Serengeti Empress (Alternation) made a mockery of the GII Pocahontas S. at Churchill Downs Saturday, completely demolishing the field. She not only secured a spot in the gate for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies here in six weeks in this “Win and You're In Event,” but also stamped herself as the early favorite for that Championship test.
Hammered down to 4-5 favoritism after a dominant score in the Ellis Park Debutante S. last time Aug. 19, Serengeti Empress broke sharply from her rail draw and immediately seized control, ticking off opening splits of :23.17 and :46.94 with 14-1 shot Taylor's Spirit (Algorithms) following close behind. Distancing herself from that rival approaching the far turn under a motionless Corey Lanerie, the dark bay was in a race of her own in the stretch, cruising further and further clear of the field of her own volition to win for fun by an astounding 19 1/2 lengths. California invader Splashy Kisses (Blame) was best of the rest in second and Lightscameraaction (Will Take Charge) completed the trifecta.
“We are very excited about this filly, and for obvious reasons,” said winning trainer Tom Amoss. “We know we have a nice filly and it's great that the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies is in our backyard. She's such a pro with how she handles things in training. We'll just let her be her until the Breeders' Cup and I think we'll be just fine.”
“I've been coming to the races since I was 5-years-old and I've never seen anything like this,” said owner Joel Politi. “It's incredible. We're going to ride it as far as we can. I have to give Tom and his team all the credit. This race was just simply mind boggling.”
Lanerie echoed Politi's sentiments, saying, “When you have a horse like this, it's easy to be the passenger. It's a credit to Tom and his team because this filly has done everything right. When I came back and saw the fractions and how quick we went up front I really couldn't believe it. That's when you know you're sitting on a good horse–when they can travel as quickly as they do without you realizing it.”
A decisive debut winner at Indiana Grand on Independence Day, Serengenti Empress was a disappointing and somewhat troubled fourth next out in Saratoga's GIII Schuylerville S. July 20. She returned to winning ways with a 13 1/2-length drubbing of her peers in the Ellis Park Debutante last month.
Pedigree Notes:
Serengeti Empress is the second graded winner for her sophomore sire Alternation (Distorted Humor). She is the first foal out of Havisham, whose only progeny since is a yearling full-sister to the winner. Havisham is a daughter of Argentinian Group 3 winner Love Dancing, who is out of MGSW Le Midi.
Saturday, Churchill Downs
POCAHONTAS S.-GII, $200,000, Churchill Downs, 9-15, 2yo, f,
1 1/16m, 1:45.47, ft.
1–SERENGETI EMPRESS, 120, f, 2, by Alternation
1st Dam: Havisham, by Bernardini
2nd Dam: Love Dancing (Arg), by Salt Lake
3rd Dam: Le Midi (Arg), by Fitzcarraldo (Arg)
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($25,000 Wlg '16 KEENOV; $70,000
Ylg '17 KEESEP). O-Joel Politi; B-Tri Eques Bloodstock, LLC (KY);
T-Thomas M. Amoss; J-Corey J. Lanerie. $116,560. Lifetime
Record: 4-3-0-0, $187,870. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple
Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”brookdale-
Run. ($30,000 Ylg '17 FTKTUR; $100,000 2yo '18 FTFMAR).
O-ERJ Racing, LLC, Phoenix Thoroughbred III & Dave Kenney;
B-Winchester Farm (KY); T-Doug F. O'Neill. $37,600.[bullet ad=”winchester-double-yoshida”][bullet ad=”kirkwood-gulfstreamgallop”][bullet ad=”eaton-sold”]3–Lightscameraaction, 118, f, 2, Will Take Charge–Stop the
Lights, by Storm Cat. ($40,000 Ylg '17 KEESEP). O-Walking L
Thoroughbreds, LLC; B-Diamond A Racing Corp. (KY);
T-Kenneth G. McPeek. $18,800.[bullet ad=”taylor-made-tm-for-you”]Margins: 19HF, 1HF, HD. Odds: 0.90, 3.90, 19.60.
Also Ran: My Wynter Rose, Love My Honey, Include Edition, Profound Legacy, Taylor's Spirit, Two Dozen Roses, Tapping Pearl, Saved At Dawn. Scratched: It Justhitthe Wire.
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.
