Safe to say you won't be seeing long odds on The Queens M G (Thousand Words) any more. Off her shocking win at odds of 44-1 in the Schuylerville Stakes July 11, the Saffie Joseph, Jr. runner took serious money Sunday and rewarded her backers again at 5-2 with an impressive victory in the GIII Adirondack Stakes to become her freshman sire's (by Pioneerof the Nile) first graded winner.
An unlikely debut winner at Keeneland Apr. 7, The Queens M G outlasted next out Kentucky Juvenile Fillies Stakes winner West Memorial (Caracaro) to bring the 45-1 upset for then-trainer Israel Acevedo before joining the Saffie Joseph, Jr. barn. Favored in the Astoria Stakes on Belmont weekend at Saratoga June 6, she faded badly to seventh and bettors responded to that effort with those long odds again in the Schuylerville. And so, coming into Sunday's Adirondack, The Queens M G needed to prove she could run at short odds and safe to say, the message was delivered.
Breaking from the outside under Dylan Davis, who was also aboard for her Schuylerville win, 5-2 second choice was able to sit a nice trip in fourth as a trio of rivals pushed each other up front led by 'TDN Rising Star' Anakarina (Vekoma). Close to the speed of a :21.42 opening quarter, she began to inch up, taking third into the far turn while still outside in the clear and, under only a shake of the reins from Davis, it was game on. As the pacesetters wilted along the fence, The Queens M G tipped down to the inside and came home in style with only race favorite Italian Soiree (Uncle Mo) doing any running late to fill the exacta.
“I think she improved a lot from her last start,” said Davis. “She got a little more aggressive and she knew what she had to do again today. She showed more. Outside post again, and I could really sit off it and let her do what she wants. She was more aggressive coming out of there on a hot pace. She's able to settle and she's really versatile. She just waits for my cue and responds. She's really nice to ride and the team did a good job with her again today.”
Saffie Joseph, Jr. added: “She wasn't 40-1, so the pressure was on. I thought today we would see if we had a legit horse, or not. We were hoping to get back-to-back wins and get through it. The way she ran–she had a pace scenario–this was the first time she wasn't really pressing, she had to sit a little bit. We worked her the other day inside of a horse in case she drew inside. Thankfully, we got a good post again. She's drawn outside all three times, so that's been to her advantage. She showed a new dimension because she sat off a couple horses and she quickened. Today, was her best by far. Last time, she won but today was a different level.”
Pedigree Note:
The Queens M G is the first graded stakes winner, one of 10 individual winners and 2 stakes winners from the first crop of Spendthrift stallion Thousand Words. Just a $3,500 Fasig-Tipton October yearling buy and a private purchase after her debut win, she is the second foal and winner out of an unplaced Grindstone dam. This is the family of GSW/GISP and $5m FTKNOV Coolmore broodmare buy Untouched Talent (Storm Cat), GISW Bodemeister (Empire Maker) and MGSW Under the Stars (Pioneerof the Nile) along with MGISP Fascinating (Smart Strike). Also under the third dam is MGISW She's A Julie (Elusive Quality) who sold to Spendthrift for $3m at FKTNOV in 2020. Her only sibling is the 4-year-old winning Connect filly Miss Addie Lynn who produced her first foal, a Maximus Mischief filly this year.
Sunday, Saratoga
ADIRONDACK S.-GIII, $200,000, Saratoga, 8-4, 2yo, f, 6 1/2f, 1:17.83, ft.
1–THE QUEENS M G, 122, f, 2, by Thousand Words
1st Dam: Show Queen, by Grindstone
2nd Dam: Talent Queen, by Elusive Quality
3rd Dam: Parade Queen, by A.P. Indy
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($3,500 Ylg '23 FTKOCT). O-C Two Racing Stable and Mathis Stable LLC; B-T.F. VanMeter, Samuel Hernandez, Jesus Torres, Justin Vinalay (KY); T-Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.; J-Dylan Davis. $110,000. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0, $254,380. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Italian Soiree, 120, f, 2, Uncle Mo–Social Call, by Smart Strike. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($290,000 Ylg '23 FTKJUL; $600,000 2yo '24 OBSMAR). O-Hit The Bid Racing Stable, Morplay Racing LLC and Randall Hartley; B-Repole Stable, Inc. (KY); T-John P. Terranova, II. $40,000.
3–Atomic City, 120, f, 2, Twirling Candy–Knit One Purr Too, by Tale of the Cat. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($360,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP). O-Castleton Lyons; B-Jamm, Ltd (KY); T-Eddie Kenneally. $24,000.
Margins: 9, 3, 1 1/4. Odds: 2.60, 1.70, 5.60.
Also Ran: Dare to Breeze, Aguas de Cristal, Anakarina, Whatintheliteral. Scratched: Social Fortress, White Sands.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
#9 The Queens M G backs up her Schuylerville win by dominating in the G3 Adirondack S. at Saratoga! 👑@davisjockey was up for trainer Saffie Joseph. pic.twitter.com/vqjIfMMXUI
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) August 4, 2024
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