She's Not Here Repeats in Yellow Ribbon Handicap
She may not have visited the winner's circle since last year's edition of the $200,000 Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Handicap, but that did not stop She's Not Here from determinedly holding off a late charge from Fresh Feline to get the win in the 1 1/16 mile turf event at Del Mar.
Content to sit in fourth early, She's Not Here and jockey Drayden Van Dyke comfortably loped along behind pacesetter Her Emmynency, who was in turn tracked by Keri Belle in about the two path and Finest City down on the rail. Prize Exhibit (GB) was fifth, followed by Queen of the Sand (IRE), Fresh Feline, and Nancy From Nairobi (GB).
Her Emmynency was in no hurry on the lead, cruising along through easy splits of :24.21 and :48.74. Not happy with the slow going, Prize Exhibit (GB) and Santiago Gonzalez took an early shot at the leaders. Moving up into a close third, the James Cassidy trainee made Her Emmynency and Keri Belle sprint early going into the far turn.
Into the turn, She's Not Here was just behind the trio of leaders, who had lined up three across the track. Coming off the turn, Van Dyke swung his charge to the outside and set her down for the stretch drive. Her Emmynency managed to retain the lead to the 5/16-ths pole but by mid-stretch had been passed by the entire field.
Meanwhile, She's Not Here had gained the lead and was inching away, but Fresh Feline was winding her way through traffic and charging hard after She's Not Here. As the wire loomed, Fresh Feline drew to near even terms with her rival, but She's Not Here was able to gamely hold her off by a diminishing neck as the wire flashed overhead just in time. The final time was 1:42.70.
Nancy From Nairobi (GB) closed from last to nab third, and Finest City rounded out the superfecta. Queen of the Sand (IRE), Keri Belle, Prize Exhibit (GB), and Her Emmynency completed the order of finish.
Winning jockey Drayden Van Dyke cited riding to orders as the key to his and She's Not Here's success. “I spoke to Phil Oliver (a trainer himself and husband of She’s Not Here’s trainer Vicki Oliver) on the phone about an hour before the race. He told me to get her out of there and see if I could lay fourth or fifth – then get her to relax. He said she had been training great, had a good kick and liked the track. So I rode to orders and it all worked out great," he explained. "This place (Del Mar) is one of my favorite racetracks, so to win a graded race here is special.”
Speaking via telephone from Indiana Downs, winning trainer Vicki Oliver said, “I watched the race from here and I thought Drayden (Van Dyke) had her in good position down the back stretch, and when he asked her, she really responded. She runs well on that turf course. I don’t know exactly why, maybe she just likes it because it’s a little more firm than most."
She's Not Here paid $20.40, $10.20, and $6.60 for her upset victory. Runner-up Fresh Feline returned $19.40 and $6.60 for the place, and Nancy From Nairobi returned $3.20 for the show. The $1 exacta paid $161.90, the $0.50 trifecta returned $294.35, and the $1 superfecta was worth a cool $2,451.00.
By Street Cry (IRE) and out of the Aljabr mare Where's Bailey, She's Not Here hails from the family of the mighty Zenyatta. She's owned by Humphrey Jr. or St. George Farm Racing, LLC, who picked up the mare for $190,000 as a yearling out of the Keeneland 2012 September Yearling Sale. With her repeat Yellow Ribbon victory, She's Not Here ran her record to 22: 6-1-3 for total earnings of $403,903.
When asked about future plans for She's Not Here, trainer Oliver responded, "We’ll bring her back to Kentucky, there’s not another race for her out there."