By Alan Carasso
Given a cozy inside trip from gate one by Flavien Prat, Alpha Delta Stables' Raging Sea (Curlin) went on the offensive in the stretch and powered clear to make a victorious seasonal return in Friday's GIII Baird Doubledogdare S. at Keeneland.
Sent off as the 5-2 second choice while making her first start since annexing last year's GIII Comely S. in November at Aqueduct, the homebred fell into the box seat in the early going as Loved (Medaglia d'Oro) cut out even fractions while tracked along by Hidden Connection (Connect) to her outside. Loved continued to hold a short lead into the turn, but Hidden Connection was breathing right down her neck while Raging Sea was waiting for her cue just in behind. Hidden Connection got the better of the tussle on the front end and put away Loved nearing the stretch, but Raging Sea popped away from the inside soon after, wrested command a sixteenth of a mile from home and went further clear with each stride, scoring by 3 1/4 lengths on the wire.
Even-money 'TDN Rising Star' Scylla (Tapit) raced in between horses in the second flight, but was flat-footed when the real running started and grinded her way into a trifecta finish.
“We had a good draw,” Prat commented. “She jumped well out of [the gate] and we were able to get a good stalking position. She was traveling well all the way around and got the job done. Great job by [trainer] Chad [Brown] to get her ready off the long layoff.”
Raging Sea has now made half of her career starts in Lexington, finishing a neck third to champion Wonder Wheel (Into Mischief) in the 2022 GI Darley Alcibiades S. and again in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Fourth and second in first-level Saratoga allowance tests last summer, the chestnut validated odds-on favoritism at this venue last October before just lasting in the Comely Nov. 25.
Pedigree Notes:
A daughter of Grade III winner Welcome Surprise and hailing from the extended female family of A.P. Indy, Summer Squall, Honor Grades, etc., Raging Sea's dam Stormy Welcome fetched $1.6 million as a Keeneland September yearling in 2007 and was later purchased by Reynolds Bell, on behalf of Alpha Delta Stables' Jon Clay, for $600,000 in foal to Candy Ride (Arg) at Keeneland November in 2015. Stormy Welcome's dual stakes-placed daughter Welcoming (Tapit) is herself a stakes producer, as her daughter Reconcile (War Front) was runner-up in this year's Xtra Heat S. at Laurel and in the Cicada S. at Aqueduct.
Stormy Welcome is also represented by the 3-year-old filly Wrath of the Storm (Twirling Candy) and a yearling filly by City of Light. Barren for 2024, she was bred back to Curlin this season.
Watch the full replay as RAGING SEA makes a stand in the Baird Doubledogdare (G3)! pic.twitter.com/kSbieV71Pm
— Keeneland Racing (@keenelandracing) April 19, 2024
Friday, Keeneland
BAIRD DOUBLEDOGDARE S.-GIII, $300,000, Keeneland, 4-19, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16m, 1:44.24, ft.
1–RAGING SEA, 120, f, 4, by Curlin
1st Dam: Stormy Welcome, by Storm Cat
2nd Dam: Welcome Surprise, by Seeking the Gold
3rd Dam: Weekend Surprise, by Secretariat
($300,000 RNA Ylg '21 KEESEP). O/B-Alpha Delta Stables, LLC (KY); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Flavien Prat. $181,350. Lifetime Record: GISP, 8-4-1-1, $645,978. *1/2 to Welcoming (Tapit), MSP, $179,812. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Hidden Connection, 118, m, 5, Connect–C J's Gal, by Awesome Again. ($49,000 RNA Wlg '19 KEENOV; $40,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP; $55,000 RNA 2yo '21 OBSAPR; $85,000 2yo '21 OBSOPN). O-Hidden Brook Farm and Black Type Thoroughbreds; B-St. Simon Place (KY); T-W. Bret Calhoun. $58,500.
3–Scylla, 118, f, 4, Tapit–Close Hatches, by First Defence. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. 'TDN Rising Star'. O/B-Juddmonte Farms Inc (KY); T-William I. Mott. $29,250.
Margins: 3 1/4, 1HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 2.79, 13.53, 1.14.
Also Ran: Loved, Queen of Missoula, Saddle Up Jessie, Curl Girl.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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