Tell A Kelly Impressive in Debutante
Ike and Dawn Thrash's Tell a Kelly, ridden with perfect timing by jockey Alonso Quinonez, rallied from last place in the early furlongs with a devastating move entering the stretch to score impressively in the Grade I $250,000 Darley Debutante for two-year-old fillies Saturday.
Tell a Kelly, far back for a half-mile, rallied between horses at the top of the stretch, quickly took command and drew out easily in the final furlong to win by 4 1/2 lengths in the seven-furlong sprint which traditionally crowns the juvenile filly champion of the summer season.
Wickedly Perfect, the 5-2 favorite under Rafael Bejarano, set the pace into the stretch but was unable to hold off the charge of Tell a Kelly while holding the runner-up spot by 2 1/4 lengths over 30-1 longshot Rigoletta. Izshelegal was fourth in the field of ten fillies. Withdrawn from the race were Big Tiz and Distant Glow.
Tell a Kelly, a daughter of Tapit trained by John Sadler, ran the distance in 1:23.05 and returned $11.20, $5.60 and $3.60. The victory was her second in three starts, having broken her maiden August 15 at Del Mar. First money of $150,000 increased her earnings to $181,000.
Wickedly Perfect paid $4.40 and $3.20, while Rigoletta returned $9.20.
In a supporting feature Saturday, West Point Thoroughbreds' Tropic Storm and jockey David Flores led from wire-to-wire to win the $83,325 Windy Sands Stakes for older horses. Tropic Storm won by 2 1/4 lengths, with Red Door Drive second and Unusual Suspect third.
Tropic Storm, trained by Craig Dollase, ran the mile in 1:35.64 and returned $8.60.