Big World, backed down to 7-1 from a 20-1 morning-line quote, took advantage of her inside draw and a speed-favoring surface to collect a career high in this first graded stakes event on the loaded GI Kentucky Oaks card.
The Maggi Moss colorbearer carved out early fractions of :23.75 and :48.28 and kept on finding more, refusing to let Romantic Vision by in the stretch.
Even-money favorite Paid Up Subscriber (Candy Ride {Arg}), heroine of last term's GII Fleur de Lis H. beneath the Twin Spires, endured a very tough trip while fourth.
“I saw some speed in the race, so I left it up to Florent [Geroux],” winning trainer Tom Amoss said. “He made the front end and was able to control it up there, and that made all the difference. I've had her all winter long. I can't thank Maggi Moss enough to have the opportunity with this filly. She's responsible for buying this filly, not me. We just put her in the right spots. Maggi couldn't be here today, but I know she would say that this is one of biggest moments of her career. Florent, Maggi and I will talk about it, and make some decisions [about Big World's next start].”
Big World annexed the 2015 GIII Tempted S. at Aqueduct while under the care of Tony Dutrow, and is now 5-for-6 since being transferred to Amoss. She entered riding a three-race winning streak, including a pair of Louisiana-bred stakes races, and most recently captured an Oaklawn optional claimer Mar. 30.
“Tom [Amoss] left it up to me [whether to go to the lead],” Geroux said. “She broke good, got to the lead and I saved as much as I could on the backside. When I asked her turning for home, she was there for me and very brave all the way to the wire.”
Pedigree Notes:
The unraced mare Tensas Wedding Joy (Broken Vow), a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Tensas Yucatan (Ide) as well as a pair of stakes-placed runners, is also represented by an unraced 3-year-old colt by Creative Cause; a 2-year-old colt by Custom for Carlos that brought $400,000 from Dennis O'Neill at this year's Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale; a yearling filly by Trappe Shot; and had a foal filly by Honor Code this spring.
Tensas Wedding Joy, a $20,000 RNA while carrying Big World at the 2013 OBS January Sale, brought $250,000 from Town & Country Horse Farms at last year's Keeneland November Sale.
Tensas Wedding Joy was bred in Louisiana by Sam O. Leake Jr.
Custom for Carlos stands for $3,500 in Louisiana.
Friday, Churchill Downs
LA TROIENNE S. PRESENTED BY SPIRITED FUNDS-GI, $300,000, CD, 5-5, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16m, 1:44.91, sy.
1–&BIG WORLD, 118, f, 4, by Custom for Carlos
1st Dam: Tensas Wedding Joy, by Broken Vow
2nd Dam: Xylophone, by Dehere
3rd Dam: Joyous Melody, by Phone Trick
($98,000 Ylg '14 OBSAUG). O-Maggi Moss; B-Curt Leake & Elm Tree Farm LLC (LA); T-Thomas M Amoss; J-Florent Geroux. $180,420. Lifetime Record: 11-7-0-4, $608,820. *First GISW for sire (by More Than Ready). Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”eqb-yearling-purchase-congratulations”][bullet ad=”summerfieldsales-sold”][bullet ad=”elm-tree-farm-co-bred-raised”][bullet ad=”mckathan-brothers-training-grad”]2–Romantic Vision, 118, m, 5, Lemon Drop Kid–Perfect for You, by Giant's Causeway. O-G Watts Humphrey Jr; B-G Watts Humphrey (KY); T-George R Arnold, II. $58,200.
3–Streamline, 120, m, 5, Straight Line–Love Handles, by Sahm. O-Nancy A Vanier & Cartwright Thoroughbreds V LLC; B-Nancy Vanier (IL); T-Brian Williamson. $29,100.
Margins: 1 1/4, 3/4, HF. Odds: 7.00, 15.90, 8.60.
Also Ran: Paid Up Subscriber, Factory of Faith, Eskenformoney, Impasse, Go Maggie Go. Scratched: Finest City.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
