The subject of considerable pre-race chatter, Rio Angie (Honor Code) lived up to those lofty expectations to become the 11th winner for her freshman sire (by A.P. Indy) and follow in his hoofprints to become the newest 'TDN Rising Star' in Thursday's opening race from Meydan.
The selection of stable jockey Pat Dobbs and drawn gate one in the field of five, Rio Angie showed good gate speed to track the early pace while racing a bit keen down on the inside. The athletic dark bay edged to the front entering the turn, was held together while traveling strongly into the stretch and accelerated away from her rivals in the final 200 metres to score by an impressive 4 3/4 lengths, with a flashy final furlong in :12.22, according to Trakus. Majhoola (Trappe Shot) was second best.
A half-sister to Quantum Miss (Smoke Glacken), GSW, $251,950; Kelwynne (Yes It's True), SP, $154,014; and Tonasah (Malibu Moon), MGSP, $196,660, Rio Angie was a $100,000 purchase out of the 2017 Keeneland November Sale and was bought back on a bid of $150,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale. That proved a wise decision when the March foal fetched $320,000 at this year's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale after breezing her eighth of a mile in a smooth :10 1/5.
Rio Angie's multiple stakes-placed dam was most recently covered by Jimmy Creed.
1st-MEY, AED165,000 (US$44,929), Mdn, 1400m, 1:26.24, ft.
RIO ANGIE, f, 2, by Honor Code
1st Dam: Quanah County (MSP), by Valid Expectations
2nd Dam: Platinum Pearl, by Plugged Nickle
3rd Dam: Pink Platinum, by Quadrangle
Sales history: $100,000 Wlg '17 KEENOV; $150,000 RNA Ylg '18 FTSAUG; $320,000 2yo '19 FTMMAY. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $26,957. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-Hamid Radan; B-Redmon Farm (KY); T-Doug Watson.
WATCH: Rio Angie impresses on debut in Dubai
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