“TDN Rising Star” Ever So Clever flew home late to deny pacesetter Chanel's Legacy and register a 15-1 upset in Oaklawn's Fantasy S. Friday afternoon. Running near the back of the pack as Chanel's Legacy doled out early fractions of :23.37 and :47.03, the dark bay began to pick off rivals on the backstretch run. Way out in the center of the track turning for home, she swung in a bit, bumping her neighbor, but was quickly righted by Luis Contreras and swiftly inhaled her rivals in the final furlong, powering clear late to stamp her ticket to the GI Kentucky Oaks.
“Luis gave her a perfect trip. Nice filly. Nice filly,” winning trainer Steve Asmussen said. “I felt very good about how the filly trained and that he had ridden her before. I felt we had a lot more horse going into today. The filly has a great personality, and we've always felt this way about her. And for her now to win a nice graded stakes is what she deserves. She's going to Churchill Monday and it's fun to have her there.”
Named a “TDN Rising Star” after a dominant 7 1/4-length victory when unveiled at Churchill Downs last July, Ever So Clever failed to fire when fifth in Saratoga's GII Adirondack S. in August, but improved to second next out in Churchill's GII Pocahontas S. Sept. 17. Returning to winning ways in a Keeneland allowance Oct. 19, she was third behind recent GII Fair Ground Oaks victress Farrell (Malibu Moon) in the GII Golden Rod S. back beneath the Twin Spires Nov. 26. Fifth to Chanel's Legacy and several other rivals from this test in Oaklawn's Martha Washington S. Feb. 11, the dark bay filled that spot again behind fellow “TDN Rising Star” It Tiz Well (Arch) and the reopposing Benners Island (Giant's Causeway) in this venue's GIII Honeybee S. Mar. 11.
It has been an exceptional past few months for Ever So Clever's breeder, the Cleary family's Clearsky Farms, who bred champion and Longines World's Best Racehorse Arrogate (Unbridled's Song). They are also the breeder of Grade I winner Abel Tasman (Quality Road), who they race in partnership with the China Horse Club, and MGISW sprinter Lord Nelson (Pulpit).
Pedigree Notes:
Ever So Clever is the 100th black-type winner and 50th individual grade/group winner for her sire Medaglia d'Oro. The winner's dam is MSW and MGSP Foxy Danseur, whose first foal Fidelity (A.P. Indy) was the second highest-priced horse sold as a juvenile at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton Florida sale when hammered down to Green Hills Farm for $1.1-million. That was the same year she produced a Tapit colt named Tathqeef, who summoned $1.1-million from Shadwell Stable at the 2014 Keeneland September sale. Foxy Danseur's most recent produce is a juvenile filly by Tapit and she visited Liam's Map last term.
Friday, Oaklawn Park
FANTASY S.-GIII, $400,000, OP, 4-14, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:43.40, ft.
1–#@EVER SO CLEVER, 117, f, 3, by Medaglia d'Oro
1st Dam: Foxy Danseur (MSW & MGSP, $340,153),
by Mr. Greeley
2nd Dam: Ravish Me, by Wild Again
3rd Dam: In Conference, by Dayjur
“TDN Rising Star” O-Clearview Stable LLC; B-Clearsky Farms
(KY); T-Steven Asmussen; J-Luis Contreras. $240,000. Lifetime
Record: 8-3-1-1, $377,850. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”webb-carroll-another-wctc-grad”][bullet ad=”performancegenetics-elitecardioselection”][bullet ad=”kbif-g2g3″]2–Chanel's Legacy, 121, f, 3, Dominus–Chanel Number Mine, by
Value Plus. O-Poindexter Thoroughbreds LLC; B-H. Allen
Poindexter (IA); T-Lynn Chleborad. $80,000.3–Vexatious, 120, f, 3, Giant'sCauseway–Dream of Summer, by
Siberian Summer. ($150,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP). O-Calumet Farm;
B-James C. Weigel & Giant's Causeway Syndicate, LLC. (KY);
T-Neil D. Drysdale. $40,000.[bullet ad=”taylor-made-tm-for-you”]Margins: 1 3/4, NK, 4 1/4. Odds: 15.80, 12.50, 3.20.
Also Ran: Torrent, Benner Island, My Sweet Stella, Spooky Woods, Dutch Parrot, Conquest Bandido, Drinks On Broadway, Kell Paso, Conquest Slayer. 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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