Happy Like a Fool, a debut winner at Keeneland in April, returned to the U.S., and the dirt, after a pair of outings in England and duly delivered an authoritative victory in the GIII Matron S. at Belmont Park Sunday.
The 3-5 favorite, shedding blinkers for this fourth start, attended the pace from a two-wide third through an opening quarter in :22.87 and ran in a joint second through a half in :46.21. Ranging up outside the leader turning for home, the juvenile powered clear in the lane, rolling home to a 2 1/4-length score. Take Charge Paula gave chase from second, but the winner always had her measure. Paco Lopez, aboard the runner-up, lodged an objection against the winner for interference in early stretch, but the stewards ruled the results would stand.
“She's got a very nice mind,” winning trainer Wesley Ward said. “We were looking for her to settle early on, and so we took the blinkers off and she did that. We just wanted to see if she could do this and she did. We'll sit down and talk to the owners from here. What she showed me in the mornings came out here this afternoon and next year's going to be a very big year for her.”
Happy Like a Fool turned in an impressive debut victory at Keeneland Apr. 9 for owner/breeder/trainer Ward. Privately purchased by Merriebelle Stable and the Coolmore contingent after that effort, she made the trip to Royal Ascot, where she finished a good second in the G2 Queen Mary S. June 21. Ward kept the filly in England and sent her to York's G2 Lowther S. Aug. 24, where she finished sixth.
“I had her in Florida before any of her starts, she showed an affinity for the turf, so that's why she ran in England [on turf], but I do think she's better on the dirt,” Ward said. “She ran on the grass because she's a good filly. She has the physique of a sprinter and the mother was a sprinter, so we'll see what happens as we look further from this.”
Pedigree Notes:
Wesley Ward, with Cromwell Bloodstock as agent, acquired Lastofthsummerwine (Sky Mesa), in foal to Kitten's Joy, for $50,000 at the 2012 Keeneland November sale. Ward had trained the mare, who was second in her only trip to the post for Ken and Sarah Ramsey in 2008. The mare's first foal bred by Ward became Maniacal, second for the owner/trainer/breeder in last year's GII Amsterdam S. The mare produced Conquest Panthera (Kitten's Joy) in 2012 and that gelding–a $475,000 OBS March juvenile–sold for $100,000 as part of the Conquest Stables dispersal at last year's Keeneland November sale. He won the GII Play the King S. for new owner Gary Barber in August. Lastofthsummerwine produced a colt by Super Saver in 2016 and a filly by American Pharoah this year. She was bred back to Distorted Humor.
Sunday, Belmont Park
MATRON S.-GIII, $147,000, BEL, 10-15, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:10.98, ft.
1–HAPPY LIKE A FOOL, 117, f, 2, by Distorted Humor
1st Dam: Lastofthsummerwine, by Sky Mesa
2nd Dam: French Line, by Boundary
3rd Dam: Clef d'Argent, by Key to the Mint
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN.
O-Merriebelle Stable, Michael B. Tabor, Derrick Smith & Mrs.
John Magnier; B-Wesley Ward (KY); T-Wesley A. Ward; J-Tyler
Gaffalione. $90,000. Lifetime Record: 4-2-1-0, $160,197.
*1/2 to Conquest Panthera (Kitten's Joy), GSW & GISP,
$266,576; and Maniacal (Kitten's Joy), GSP, $153,307. Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A+.[bullet ad=”bluewater-hip-687-at-keenov”][bullet ad=”ashview-farm-foaled-raised”][bullet ad=”winstar-win-10000″][bullet ad=”kbif-g2g3″]2–Take Charge Paula, 119, f, 2, Take Charge Indy–Perfect Paula,
by Songandaprayer. ($40,000 Wlg '15 KEENOV; $47,000 RNA
Ylg '16 KEESEP; $50,000 2yo '17 OBSMAR). O-Bruce Tallisman;
B-Extern Developments LTD. (KY); T-Kelly J. Breen. $30,000.[bullet ad=”lanes-end-sales-grad”][bullet ad=”frankfort-park-farm-raised-grazed-at”]3–Valuable Package, 117, f, 2, Kantharos–Unwrapped Package,
by Value Plus. ($22,000 2yo '17 OBSOPN). O-Hoover
Thoroughbred Racing LLC; B-Nicholas Mouttet (FL); T-Skip
Einhorn. $15,000.[bullet ad=”nick-de-meric-consigned-by-de-meric-sales”]Margins: 2 1/4, 8, 3/4. Odds: 0.60, 6.10, 11.50.
Also Ran: Tarawa, Honey Graeme. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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