Call Pat came flying from last in the late stages of the Azeri to take down the colors of comebacking champion Untapable, who was last seen finishing second in the Oct. 4 GI Juddmonte Spinster S. and was scratched from a title defense in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff due to illness. Away well from her rail draw, Call Pat trailed the field by several lengths as double-digit longshot High Dollar Woman (Super Saver) ticked off opening splits of :23.11 and :47.83. Heavily-favored Untapable, on the other hand, was off a step slow and was extremely headstrong, tugging at Florent Geroux from a two-wide third. Taking closer order, Call Pat continued to skim the rail in the last as Untapable was given her head and allowed to take the lead at the quarter-pole, looking full of run. Untapable was all out for home in the lane, but Call Pat was just hitting her best stride. Masterfully ridden by Joe Rocco, the dark bay wove between horses in the final furlong and powered through on the Eclipse winner's inside to score a narrow victory.
“I was happy to the see the :47,” said winning trainer Brad Cox, who indicated he would point Call Pat towards a rematch with Untapable (Tapit) in the GI Apple Blossom H. Apr. 15. “The last time, they went a little bit slower in the Bayakoa. But we always knows she comes running. I was hoping she wouldn't run out of ground. We just got up, but she ran a great race.”
As for the beaten favorite, trainer Steve Asmussen said, “I was disappointed she ran second, but she ran solid. The rider said she lost a little focus and didn't see that filly on the outside [Sarah Sis] and she was kind of looking up. I think she ran well. The winner runs well here and we always know how that is when you come into Oaklawn. It is a horse for course place. It's important to get that first race [off a layoff]. She will definitely stay here and train and be pointed for the Apple Blossom next.”
Call Pat seemed to turn a corner last summer when a neck second in a sloppy renewal of Indiana's Mari Hulman George S. July 18. She came flying from well out of it next out to take the GIII Groupie Doll S. at Ellis Aug. 8 and was out of her league when fourth to MGISW “TDN Rising Star” Wedding Toast (Street Sense) in the nine-panel GI Beldame Invitational S. at Belmont Sept. 26. Third behind another Grade I winner in America (Bernardini) in that venue's GIII Turnback the Alarm H. a month later, the 6-year-old completed the trifecta again in Churchill's GII Fall City H. Nov. 26 and returned to winning ways last time with her signature late run in the track-and-trip GIII Bayakoa S. Feb. 14.
Saturday, Oaklawn Park
AZERI S.-GII, $350,000, OP, 3-19, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16m, 1:44.44, ft.
1–CALL PAT, 119, m, 6, by Lawyer Ron
1st Dam: First Song, by Rahy
2nd Dam: Bejoyfulandrejoyce, by Dynaformer
3rd Dam: Cynthias Whistle, by Whistling Kettle
($7,500 Ylg '11 KEESEP). O-Miller Racing LLC; B-Don Ameche
III, Don Ameche Jr. & Prancing Horse Enterprises (KY); T-Brad
H. Cox; J-Joseph Rocco, Jr. $210,000. Lifetime Record:
30-7-5-5, $614,589. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”allied-bloodstock-shell”][bullet ad=”kbif-g2g3″]2–Untapable, 117, m, 5, Tapit–Fun House, by Prized.
O/B-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen.
$70,000.
3–Streamline, 119, f, 4, Straight Line–Love Handles, by Sahm.
O-Nancy A. Vanier & Cartwright Thoroughbreds V LLC; B-Nancy
Vanier (IL); T-Brian Williamson. $35,000.
Margins: NK, HF, NK. Odds: 5.10, 0.40, 9.60.
Also Ran: Theogony, Sarah Sis, Kyriaki, Meshell, High Dollar Woman. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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