Ahh Chocolate holds on in the Allaire Dupont Distaff
A year after running third in last year’s Black-Eyed Susan (G2) in just her third lifetime start, Stoneway Farm’s Ahh Chocolate returned to Pimlico Race Course Friday to score her second graded-stakes triumph in the 23rd running of the $150,000 Allaire DuPont Distaff (G3).
Ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr. for trainer Neil Howard, the 4-year-old Candy Ride filly took the lead from pacesetting Super Majesty at the top of the stretch, opened up in the lane and had enough room to hold off a dramatic late rush from Theogony on the outside to win by a half-length.
Sent off at 7-2 in a field of nine older fillies and mares, Ahh Chocolate ($9) ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.82 on a fast main track. Theogony was second, three-quarters of a length ahead of 24-1 long shot Joint Return.
Ahh Chocolate was unbeaten in her first two starts when she arrived in Maryland last year for the Black-Eyed Susan, where she was wide on both turns and flattened out but was still beaten just 3 ¼ lengths by upset winner Keen Pauline. She capped her sophomore season with a victory in the Falls City Handicap (G2), also over Theogony.
Source: Pimlico Race Course