WinStar Farm LLC’s Savvy Supreme made her two-turn debut a
winning one in the Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks presented by the Coaching Club as
Suzzona proved a much-the-best winner of the $65,000 Candy Éclair Stakes at
Monmouth Park on Saturday.
Trying two turns for the first time, Savvy Supreme – a full
sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Commentator – sat just off the leading pair
of My Sunshine Gal and Coco Ecolo in the Oaks behind early fractions of :23 and
:46 3/5.
The Todd Pletcher-trained daughter of Distorted Humor out of
the Storm Bird mare Outsource gained command at the top of the stretch and
finished gamely to hold off the oncoming race favorite Miss Valentine.
After a brief inquiry and objection by
second-place-finishing jockey Joe Bravo, the Oaks result was declared official.
“We had the perfect trip,” said winning rider Elvis
Trujillo. “I was able to sit just off
the speed duel. She shied away from the
left hand whip, so I switched over to the right down the stretch. She was impressive today. There was no way that other horse [Miss
Valentine] was going to catch her.”
Savvy Supreme returned $17, $7.60, $5.20 as the XXX-choice
in the field of 11 3-year-old fillies.
Miss Valentine checked in 1 ¾ lengths behind and paid $3.60 and
$2.80. The winning exacta returned $55. It was another 3 ¼ lengths back to
Withgreatpleasure in third.
The final time for the 1 1/16 miles run over a fast main
track was 1:43 1/5.
With the win, Savvy Supreme increased her career earnings to
$177,525. She has now won three of six
lifetime starts.
In the Candy Éclair, the Benjamin Feliciano Jr.-trained
Suzzona came with a wide run before powering past pacesetter Out Post in the
stretch, stopping the timer in 1:02 flat for 5 ½ furlongs over firm turf. The winner returned $4.20, $3 and $2.60
across the board and topped a $26.40 exacta.
It was a length and three-quarters back to Out Post, who paid $5 and
$4.40. Silver Rock rallied for third,
another neck back, and paid $3.20.
“The trip worked out perfect,” said winning rider Julian
Pimentel. “Three horses went out to the
front and I was able to sit right behind them.
When it was time for her to go, she took off.”
The Candy Éclair was the fourth win in six starts this year
for Suzzona, a 7-year-old mare by The Name’s Jimmy from the Sunny’s Halo mare
Planca. She has now earned $486,885 from
43 lifetime outings.