'TDN Rising Star' Pacific Wind made it two-for-two since being transferred to the barn of trainer Chad Brown with a rallying victory in the GII Ruffian S. Sunday at Belmont. It was the filly's first graded stakes success and her third win from four starts on dirt.
“She's really been training well and we were cautiously optimistic that she could step up in a race of this caliber,” said Brown. “Cutting back to one turn was a little bit of a concern. She had run well in a two-turn mile in Keeneland. But she got a favorable setup in front of her. She showed her versatility running at one turn today. She showed a real good closing kick. All-around, she's a really nice filly.”
Off to an even beginning, Pacific Wind settled in fourth in a compact field of five as Faypien carved out a half-mile in :46.39. Patiently handled on the turn, she angled four wide entering the stretch and followed the bid of Highway Star. Pacific Wind gradually wore that rival down and edged clear in the final furlong to post a comfortable win.
“I broke good and got a nice trip,” said winning rider Irad Ortiz Jr. “I waited there, just following horses. When I got in the clear, I asked her and she took off.”
Pacific Wind began her career competing on turf in the Peter Eurton barn in Southern California, placing third in both the GIII Senorita S. and GII Honeymoon S. last spring. After running ninth in the GI Del Mar Oaks, she transitioned to dirt and captured an allowance test at Santa Anita before running fifth in the GII Bayakoa S. at Los Alamitos Dec. 3. Relocated to Brown's stable on the East Coast following that effort, she returned to action with an authoritative stalk-and-pounce allowance score at Keeneland Apr. 13.
Pedigree Notes:
A $200,000 KEESEP yearling purchase and the most recent foal out of the four-time stakes-winning Dixieland Band mare Shag, Pacific Wind is a half-sister to MGSW and GISP turfer Strike a Deal (Smart Strike).
Sunday, Belmont Park
RUFFIAN S.-GII, $245,000, BEL, 5-6, 4yo/up, f/m, 1m, 1:36.22, ft.
1–PACIFIC WIND, 117, f, 4, by Curlin">Curlin
1st Dam: Shag (MSW, $348,074), by Dixieland Band
2nd Dam: Ismelda, by Wavering Monarch
3rd Dam: Scathing, by Vitriolic
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($200,000
Ylg '15 KEESEP). O-Sharon Alesia, Ciaglia Racing LLC, Peter M.
Brant & Dominic Savides; B-Sarah S. Farish (KY); T-Chad C.
Brown; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $150,000. Lifetime Record: 9-4-1-2,
$312,545. *1/2 to Strike a Deal (Smart Strike), MGSW & GISP,
$1,071,675. Werk Nick Rating: B.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”lanes-end-sales-grad”][bullet ad=”kbif-g2g3″]2–Highway Star, 123, m, 5, Girolamo–Stolen Star, by Cat Thief.
O/B-Chester & Mary R. Broman (NY); T-Rodrigo A. Ubillo.
$50,000.[bullet ad=”sequelbloodstock-grad”]3–Tequilita, 123, f, 4, Union Rags–Sangrita, by Mr. Greeley.
O/B-Dorothy Alexander Matz (KY); T-Michael R. Matz. $25,000.[bullet ad=”bradshaw-randy-shell”]Margins: 1, HF, 3 1/4. Odds: 1.50, 11.00, 8.60.
Also Ran: Faypien, Unchained Melody. Scratched: Holiday Disguise. 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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