By Alan Carasso
Window Shopping (American Pharoah) pounced on long-time leader Ancient Peace (War Front) with a furlong to run in Saturday's GII Summertime Oaks and edged away late to a first win at the graded stakes level.
Beaten for speed, the $700,000 Keeneland September purchase settled between rivals just behind the pace which was set inside by GI Kentucky Oaks third The Alys Look (Connect) with outside pressure from Ancient Peace. The well-backed second favorite, The Alys Look began to back out of it with three-eighths of a mile to race, leaving Ancient Peace alone on the lead, while farther back, Lily Poo (Tapiture) was traveling ominously well and loomed a threat three deep into the stretch. Ancient Peace battled on bravely at the fence, but Window Shopping kept grinding away beneath Hector Berrios, grabbed the front-runner with less than a furlong to travel and inched clear.
A troubled sixth in a one-mile turf maiden at Del Mar last November, Window Shopping romped by 16 1/2 lengths in an off-turf test going a mile here Mar. 17. That effort earned her a shot at the Apr. 8 GII Santa Anita Oaks and the chestnut gave a decent account of herself when seven lengths third and beaten just a half-length for second behind the then-unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Faiza (Girvin).
Pedigree Notes:
Window Shopping is the 36th worldwide stakes winner and 22nd group/graded winner for Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. Window Shopping's dam posted her career high in the 2015 GIII Monmouth Oaks and was second to America (A.P. Indy) in that year's GIII Turnback the Alarm H. Connections had her in training for a time at four in 2016, but she did not make another trip to the races and was purchased by International Equities Holding for $700,000 at Keeneland January in 2017, the second priciest offering of the auction.
Delightful Joy's first foal was Zainalarab (War Front), a $1-million graduate of the 2019 Keeneland September Sale, before Window Shopping was hammered down to Steve Young for $700,000 at the same event two years later. Delightful Joy is also represented by a yearling Into Mischief filly and was most recently covered by the same sire.
The cross of American Pharoah over Tapit mares has resulted in GISW Harvey's Lil Goil and Japanese listed winner Reframe.
Saturday, Santa Anita
SUMMERTIME OAKS-GII, $201,000, Santa Anita, 6-3, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:45.01, ft.
1–WINDOW SHOPPING, 120, f, 3, by American Pharoah
1st Dam: Delightful Joy (GSW, $179,200), by Tapit
2nd Dam: Graeme Six, by Graeme Hall
3rd Dam: Polish Ruby, by Polish Pro
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($700,000
Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Perry R. Bass II and Ramona S Bass.;
B-International Equities Holding, Inc. (KY); T-Richard E.
Mandella; J-Hector Isaac Berrios. $120,000. Lifetime Record:
4-2-0-1, $208,700. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Ancient Peace, 120, f, 3, War Front–Deceptive Vision, by
A.P. Indy. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE.
($180,000 Ylg '21 FTSAUG; $650,000 3yo '23 KEEJAN).
O-Boardshorts Stables, LLC; B-Sam-Son Farm (ON); T-John W.
Sadler. $40,000.
3–Lily Poo, 120, f, 3, Tapiture–Cool Moves, by Hold Me Back.
1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O-Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners;
B-Michael Meeks (KY); T-Michael W. McCarthy. $24,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, HF, 3. Odds: 3.50, 15.70, 15.10.
Also Ran: Anywho, Doinitthehardway, The Alys Look, And Tell Me Nolies.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
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