Ahh Chocolate opened her account with a pair of victories before finishing third after an extremely wide journey in Pimlico's GII Black-Eyed Susan S. in May. Off the board in both the GII Indiana Oaks July 18 and grassy GIII Pucker Up S. at Arlington in August, she got a confidence-building victory in a local one-mile optional claimer Sept. 19. Eighth in Keeneland's GII Raven Run S. Oct. 17, she was looking to build on a second-place finish in the GII Chilukki S. going a furlong shorter here Nov. 7.
Chasing the pace in second while wanting to do more, the Stoneway homebred took over as they turned for home and kept finding to maintain her advantage down to the line.
“She ran big,” said winning rider Brian Hernandez, Jr. “We got a great spot around the backside and from there we were on the best horse. She had a couple of tough races going two turns. She wasn't the quickest filly going away from there and, like in the Black-Eyed Susan, we stuck down in behind horses and they went slow in front of us and instead of us being able to get in stride, we were stuck getting in a tug and war with her. Today, I was able to get outside and she turned off out there, but she got in a nice rhythm and finished it off for us. She always looked like she was going to get the two turns, but [trainer] Neil [Howard] did the right thing by going back to a one-turn mile last time. It sharpened her up for this race today.”
Howard added, ” She may have not won every time but she's always given us 100% and going off the premise of what Brian has been telling me all season long. We've always thought highly of her and are thinking that she's going to be a lot better with age… We'll target the Fair Grounds races in the winter, but we're going to give her a little bit of a break right now.”
The winner's dam, who is a half to graded winners Rahystrada (Rahy) and Lone Star Sky (Conquistador Cielo), produced a Scat Daddy colt earlier this season and was bred back to Twirling Candy.
GISP Chide (Blame) broke down turning for home and was euthanized.
Thursday, Churchill Downs
FALLS CITY H.-GII, $200,000, CD, 11-26, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/8m, 1:49.68, ft.
1–#@AHH CHOCOLATE, 115, f, 3, by Candy Ride (Arg)
1st Dam: Ahh, by Saint Liam
2nd Dam: Ministrada, by Deputy Minister
3rd Dam: Funistrada, by Fappiano
O/B-Stoneway Farm (KY); T-Neil J. Howard; J-Brian Joseph
Hernandez, Jr. $119,040. Lifetime Record: 9-4-1-1, $281,877.
Werk Nick Rating: C.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Theogony, 117, m, 5, Curlin">Curlin–Upcoming Story, by Tale of the
Cat. ($240,000 Ylg '11 KEESEP). O-Conrad Farms; B-A Lakin &
Sons Inc. (KY); T-Mark E. Casse. $38,400.
3–Call Pat, 117, m, 5, Lawyer Ron–First Song, by Rahy. ($7,500
Ylg '11 KEESEP). O-Miller Racing LLC; B-Don Ameche III, Don
Ameche Jr. & Prancing Horse Enterprises (KY); T-Brad H. Cox.
$19,200.
Margins: 1HF, 1, 3. Odds: 6.10, 10.60, 5.20.
Also Ran: Birdatthewire, Pretty Fancy, No Fault of Mine, Salama, Gamblers Rose, Montana Native, Chide. Scratched: Tiz So Sweet, Needmore Flattery, Frivolous. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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