Farrell makes winning season debut in Oaklawn Park's Pippin Stakes

Coffeepot Stables’ Farrell began her 4-year-old season just like she ended her 3-year-old campaign -- as a winner.

Using her preferred front-running style, Farrell held off 2017 Fantasy Stakes winner Ever So Clever to prevail by three-quarters of a length in Saturday’s$125,000 Pippin Stakes before a crowd of 15,500.

Breaking from post 2 under regular rider Channing Hill, Farrell got the jump on 2017 Pippin winner Terra Promessa and the two raced within a half-length of each other through fractions of :23 1/5 and :46 4/5 for the first half mile. As the field entered the stretch, the winner shook off one rival and had just enough left in reserve to hold off Ever So Clever and the late closing Streamline, the 2016 Pippin winner.

“Just handicapping the race, I was kind of hoping we would draw outside Terra Promessa, just to kind of make it a little simpler,” Hill said. “But, the filly broke sharp today and put me on the pace. Her ears never came back until I asked her to run. That other filly (Ever So Clever), give her a lot of credit. She came charging at us and my filly kind of showed her class and just kind of stretched her legs out.”

Farrell, a Malibu Moon filly, improved her record to seven wins from 11 starts and has now earned $802,077. She returned $6.20, $3.60 and $3.20 as the 2-1 second choice.

Impasse, Terra Promessa, Miner’s Cat, Mo’s MVP and Bootsy’s Girl completed the order of finish. Rachel’s Temper, Ruby Sioux and Someday Soon were scratched.

“The goal is the Apple Blossom," said winning trainer Wayne Catalano. "We're trying to win a Grade 1 with her. That's why we're running her here today. The Apple Blossom - a Grade 1 - that's what we're here for.”