Ancient Goddess Wins Star Shoot

Trained by John Terranova, the French-bred daughter of Ifraaj arrived at the six furlong 'Poly' stake for three-year-old fillies from a third-place run in the Suncoast Stakes, when routing over the Tampa Bay Downs dirt on January 31. 

Ancient Goddess trained into her Polytrack debut at Belmont Park.

"I got a perfect trip," said winning rider Luis Contreras. "The filly came here sharp and ready to run. She surprised me because it was her first time running on Polytrack and she handled it like she has been here for a long time."

Starless Night and Spanish Pipedream contested the early pace of the Star Shoot setting splits of :22.05 and :45.13, as Contreras settled Ancient Goddess into seventh position in the nine-horse field. 

Brooklynsway loomed large through the turn along the rail, under Emma-Jayne Wilson, while Ancient Goddess sought room between rivals as the field straightened away for the stretch run with Starless Night clinging to a precarious lead.

Brooklynsway, waiting patiently for a chance to run, gained command down the lane but could not hold off the rally of a determined Ancient Goddess who notched a narrow nose victory in a final running time of 1:10.19.  Zia, with Jesse Campbell aboard, closed six-wide for show money, a length back of Brooklynsway.

Contreras was confident Ancient Goddess arrived in time to secure her first stakes win.

"Oh yes. From the time the gate opened I had so much horse on my hands," said Contreras. "I was just waiting and waiting and by the three-eighths, I was stuck in behind the speed and waiting for a hole to open up. A little hole opened up and she went through it like it was nothing, she was so brave. She galloped out really good. I think she can go farther."

The win was a first Woodbine stakes score for Sovereign Stable, a racing partnership overseen by Matthew Gatsas, in three attempts having previously finished sixth in the 2008 Grade 3 Grey Stakes with Rein King and 12th in the 2012 Grade 2 Natalma Stakes with Fearless Jacq.

Ancient Goddess made two starts in France before being purchased by Sovereign Stable and brought to North America.

"She sprinted in her first race in France and then went seven furlongs on the turf and won, beating some of the colts there," said Roy Champagne, a Sovereign Stable partner on hand at Woodbine to watch the victory with his wife, Sherri, and fellow Sovereign partners Diane and Gary Gladstone. "Since she's been over here, we've been running her long in route races and we've been looking to change things up. She would tire at the end of the route races, so we were looking for a sprint race to run her in. We're elated with the win."

Ancient Goddess banked $75,000 in victory while improving her record to 2-1-2 from seven starts. 

She paid $27.20, $12.70 and $7.30, combining with Brooklynsway ($7.10, $4.30) for a $176.20 (3-4) exactor. A 3-4-9 triactor (Zia, $4.60 to show) was worth $1074.80, while a $1 Superfecta [3-4-9-8 (Spanish Pipedream)] came back $2662.95.