TDN RISING STARS

May 30, 2014 - Churchill Downs, Race 1, Msw, USD $44,000, 4 1/2 f, sy

Unbridled Reward, f, 2, 2012 by Warrior's Reward

1st Dam: Unbridled Appeal, by Unbridled
2nd Dam: Chief Appeal, by Valid Appeal
3rd Dam: Silken Doll, by Chieftain

Owner: John C. Oxley
Breeder: Hargus & Sandra Sexton & Silver Fern Farm (KY)
Trainer: Mark Casse

A veteran of three sales in her brief career, Unbridled Reward was bought back on a bid of $27,000 as a Keeneland November yearling, but had improved to the point where she fetched $95,000 from the Eisaman Equine braintrust at the Keeneland September sale 10 months later. Their hunch about the filly proved correct, as she worked her eighth of a mile in a strong :10 1/5--despite some greenness--and was hammered down to these top connections for $330,000 at the OBS March Sale. Pounded into 3-5 favoritism to give her freshman sire (by Medaglia d'Oro) his second winner in the span of about an hour, the half-sister to Southern Parkway (Lemon Drop Kid), SP, $173,286, was under a hustling ride from Alan Garcia after a sluggish dispatch, but raced up outside of her rivals to lead before they reached the turn. Deliberately kept in about the three path on the bend, she swapped over professionally onto her right lead and covered her final sixteenth of a mile in a remarkable :5.90 seconds to defeat Heart's Song (Desert Party) by 7 3/4 powerful lengths. The winner hails from the extended female family of champion sprinter Speightstown (Gone West). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $26,400.