Roses for Debra finds room to win Presque Isle Masters
Post-time favorite Roses for Debra found a gap in traffic along the rail and got up in the last four strides to set a track record Friday night and win the Grade 2, $300,000 Presque Isle Downs Masters for fillies and mares, 3 and up.
The winning time of 1:13.92 for the 6 1/2 furlongs on the Tapeta course broke the old record of 1:14.57 set by Artie’s Princess in the 2022 running of the Masters.
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Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. for trainer Christophe Clément, Roses for Debra (3-2) took a rail-saving trip up the backstretch in fifth place, racing less than two lengths behind pacesetter She’s Fire (46-1) through early fractions of 22.51 and 44.98 seconds.
As the field of nine turned for home, Pandora’s Gift (10-1) briefly took command racing four wide. Ben Curtis had the Ireland-bred, 3-year-old Churchill filly within striking distance of winning her U.S. debut. Meanwhile, Ortiz looked for room with Roses for Debra running along the rail.
That gap finally materialized, and Roses for Debra surged to the lead through three-quarters of a mile in 1:08.03. She ran on to win by a neck over Pandora’s Gift, who carried six fewer pounds.
“The inside trip was good today. I just let her sit and bide her time until we reached the quarter pole,” Ortiz said. “The spot inside ended up opening, and she came right through there. She loves this racetrack.”
Gal in a Rush (4-1) stalked and faded to finish 1 1/2 lengths farther up the track in third. Nice as Pie (9-5) rallied from sixth to finish another half-length behind in fourth.
Sunday Shoes (8-1), Baby No Worries (62-1), She’s Fire, Jill Jitterbug (92-1) and Heaven Rules (38-1) finished fifth through ninth in that order.
Roses for Debra paid $5.00, $3.40 and $2.20; Pandora’s Gift $9.60 and $4.80; and Gal in a Rush $3.40.
Owned by John O’Meara and Cheyenne Stable, Roses for Debra is a 5-year-old gray mare by Liam’s Map who ran her record to 15: 9-2-2 and, with the $180,000 first-place money Friday, raised her career earnings to $817,868. This was her fourth stakes victory. Her previous biggest win came April 13 in the Giant’s Causeway (G3) at Keeneland. Last year Roses for Debra finished ninth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.
Roses for Debra was bred by Blackstone Farm in Schuylkill County, Pa.