Monday's Results:
CORONATION CUP S., $100,000, SAR, 7-31, 3yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 1:01.27, fm.
1–MORTICIA, 121, f, 3, by Twirling Candy&log=">Twirling Candy
1st Dam: Halloween Party, by Mr. Greeley
2nd Dam: Costume Party, by Storm Cat
3rd Dam: Now That's Funny, by Saratoga Six
($45,000 Ylg '15 FTKOCT). O-G. Watts Humphrey, Jr.; B-G.
Watts Humphrey Jr. & George R. Arnold II (KY); T-George R.
Arnold, II; J-Jose Lezcano. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 7-5-1-0,
$273,225.
2–Epping Forest, 115, f, 3, Exchange Rate–Andraste, by Pulpit.
O/B-Waterville Lake Stables Ltd LLC (NY); T-Christophe
Clement. $20,000.
3–Hidden Mystery, 115, f, 3, Into Mischief–Worstcasescenario,
by Forbidden Apple. O/B-Gary & Mary West Stables, Inc. (KY);
T-Jason Servis. $10,000.
Margins: 3/4, NK, NK. Odds: 2.30, 4.40, 7.10.
Also Ran: Heavenly Score, Let It Ride Mom, No More Babies, India Mantuana, Lady Alexandra, Yorkiepoo Princess.
Morticia remained undefeated in five turf sprint starts with a stalk-and-pounce victory as the favorite in the Coronation Cup S. Monday at Saratoga.
Sixth in an off-the-turf career bow last July at Ellis, the $45,000 Fasig-Tipton October graduate scored at 11-1 switching to grass Jan. 14 at Gulfstream and repeated in that track's Melody of Colors S. Feb. 25. Stretching out to a mile in the GIII Appalachian S. Apr. 13 at Keeneland, the bay ran well to be second at 34-1, and she held on to take the seven-furlong Soaring Softly S. May 20 at Belmont. Conquering the Stormy Blues S. last out July 15 at Laurel, Morticia was made the narrow favorite running back in 16 days here and came away well to stalk the pace of No More Babies (Exchange Rate) from second through a snappy :21.42 quarter. Drawing up alongside the pacesetter at the five-sixteenths pole, she entered the stretch under confident handling by Jose Lezcano and took charge once set down outside the eighth pole, kicking clear before holding sway from late-running Epping Forest (Exchange Rate).
“She's just quick,” said winning trainer Rusty Arnold. “She seems to have a lot of class and she likes what she's doing. I was really worried about running her back this quick, but she just did so well when I got her up here, I just decided to take a chance. [Lezcano] has only been beaten on her once and that was when I ran her two turns. Even [after] that day, people think she won't go two turns, and I'm not anxious to do it again, but she beat New Money Honey, she beat Proctor's Ledge; those were nice fillies in there. But sprinting is fun, she likes it and I'm going to stick with it for a while.”
Lezcano added, “I felt like I was on the best filly in the race. I knew the 3 horse [No More Babies] had speed and I let her go. In the lane, she took off. She did everything right that you want a horse to do when you're riding.”
The winner's second dam, Costume Party (Storm Cat), is a half to MGSW Comic Strip (Red Ransom) and GSW/MGISP Lucayan Prince (Fast Play), while third dam Now That's Funny (Saratoga Six) is a half to French G1SW Tropicaro (Fr) (Caro {Ire}). Morticia is the first foal out of a dam whose subsequent produce is a juvenile Artie Schiller filly named Vamp, a yearling filly by Hard Spun and a weanling colt by Liam's Map. She was bred to Frosted this spring. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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