It All ‘Cliqued’

Saturday, Churchill Downs 
CHURCHILL DISTAFF TURF MILE S.-GII, $336,900, CDX, 5-3, 4yo/up, f/m, 1mT, 1:34 3/5, fm. 
1–COFFEE CLIQUE, 118, f, 4, by Medaglia d’Oro 
     1st Dam: Miss Chapin, by Royal Academy 
     2nd Dam: Society Dream (Fr), by Akarad (Fr) 
     3rd Dam: Society Bride, by Blushing Groom (Fr) 
O-Amerman Racing LLC; B-Mrs Jerry Amerman (KY); 
T-Brian A Lynch; J-Javier Castellano. $200,523. 
Lifetime Record: 10-5-1-1, $417,488. Click for the 
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: 
F. 
2–Dame Marie, 118, m, 5, Smart Strike–Crystal 
   Crossing (Ire), by Royal Academy. ($140,000 yrl ’10 
   KEESEP). O-Lally Stable; B-Ben Sangster (KY); 
   T-Eddie Kenneally. $64,685. 
3–Effie Trinket, 118, f, 4, Freud–Maya’s Note, by 
   Editor’s Note. ($4,000 yrl ’11 OBSJAN; $130,000 
   2yo ‘12 OBSAPR). O-Patsy C Symons; B-McMahon of 
   Saratoga Thoroughbreds LLC (NY); T-Richard A 
   Violette Jr. $32,342. 
Margins: HF, 1 3/4, NK. Odds: 5.90, 36.70, 8.90. 
Also Ran: Ready Signal, Centre Court, I’m Already Sexy, Miz Ida, Tapicat, Absolute Crackers (Ire). 
Click for the brisnet.com chart, the brisnet.com PPs or the free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO. 
   Coffee Clique defeated subsequent Woodbine Oaks heroine Nipissing (Niigon) and the subsequent GSW Overheard (Macho Uno) in last year’s GIII Selene S. over the Woodbine Polytrack in May, then set the pace before fading to fourth in the grassy GII Dance Smartly S. July 7. Connections called time on the homebred’s season following a third-place effort as the odds-on favorite in the GIII Ontario Colleen S. going a mile on the turf at Woodbine Aug. 17, and she returned to the races in fine fettle with a battling head allowance success over the Gulfstream grass course Mar. 26. Joel Rosario rode the filly in that comeback test, but he opted for Tapicat (Tapit) here from the rail, leaving Javier Castellano with the ride on a well-bet entrant. Away in good order, Coffee Clique raced outside of Tapicat and to the inside of Effie Trinket early on as I’m Already Sexy (Ready’s Image) raced with gusto on the engine in her seasonal debut. Coffee Clique slipstreamed that one’s move into the stretch and came with a two-path run, but Dame Marie was also in full flight and struck to the front four away from the inside at the eighth pole. Those two matched strides through the final 100 yards, with Coffee Clique boxing on gamely at the hedge for the victory. Effie Trinket was an outstanding third after doing it toughest while three wide the trip. “I saw the way two or three horses have the speed in the race. I wanted to just stay off the pace a little bit,” Castellano stated. “My horse is very brave. Turning for home, she split horses and kept on the rail. I saved all the ground. The most important thing on the grass is to save some ground and I think it paid off today.” Winning trainer Brian Lynch in