Kitten's Dumplings Rebounds in Blushing K. D.

Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Kitten’s Dumplings rebounded off a ninth-place finish against Grade III company last out to capture Saturday’s $60,000 Blushing K. D. at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, one of six stakes on Santa Super Saturday in New Orleans.

With 11-1 longshot Masquerade setting the early tempo through splits of 24.26, 49.89 and 1:14.98, winning rider Manny Esquivel had Kitten’s Dumplings placed ninth up the backstretch before asking her to quicken on the far turn. After rallying wide and sweeping to the lead at the top of the stretch, she held her advantage throughout the lane, clocking a mile in 1:40.10 before completing the 1 1/16-miles turf journey in 1:46.64, holding off Street of Gold by a neck in the final yards.

“I moved a little bit early because the rail is so far out and I didn’t want anyone else to beat me to it,” Esquivel said. “She finishes really well in all of her races, so I knew she’d have something left for me.”

Mike Maker trains the Grade I-winning 5-year-old homebred daughter of the Ramsey’s flagship sire Kitten’s Joy, who won her seventh stakes race and eighth race overall from 20 career starts, earning $36,000 to boost her career bankroll to $797,815.

Kitten’s Dumplings returned $6.20, $3.60 and $3. Street of Gold, trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Robby Albarado, paid $5.40 and $4 with the Mike Stidham-trained Masquerade staying on for third under Colby Hernandez, returning $6.80.

“She didn't break that good,” Albarado said. “I committed myself to go to the inside to save ground. She finished really well. I like the way she ran.”

Zubi Zubi Zu and Haunted Heroine dead-heated for fourth, with Zloty, Eden Prairie, Zeta Zody, Fccountryday and Hot Tempo completing the order of finish.

Later in the card, Brittlyn Stables’ Ron Faucheux-trained Above Fashion ($6.40, $2.80 and $2.80) tracked the early speed through splits of 22.36 and 46.28 under Colby Hernandez before assuming command in the stretch to win the $50,000 Letellier Memorial for juvenile fillies. Completing the six-furlong trip in 1:11.61 while 1¼-lengths clear at the wire, the daughter of Paddy O’Prado won her first stakes race in her fourth try after earning a Grade III placing when third in last month’s Delta Downs Princess.

Slight 7-5 favorite Princess Kennedy ($2.60 and $2.60) rallied late in the stretch under Florent Geroux to just take second by a neck from Flashy Appeal ($3.40), who was ridden by Francisco Torres.

Above Fashion won for the third time in eight starts and increased her bankroll to $169,000 with the $31,760 winner’s share.

“We think she’s a natural sprinter,” Faucheux said. “We tried to route her, (but) this is what she wants to do. We thought she would really like six furlongs on this track and she did.”

“That’s exactly how I planned,” Hernandez added. “Just break and sit right off of them and punch home. She has a good little kick.”

Speightstastic and Cape Magic completed the running order.

Two races later, Richard and Bertram Klein’s Cash Control ($4.80, $3.80 and $2.40) proved a popular winner in the $50,000 Tiffany Lass for older fillies and mares. Sitting second under winning rider Shaun Bridgmohan off an opening quarter of 24.81, the 4-year-old daughter of Pioneerof the Nile was eager to challenge up the backstretch and controlled the race from the half-mile pole onward, ticking off splits of 48.30 and 1:12.86 en route to a final time of 1:43.07 for the mile and 70-yard trip.

“She broke smartly and they had a couple of horses who wanted to go early and I just sat off it down the backside,” Bridgmohan said. “She was very determined and wanted to go, so I just kind of dropped my hands and let her do her thing.”

Trained by Brad Cox, Cash Control won her third consecutive race and first stakes race, earning $30,760 to increase her career bankroll to $203,500.

Tiz Lately, sent to post at 23-1, crossed the wire second but was subsequently disqualified to sixth for interference in the stretch, elevating Midnight Sweetie ($11.20, $4.20) to second to complete a $53.80 ($2) exacta of Brad Cox trainees. Please Explain ($2.60) was third, followed by My Miss Venezuela, Silent Ronin, Tiz Lately and Sweet Basil.

 
Source: Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots