stakes winners Discreet Dancer and Travelin Man. Like her two brothers,
Sweet N Discreet has a particular affinity for the South Florida track, but
when the dust settled, neither of these two talented fillies came away a
winner.
Three-year old Devil’s Cave was not initially nominated to the $100,000 Ocala Stakes, but she sure
made it worth her connections’ time and money to supplement her for $5,000.
Breaking from the rail as Program #2, the dark bay filly uncharacteristically
shot straight to the lead where she proceeded to click off quick fractions of
22:30 for the opening quarter and 45:10 for the half. Leaving the far turn, Sweet N Discreet headed Devil’s Cave
with My Pal Chrisy looming large to
her outside, but Devil’s Cave was not done yet. While under a vigorous hand
ride, jockey Joel Rosario gave his charge two quick, well-spaced taps, and it
was over from there. Devil’s Cave battled back to edge away and win by two.
By Put It Back, Devil’s Cave completed the mile event in
1.34:74. As the 9-2 third betting choice, Devil’s Cave returned
$11.40/$5.80/$2.80. Sweet N Discreet, who held second by a neck, returned
$4.80/$2.20 as the second betting choice, and My Chrisy, the odds on favorite,
returned $2.10. The order of finish was completed by Courtney Ryan, Mass
Invasion, and Princess Malia, all three of whom played a rough game of bumper
cars at the break.
My Pal Chrisy, who generally sits back and makes one run,
was up close to a swift pace. At the half mile call, the multiple stakes winner
was just 1 ½ lengths back in fourth. At the top of the stretch, the 3-5
favorite looked strong and poised to strike, but as the battling trio continued
down the stretch, My Pal Chrisy appeared to hang.
After the race, trainer Marty Wolfson, who had both the winner and the third-place finisher, said that he
felt the distance and the assigned weight (123 lbs) hindered My Pal Chrisy in
today’s race. In truth, that statement is really no more than an excuse. My Pal
Chrisy just won the 8.5 furlong Millions Distaff Preview carrying the same
impost two starts back. Today, stablemate Devil’s Cave was simply the better
filly despite My Pal Chrisy having plenty of pace to run at. If anything, the
reason why My Pal Chrisy hung in the stretch was due to the fact that she was
simply too close to a hot pace and the combination of pace and distance was not
to her liking. Regardless, Devil’s Cave ran a bang up race and was a deserving
winner off the step up in class.
Devil’s Cave is the second stakes winner for her
dam Wabash Gal, who also produced 2002 Indiana Stallion Stakes winner Sheza Pretty Gal. Alpha Delta Stables
purchased Devil’s Cave for $180,000 at the Spring Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company
2012 spring sale of two-year olds in training. She has since earned $132,647
and has amassed a career record of 8: 3-3-0. Today was her first attempt in a
stakes race.
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